SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would allow senior and low-income people with disabilities to transition from skilled nursing facilities to in-home care, all while saving taxpayer dollars, cleared the Senate today by unanimous vote.

“It’s hard to argue with a proposal that gets people into the most integrated community settings possible while saving the state millions of dollars,” Sen. Dodd said. “This bill will return long-term nursing home residents back to their communities, allowing them to age in place. At the same time, because it is so much more efficient to care for someone at home, the bill saves money.”

Senate Bill 214 would establish the Community Living with Choice, Independence and Dignity Act of 2019. It allows the existing California Community Transitions program, to continue if federal funding expires in September 2020.

The program started in 2007 has successfully transitioned 3,629 from institutional settings, for an average annual savings of $60,000 per person.

The bill would direct the state Department of Health Care Services to continue the program with federal matching funds, if available. It would also authorize the use of state money and require the department to seek partnerships with local jurisdictions to secure complementary funding.

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

“We’re appreciative of Sen. Dodd’s leadership in authoring this bill so we can continue to provide these important services,” East Bay Innovations’ executive director Tom Heinz said. “California Community Transitions opens up the world again for people who have been trapped in institutionalized settings so they can return to a life of dignity and choice.”

Sen. Dodd represents California’s Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, and Contra Costa counties. Visit his Web site at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd .