From my perspective, county government budget cutbacks, furlough days, and other “cost saving” measures have made at least one county agency dysfunctional and ineffective. It has caused workers to be so overwhelmed by responsibilities that they acknowledge they are three to four weeks behind in keeping up with their duties. I am referring to In-Home Supportive Services.

My recent experience is this. As a caregiver registered with IHSS, starting Jan. 18, I have attempted to talk to a live person by phone on more than 10 days. I have not received a return call and I never got a live person over those 30 days, until I made a personal trip to the IHSS offices in Auburn.

I do not blame the line workers, like case managers and social workers. They are doing the best they can when trying to do more than one person’s workload.

My experience tells me that, at least in the case of this county agency and the seniors and disabled county residents needing its services, the budget decisions made by county officials are hurting county residents who need it most. All these clients want is a little help so they can continue living in their homes rather than being institutionalized.

What good is having an agency essentially in name only because its resources are so limited it cannot function at even minimal levels?

My question to our county “leaders” and to all county residents is this: Do we really want to treat the “least of these among us” (to paraphrase Jesus) this way, as only numbers reflected by a line item on a budget?

LindaLou Haines, Colfax