California programs that provide skilled day-care services for fragile seniors and disabled adults are breathing a sigh of relief. The state has formally approved a new system that will serve most of the patients.
The state wanted to eliminate adult day health care services last year. The fate of some 40,000 patients was up in the air.
After being sued by a disability rights group, the state agreed to fund a new program called Community Based Adult Services, or CBAS.
State nurses spent months evaluating people for CBAS. Now, nearly 32,000 patients have been approved.
Mark Woodruff is program director for Casa Pacifica, a service provider in South San Diego. He said the state wasted a lot of time and money.
"If you were to interview a patient on Friday, and interview them again at the end of today, there's absolutely no change," Woodruff said.
Some 300 programs in California are still providing skilled care, but have seen their state funding cut by ten percent.
