Sen. Dodd Introduces Elderly and Disabled Assistance Bill

SACRAMENTO – With high COVID-19 infection rates at California nursing homes, Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced legislation today to expand a successful program that allows low-income seniors and people with disabilities to receive care in the safety of their own homes.

“We must continue to allow our most vulnerable the choice of staying in their homes to avoid potential exposure to the coronavirus and also improve the quality of their lives,” Sen. Dodd said. “This program protects people who would be most at risk while saving taxpayer dollars that would be spent on outside care. It builds on my commonsense proposal from last year that was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.”

The California Community Transitions program has transitioned 4,300 people from institutional settings over the past 12 years for an average savings of $60,000 per person per year. Last year, Sen. Dodd wrote Senate Bill 214, which helped the program assist people during the pandemic. Today, he introduced follow-up legislation, SB 281, to ensure California conforms with updates in federal law, expanding eligibility to even more people.

The bill is co-sponsored by Disability Rights California and East Bay Innovations.

“Older adults and people with disabilities are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and becoming critically ill, especially those individuals residing in a nursing home or institutional setting,” said Andy Imparato, DRC executive director. “Now more than ever it is vitally important that individuals who reside in institutional settings are allowed access to transition services to assist them to move back home and into the community.”

“It is imperative that we use every tool in the toolbox available during COVID to get vulnerable people out of nursing homes.  Providing long term care in the home costs less and improves the quality of life.  Sen. Dodd’s bill not only helps people live outside of institutions, it also saves the state money,” said Tom Heinz, executive director of East Bay Innovations. 

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.