State-funded human services agencies in peril pending cuts

With the end of the state’s fiscal year fast approaching, several local agencies fear unresolved budget cuts to human services will be detrimental for facilities and a huge step backward for the people they serve.

Evergreen Elm, located at 71 Main St., which has provided mentally challenged adults with valuable life programs and living arrangements in McKean County for more than 35 years, is a 100 percent state funded facility.

“We will be affected largely by cuts,” said Garry Pugrant, executive director of Evergreen Elm. “And a lot of providers across the state are in the same predicament we are. We will have some real challenges ahead of us.”

Pugrant said the facility is expecting their share of budget cuts to be anywhere between $150,000 and $350,000.

“We will have to take a look at how every nickel is spent. Everything will have to be watched, every penny. We will really have to change how we look at every venue of the agency, programs and staffing,” Pugrant said. “But we don’t have a lot of fluff to cut now. We will have to start brainstorming to eliminate things then show it to the board and see if they want to gamble and run on that or close down.”

Going out of business is a very real possibility depending on how deep budget cuts go, Pugrant said. He said with about 400 providers across the state, some will be eliminated.

“They want some to go out of business,” Pugrant said. “When the schools and colleges complained, they took (funding) back from us.”

Pugrant said some 70 to 100 people who depend on Evergreen Elm will be affected by the budget cuts, and if the facility were forced to close, those people would be on their own.

“I feel sorry for Bradford,” Pugrant said. “We’ve been in business for 37 years, providing a heck of a service for these people, but you can’t run on deficits. We will try to make changes, but I’m not sure we will even be able to do that. It won’t be pretty.”

Pugrant said nearly 80 percent of the budget the facility works with now goes to pay salaries.

“Can we run with lower staffing or cut wages?” Pugrant asked. “ How do you cut them back anymore? The board of directors will have some major decisions to make.”

Futures Rehabilitation Center at 1 Futures Way, another non-profit agency that provides a variety of vocational and social programs for individuals with disabilities, will also face many challenges if budget cuts to human services are as large as many fear.

“We don’t really know what is happening and it’s hard to really assess what will happen,” said Bill Leven, executive director of Futures Rehabilitation Center. “It’s less than ten days away and we still don’t know. It is hard to plan at this point because we are in the dark.”

Leven said the facility’s rates are set by the state and are based on what it costs Futures to provide services.

 “But we don’t always get what we need, that’s been an issue in the past,” Leven said. “Further (budget cuts) could really effect our ability to provide those services.” 

Funding in 2010 did not meet their needs, Leven said, and the company had to find ways to supplement the loss.

“Any less will make it more difficult to make it up,” he said. “It could definitely restrict services that are offered.

Leven said that many of the services Futures provides are dependent on how drastic the cuts are.

“Many could go without service,” he said. “We will try to look for other sources to supplement what we need.”

Futures Rehabilitation Center provides valuable services to more than 200 individuals each day, Leven said.

“There are a lot of people who rely on Futures as their primary service,” Leven said. “If they are not able to receive services here, many will be left at home. They don’t have a lot of other services to depend on.”

The services these individuals receive are critical to their ability to maintain themselves, and those services are already over stretched, Leven said.

“These people don’t have a voice,” he said. “That is not always considered when negotiations are going on. These people can’t make an impact, but they will be most affected.”

Leven also said he is thankful for the support local legislators have given regarding the budget cuts.

For his part, state Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, said he is doing everything in his power to make sure budget cuts don’t hit one area more than others.

“Cuts will occur all over the budget, in many, many areas,” Causer said on Wednesday. 

Causer said he has also urged the Department of Public Welfare to take a closer look at the budget cuts.

“Everything is up in the air right now,” Causer said. “We don’t want to see any provider close up. Their services are very important and will be considered when moving forward with budget negotiations. We are very much aware of (the issue) and we will keep working on it.”