Independent Living Centers: state funding.

Under existing law, the Department of Rehabilitation is required to provide various services to individuals with physical or mental disabilities who are found to be eligible therefor, including independent living services. Existing law provides for the operation of independent living centers, which are private, nonprofit organizations that provide specified services to individuals with disabilities, in order to assist those individuals in their attempts to live fuller and freer lives outside institutions. Under existing law, the department has the responsibility and authority for the encouragement of the planning, developing, and funding of independent living centers. Under existing law, each independent living center, except those centers which have been both established and maintained using specified federal funding as a base funding, is required to receive, to the extent funds are appropriated by the Legislature, at least $235,000 in base grant funds allocated by the department. Existing law authorizes these state funds to be replaced by reimbursements under the federal Supplemental Security Disability Insurance and the federal Supplemental Security Income programs, as specified. This bill would delete the above provisions excluding the centers that were previously established and maintained with federal funding and would instead require each independent living center to receive at least $235,000 in base grant funds allocated by the department, to the extent funds are appropriated by the Legislature and allocated by the department to the independent living centers from reimbursements under the federal programs. The bill would make related findings and declarations.