L.A. County Braces for Cutoff of State Funds for Health, Social Services
Los Angeles County could have to go without $1.4 billion in state funding for health and human services programs over the next seven months if the state goes forward with Controller John Chiang's (D) plan to delay or withhold some payments to preserve cash, county officials announced Monday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
In a memo to Los Angeles County Supervisors, county Chief Executive William Fujioka said that the county could "cover deferred payments for two months" but would have to consider bonds or other options to fund county services after that.
Fujioka acknowledged that borrowing money would be difficult given current market conditions (Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times, 1/27).
Chiang has outlined a plan to delay $3.7 billion in payments to mental health and other social service programs beginning on Feb. 1 if a budget agreement is not reached before then (California Healthline, 1/21).Â
Private Health Clinics
In related news, the county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on a proposal today that would channel nearly $45 million from the county's share of tobacco settlement money to private health clinics that cater to the uninsured, the Los Angeles Daily Journal reports.
The proposal would target the funds to clinics in underserved areas of the county, such as South and East Los Angeles and the Antelope and San Gabriel valleys (George, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 1/27). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.