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In the News
Organization: Champaign Residential Services, Inc.
For more information: Linda Anderson Smith: Lsmith@crsi-oh.com
March 5, 2003
As the State of Ohio faces severe budget deficits totaling $720 million, individuals living with MR/DD challenges in Ohio will be greatly affected by budget cutbacks beginning with the closing of the Springview developmental center, located in Springfield which houses 87 residents and employs about 180 people. The State operates 12 developmental centers that are home to approximately 1,895 Ohio residents.
"We don't have the money in our budget to keep the centers running," said Kenneth W. Ritchey, director of the Ohio Department of MRDD. "The health and safety of the people who live in the centers remains the administration's No. 1 priority," Ritchey said.
However, is it really, when proposed budget freezes or elimination of ICF/MR programs (intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded) will greatly jeopardize the quality of care for these citizens?
Freezing rates over the next three years will directly impact each consumer, staff and provider offering ICF/MR services…with the provider having no ability to obtain revenue from other sources. This includes Champaign Residential Services' ability to attract and retain qualified workers to care for individuals living in homes like the Scioto, Oakland, Hill and High Street homes or Wellington Rainbow Unit in Urbana; the Mary Ann Brown facility in Lima; the Sandusky, Richard, Spring or Williams Street homes in Bellefontaine; and the Oakwood Meadows home in London. With increases in health insurance costs, liability insurance, utilities and other inflationary increases only two outcomes can occur: staff cuts and wage freezes, both destabilizing a workforce that already suffers due to high turnovers. There will be a devastating impact on direct care workers earning less than $20,000 a year.
This proposal would also have a devastating impact on the ability of providers like Champaign Residential Services to comply with regulations, resulting in possible de-certifications.
The State saves $19million in two years with this proposal but loses $30million in federal matching funds which are ultimately returned to the counties where services are being provided, greatly impacting the economics of counties such as Champaign, Logan, Allen and Madison. Bed taxes are paid by CRSI amounting to a quarter million dollars per year. Across the state, $13million in bed taxes are paid that earn additional federal matching funds. These dollars would also disappear from state revenues. May of these disappearing federal funds will have to be made up at the local level by local citizens through their county boards of MR/DD while the federal funds go to other states. Where is the justification?
Concurrently, the proposal to eliminate ICF/MR programs is poorly timed and also threatens the health and safety of some of Ohio's most vulnerable citizens.
There are alternatives to the State proposals. Champaign Residential Services, Inc. (CRSI) provides services to over 700 individuals and employs over 1,000. With a budget of $27million, CRSI operates (in its community based ICF/MR equal to state centers) at a cost of about one third the operating cost of Springview that serves 87 consumers with 170 staff members and a budget of $10million. Facilities and supports can be provided and operate more efficiently without taking money away from a segment of our population that needs on-going care and without taking money out of individual counties providing services. Action needs to be taken now.
The freezing and then elimination of the community based ICF/MR program threatens the health and safety of many of our most vulnerable citizens and also costs Ohio millions of lost federal funds. Is this the alternative we want?
Responses to these alarming State proposals should be made to state legislators listening to their constituents. Please write or e-mail your House or Senate representatives. Information on whom and where to write can be obtained by contacting Champaign Residential Services, Inc. at 937-653-1320.
