Home care workers and consumers are fighting back proposed cuts to maintain access to quality home care.

This week hundreds of home care workers, seniors, and people with disabilities took to the Capitol to fight back proposed cuts to home care funding.  Supporters rode buses in from around the state and kicked off the day with a rally outside the statehouse, before heading in to talk with lawmakers face to face about the devastating effects the proposed cuts would have on seniors and people with disabilities who count on home care workers to help them continue living independently at home.

Governor Quinn has proposed $150 million in service and eligibility cuts to the Community Care Program that seniors rely on.  These cuts would impact up to 8,000 new seniors that will not be able to access the program and would mean fewer hours of care for seniors who are already enrolled.

In addition, the Governor’s proposed budget includes huge cuts to the DHS-DRS Home Services Program that provides access to home care services for people with disabilities in Illinois.  The proposed $60.5 million in service and eligibility cuts would kick thousands of people with disabilities out of the program, prevent thousands from entering and receiving the services they need, and drastically reduce services for over 14,000 consumers.

Click here to check out home care worker Gail Hamilton’s remarks on News Channel 20 in Springfield.