Cuts threaten services for disabled

Programs at Seven Hills Rhode Island have been moved into crowded buildings already short on space. There’s less continuity for clients with staff members, many of whom have concerns about job security following layoffs.
All are the results of state funding cuts, says Bill Stock, vice president of government and community relations for the foundation that runs the Woonsocket facility.
“Obviously we’ll exhaust all efforts to keep programs open, but down the road, if appropriate funding isn’t in place, as an organization you have to take a serious look at the programs and decide whether it’s worth keeping them going,” he said.
The facility, for people with developmental disabilities that provides services ranging from residential support to adult day care, and similar agencies around the state are struggling to deal with the effects of a $24 million cut in state support for such services this fiscal year. Seven Hills is faced with a $2.5 million cut, a 27 percent reduction of state support from the previous year. While the agencies say they need more funding to survive without even deeper cuts, Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee has proposed level funding for fiscal 2013.
The cuts at Seven Hills Rhode Island have already forced the organization to close one location, move programs, lay off 56 employees and make cuts to salaries and benefits for the estimated 1,000 employees who remain.
“It’s not a good situation for any of us,” said Stock, “whether it’s the organization, the employees or the individuals we serve. These are deep, deep, budget cuts.”
The agencies and unions who represent employees at some of the facilities have begun separate lobbying efforts to convince the governor and General Assembly to restore as much of the funding cut in this year’s budget as possible.
Christine Hunsinger, spokeswoman for Gov. Lincoln D Chafee, said the decision ultimately lies with the General Assembly.
“If revenue continues [to] trend in a positive direction, Gov. Chafee would expect the General Assembly would make some decisions regarding cuts that should be reinstated,” she said. A spokesman for House Speaker Gordon D. Fox was noncommittal on whether Democratic leadership would support a restoration of funding.
While the agencies and unions may be seeking the same goal, the methods they are using to try and achieve it remain vastly different. The Have A Heart Coalition, which organizer Jeanne Jose, of United Nurses and Allied Professionals, says is a group backed chiefly by the unions representing those who work with the developmentally disabled, recently sent out mailers taking the governor and House speaker to task for the cuts. The group also has organized rallies at the Statehouse focusing on the issue.
“Many times,” said Jose, “we’ve offered to work with our employers to coordinate activities to talk with legislators about how these cuts have affected employees and services. Overall, there’s been lukewarm response from employers to work hand-in-hand with the unions, I think because of the relationship where we’re sometimes butting heads.”
Ray Rickman, owner of Rickman Group, a lobbying and public-relations firm representing six service providers, including Seven Hills Rhode Island and West Bay Residential Services, says the agencies are indeed on a different path from the unions to try and get the cuts restored.
He says the lack of collaboration with the employees on lobbying efforts is due in large part to the tone and tenor of the arguments put forward by the unions. “The providers are on a very positive, uphill climb with the legislators. We’re working to get restoration of as many millions of dollars as possible, and we are expecting a positive result; so we are distancing ourselves … from those who are name-calling. The purpose is the same, but we disagree with how the unions are approaching this.”
The cuts have created labor unrest at some agencies, including Seven Hills. Members of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals who work at the agency held a one-day strike earlier this month to protest pay cuts of 5 percent to staff that they claim are more severe than the 3 percent cut to administrators. “We’re not talking about telling the workers, ‘Look it’s a tough year, you’ve got to suck it up,’ ” said Jack Callaci, director of collective bargaining and organizing for United Nurses and Allied Professionals Local 5068, who represents staff at Seven Hills. “We’re talking about $10-an-hour workers that have gotten one 3 percent raise over seven years who are being told we’re going to cut your pay 5 percent, eliminate the dental plan, eliminate the pension contribution.”
Stock understands the frustration of the employees.
“We didn’t get into this business to want to make cuts like this,” he said. “Nobody wins in this deal.”
With no guarantee that funding will be restored, there is concern among providers further cuts in services may occur.
“We don’t know what next year is going to look like, because the agencies are using up their reserves,” Rickman said. “Because they have used their reserves and made cuts, none have gone out of business yet. However, West Bay Residential Services, for instance, has already closed one of its homes. It doesn’t have any more homes to close.”
West Bay Residential provides support to clients who live in homes that the agency runs. The clients, who receive either round-the-clock care or semi-independent living, based on their needs, also have the opportunity to come to West Bay’s headquarters in Warwick to participate in day-time activities.
One of the cuts that has service providers particularly concerned is the lack of funding for transportation of clients. Nearly all the $4 million in funding expected for transportation was part of the $24 million cut. Without it, the agencies can either absorb the cost themselves or eliminate transportation from their services. When they do that, clients who are at residential facilities, like those run by West Bay, suffer.
“Everything that is taken away makes a person feel less part of the regular world,” said Rickman.

Correction: West Bay Day Activities Director Penny Merris and client Rebecca Beaton were misidentified in the original photo caption that ran with this story.

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