As the recession speeds along, some disturbing news out of Texas and Massachusetts where employment programs for people with disabilities are being forced to close due to budget cutbacks and shortfalls:
Massachusetts budget cuts force closing:
Neil Barry wrote a letter to Governor Deval Patrick, urging him to restore $683,000 in state funding for Riverside Career Services, a nonprofit in Lynn and Melrose that provides job and education services for mentally disabled people.
Unless new funding is found, the Riverside centers will close Dec. 5. Patrick’s cuts to mental health services included $422,000 for the Lynn center and $261,000 for Melrose. The two locations now are working with 180 people who have emotional disorders, such as chronic depression. A combined staff of 14 work to place people in jobs or education programs.
In Texas, contract losses put center in jeopardy:
Dozens of disabled workers sit at their usual tables in a no-frills Garland warehouse, waiting for something to do.
“When I walk on the floor, they ask: ‘Do you have any work for us, Mike?’ ” said Michael Pope, president and chief executive officer of North Texas Rehabilitation Services.
“It’s breaking my heart.”
The Garland-based nonprofit recently lost a contract that provided packaging and assembly tasks for many of its 350 workers, all of whom have mental disabilities. The client, a building-supply business, has opted to take the work in-house because of the tough economy.
That has left some employees at North Texas Rehabilitation Services without any work, and others with smaller paychecks.
Mr. Pope worries that his agency could shut down if it doesn’t find other jobs. The contract brought in $60,000 to $70,000 a month, about a third of its revenue.
Virginia is going through its own cost cutting – the Department of Rehabilitation Services has recently begun wait listing new applicants and is facing severe budget cuts as well.