Medical Cuts Would Impact Valley Provider
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VOLUME XLVII, NUMBER 20 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2010 Medical Cuts Would Impact Valley Provider By Ron McNicoll people. visits for 1000 people. Over the ple who can function at home, we see is up 25 percent from last Impacts of the revised budget Sue Compton, CEO of AXIS past couple of years in response which keeps them out of nursing year. People lose their jobs, and that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Community Health, said that the to the state budget crunch, the homes. lose insurance. We do all we can has given the Legislature will af- cuts proposed by Schwarzeneg- funding dropped to $54,000. This Often the caretaker is a family do, but we have a waiting list.” fect the Valley’s primary medical ger to help offset a $19.1 billion year the funding is $18,000, and member who needs the money AXIS tries to obtain Medi- care provider in the Valley. deficit in the coming year will im- is paying for approximately 250 to stay home all day, instead of Cal coverage for people who AXIS, which contracts with pact two of its programs. One is medical visits. going to a job. In addition to los- are coming up short on money, Alameda County, serves 14,000 the Expanded Access to Primary “We always bill out that con- ing the money, the caretakers no because obtaining it can be a patients each year, as well as Care (EAPC). The other is In tract fully. We could use twice longer would have health insur- relatively quick solution. How- Find Out What's 1000 mental health clients and Home Support Services (IHSS). the $75,000 (from earlier years),” ance coverage that the program ever, while most children from Happening 2000 people in the Women In- Schwarzenegger proposes elimi- said Compton. provides. low-income families qualify for fants Children (WIC) program nating both programs. The IHSS program for in- Compton said that the cuts in Medi-Cal, adults typically are not Check out the in Livermore, Pleasanton and Several years ago, AXIS was home caretakers provides 20 both programs for AXIS won’t eligible, unless they are pregnant Dublin. It is the only direct health receiving $75,000 annually for to 25 visits per month through be “devastating, but every bit we or disabled, said Compton. second section care provider for low-income EAPC, which paid for doctor AXIS. The caretakers help peo- lose, hurts. The number of people (See MEDICAL, page 4) Section II is filled with infor- mation about arts, entertainment and special events. There are education stories, a variety of features, and the arts and en- Proposed Cuts Would tertainment and bulletin board listings. Impact those Struggling To Make Ends Meet Proposals to eliminate the 18,000 Alameda County seniors State’s main welfare-to-work and persons with disabilities, has program, subsidized childcare seen significant cuts in the past and other services will have dras- few years. Further cuts would tic impacts on Alameda County result in lower wages for about residents struggling to make ends 18,000 caregivers in Alameda meet amid high unemployment County, while causing several and other economic difficulties. thousand clients to become in- That was the conclusion of Alam- eligible to receive services vital eda County officials after review- to their well-being, according to ing Governor Schwarzenegger’s the county. revised State Budget plan. “This State budget plan once The Governor’s budget plan again asks local communities to calls for the elimination of Cal- endure the greatest pain resulting WORKs, the state’s main wel- from the budget problems that HUNTER LOVINS fare-to-work program. The move continue in Sacramento with would mean some 20,000 fami- no end in sight,” said Alameda lies in Alameda County would County Administrator Susan S. lose assistance including cash Muranishi. Hunter Lovins Photo - Doug Jorgensen benefits, employment services County officials also are Talk Set in Traci Peterson (right) talks with Cody about a picture. and child care support. concerned about a proposal In addition, the Governor contained in the Governor’s Pleasanton has called for cutting the State’s May Budget Revision to shift The City of Pleasanton’s new In-Home Supportive Services responsibility for thousands of Committee on Energy and the program by roughly a third. The State prison inmates to local Multiple Shunt Surgeries Can’t program, which provides care and government. They say the plan Environment kicks off its free (See BUDGET, page 4) lecture series with Dr. L. Hunter personal assistance services for Lovins on Tuesday, May 25. Dampen Cody Peterson’s Smile Lovins was named Time Mag- azine’s Millennium “Hero of the By Patricia Koning completely torn away, but was As a result of his birth injuries, Planet” for her efforts to promote In August 2007, Traci Pe- held on by a blood clot,” ex- Cody has cerebral palsy and hy- Pleasanton OKs Merger Of sustainable development. She terson called her boss to let plains Traci. “Cody suffered a drocephalus. Initially, Traci and will speak at the Pleasanton her know she’d be a little late significant lack of oxygen for her husband Kevin were more Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Bou- some time.” Transportation Agencies to work. Seven months preg- concerned about the cerebral pal- The Pleasanton City Council levard in Pleasanton on May 25 nant with her second son, Traci Cody was blue and lifeless (CMA) and Alameda County sy, but it is the hydrocephalus that approved a joint powers agree- at 7:00 p.m. decided to pay her doctor a when he was taken out, in a con- Transportation Improvement has posed greater challenges. ment (JPA) that would autho- Lovins is the co-founder of visit because she hadn’t felt the dition the doctors termed “inter- Hydrocephalus, also known as Agency (ACTIA). the Rocky Mountain Institute, a baby move through the night. rupted death.” He was given CPR “water on the brain,” is a build up rize combining two Alameda The proposed 22-member well-known non-profit research What she envisioned as a quick and then taken immediately to of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)—the County transportation agencies ACTC board will be comprised and educational foundation fo- heartbeat check turned into an the NICU. He was born with sei- clear fluid that surrounds the into one. of the Board of Supervisors, with cused on the efficient and sus- emergency C-section in which zures, a Grade III intraventricular brain and spinal cord. According The Alameda County Trans- six votes; two representatives tainable use of resources. She is both Traci and the baby nearly brain hemorrhage, and a myriad to the National Institute of Neu- portation Commission (ACTC) from Oakland with four votes also an author and has promoted died. of other preemie problems (he rological Disorders and Stroke, would consolidate the Con- total, one representative each sustainable development for “My placenta had almost was born at 31 weeks). (See CODY, page 12) gestion Management Agency (See MERGER, page 4) more than 30 years with the mes- sage that citizens, communities and companies, working together within the market context are a dynamic problem-solving force. LEA, School District at Odds Lovins has presented to audi- ences around the globe including Over Staff Development Days the United States Congress, the By Patricia Koning “This will be a wide open (See SPEAKER, page 12) Representatives from the conversation about what we can Livermore Education Associa- do to resolve the situation as tion (LEA), the teachers’ union, quickly as possible,” explained LPC Offers and the Livermore Valley Joint assistant superintendent Mike Unified School District met to Martinez. “My hope is that we Counseling discuss whether removing three can settle this dispute before it For Veterans professional development days goes to arbitration.” by Brittney Barsotti from the calendar for the 2010/11 At issue is the Board’s deci- Las Positas College (LPC) school year violated the teach- sion to eliminate three profes- has become one of the first ers’ contract. The two sides met sional development days from colleges in California to offer May 18. (See LIVERMORE, page 4) counseling services for veterans in conjunction with the Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs (VA). Former Marine Nathan John- Pleasanton Schools Hire Leader, son, a readjustment counselor for the VA, is making his services Aim for Parcel Tax Talk available to student veterans and Photo - Doug Jorgensen veterans in the community. By Ron McNicoll were “excited” about her coming A worker finishes the colorful cement work around Lizzie Fountain. Work is expected to be Johnson is working with the Looking to secure the future, to the district. completed soon on renovation of the park and fountain at the corner of First St. and South veterans program at LPC to try the Pleasanton school board Trustee Jamie Hintzke, whose Livermore Ave. in downtown Livermore. to establish a model for how the unanimously voted to hire a new job with the county health de- VA can interact with colleges to superintendent. It also set the partment takes her into Fremont set up local centers for services wheels in motion to determine schools, worked over a span of in the community. He feels it is whether there would be support two years with Ahmadi, who LPC President Accepts Job in Maryland important to reach out to vet- for another attempt at a parcel is an assistant superintendent erans in college while they are tax. there. “She was always great, Las Positas College Presi- “Las Positas College is a won- align my skills, experiences, and still young.