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There are many individuals and families seeking treatment and finding fewer and fewer services available to them. I know people entering their 70s who have adult children that need residential placements as they are unable to physically care for their children. They've been on waiting lists for a long time. Many of their children have high-functioning autism or similar mental health challenges but are unable to make it socially or on their own. There is a growing group of adults in this category and even finding knowlegable specialists and/or ones that take insurance is problematic. Privatizing programs and residences is not a magic solution. As others have mentioned, many of the people working in these private sector jobs are under qualified and underpaid. Additionally, the clients are often very vulnerable and need to be protected from unscrupulous caregivers. Low pay plus opportunity for manipulation is often not a good combo. Balancing the budget on the backs of our neediest citizens is not a good idea and likely to just shift the economic burden to other areas such as incarceration.
Rhode Island has regained 88 percent of those lost jobs, according to the DLT data. In other words, there were 4,800 fewer jobs in July than there were during the state’s peak jobs period of December 2006, when the state had 495,700 jobs.
Elsewhere in the region, Massachusetts gained a net 7,300 jobs in July, and its unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent. Connecticut gained a net 1,700 jobs in July, and its unemployment rate declined slightly to 5.7 percent.
Three of the four labor market areas added jobs in July, topped by Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, which added 1,900 positions. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk and New Haven market areas added 700 and 200 jobs, respectively, while the Norwich-New London-Westerly market was unchanged.
Connecticut now has recovered 98,800 of the 119,100 jobs lost in the last recession, or 83 percent. That recession ended six years and five months ago, the department reported.
Hard to validate cutting mental health when you had the Sandy Hook Massacre just a few years back.
But that would be a step toward solving the real problem. CT can just ban guns and superficial features of guns, andvthe free range demented sociopaths will be stuck abiding by the new laws ::rolling eyes::
The both of you need to re read the article again. Firstly, the state is closing two state run institutions in Meriden and Stratford and they want to hand over operations of 30 group homes to private industry.
Private industry wants to turn a profit, whereas the Govt does not. This will lead to cost cutting in ways we've never imagined. Especially, when the people being serviced will have no clue what's happening nor be able to fight against it. I expect very bad outcomes if this becomes reality, such as deaths and preventable injuries occurring. With some embezzlement thrown in for good measure.
Forget about having competent people working in these group homes or with the disabled at large. They won't be able to survive on the low wages these private companies will pay. As a matter of fact, at the end of the article it states;
"But advocates such as Simoes say the state has systematically "starved" the private sector over the years by paying low rates to contractors. While many of the groups homes have staffs that are highly capable, the companies are constantly struggling to retain their best workers, Simoes has said. The private workforce has not had a raise in more than seven years."
It is especially disgusting to take from the least fortunate members of society and doubly so when those members can not advocate for themselves.
Of all the dumb stuff Malloy et al has done, this is the worse IMO, and the guy should just resign immediately. Don't know how he can keep a straight face when announcing cuts like this all the while giving $22 million dollars to a hedge fund that doesn't need it.
If anything this really demonstrates who's in control of our Govt.
I too have a soft spot for the handicapped and vulnerable among us. It is sickening that they would be a target this early in the game. The amount of welfare abuse you see in places like new haven is disgusting. Those people are predators. Scamming money and resources hat can be much more effectively utilized elsewhere and liberal politicians and their supporters are equally to blame by encouraging it. Economic sinkhole.CT has plenty of economic problems and the disabled should be nowhere in the crosshairs
I too have a soft spot for the handicapped and vulnerable among us. It is sickening that they would be a target this early in the game. The amount of welfare abuse you see in places like new haven is disgusting. Those people are predators. Scamming money and resources hat can be much more effectively utilized elsewhere and liberal politicians and their supporters are equally to blame by encouraging it. Economic sinkhole.CT has plenty of economic problems and the disabled should be nowhere in the crosshairs
For God's sake, it is not like these people are being thrown out on the streets. The staff is just changing which happens all the time anyway. There was a very interesting report on Channel 3 yesterday. They interviewed a woman who has several adult children in group homes. She was glad that there was going to be a change made. She pointed out that staff in these homes change all the time so that it would likely not be an issue with the residents. She also noted that some of the $70 million being saved could go toward actually expanding the services offered which would be good for more people.
This is like the group who came out a couple of weeks ago when the state shut down the Commission on the Deaf. They claimed that shutting down the Commission meant that deaf people would not have access to qualified deaf interpreters. This is a complete lie. There are several agencies that provide Certified deaf interpreting services to various groups (hospitals, colleges, courts, schools, etc.) at lower costs than the Commission could provide. That move saves the state a couple of million each year since the commission employed a staff of about 40 and it cost the state about $30 per hour more for each interpreter than they received back in payments for services.
No one likes change, but many here have been demanding the state cut costs and now that they are doing so aggressively (and IMHO reasonably), people are crying foul. Sorry folks but you can't have it both ways. Jay
For God's sake, it is not like these people are being thrown out on the streets. The staff is just changing which happens all the time anyway. There was a very interesting report on Channel 3 yesterday. They interviewed a woman who has several adult children in group homes. She was glad that there was going to be a change made. She pointed out that staff in these homes change all the time so that it would likely not be an issue with the residents. She also noted that some of the $70 million being saved could go toward actually expanding the services offered which would be good for more people.
This is like the group who came out a couple of weeks ago when the state shut down the Commission on the Deaf. They claimed that shutting down the Commission meant that deaf people would not have access to qualified deaf interpreters. This is a complete lie. There are several agencies that provide Certified deaf interpreting services to various groups (hospitals, colleges, courts, schools, etc.) at lower costs than the Commission could provide. That move saves the state a couple of million each year since the commission employed a staff of about 40 and it cost the state about $30 per hour more for each interpreter than they received back in payments for services.
No one likes change, but many here have been demanding the state cut costs and now that they are doing so aggressively (and IMHO reasonably), people are crying foul. Sorry folks but you can't have it both ways. Jay
Jay, you would be more in tune with this than me. I only read/hear the "news" and editorial garbage that comes out of agenda driven organizations. I truly hope it's more complicated than just siphoning money from a group that is vulnerable and has little voice in their own well being. However, the notion that 70mil "saved" could improve the system seems unlikely since this money is a cut to balance budget deficits, not a reinvestment into healthcare...
I hear ya with the "you can't demand cuts and then complain " to an extent. I can't help but believe assisting those who are disabled is the very fabric of a social system. A person with autism and global developmental delay who can no longer be cared for by parents deserves to be cared for by the society they live in. The 25 year old dude collecting welfare in new haven carrying a NIB 60 inch tv on his back up 3 flights of stairs into his section 8 unit does NOT, deserve nor need our assistance. Priorities.
Last edited by Sigequinox; 08-19-2016 at 11:33 AM..
For God's sake, it is not like these people are being thrown out on the streets. The staff is just changing which happens all the time anyway. There was a very interesting report on Channel 3 yesterday. They interviewed a woman who has several adult children in group homes. She was glad that there was going to be a change made. She pointed out that staff in these homes change all the time so that it would likely not be an issue with the residents. She also noted that some of the $70 million being saved could go toward actually expanding the services offered which would be good for more people.
No one likes change, but many here have been demanding the state cut costs and now that they are doing so aggressively (and IMHO reasonably), people are crying foul. Sorry folks but you can't have it both ways. Jay
That woman is incredibly misinformed and does not speak for every one. Whatever savings is realized in the future by these cuts will be funneled to the state's General Fund and will not be used to help the disabled. The state has already done this in the past when funds were cut for these programs.
Also, the staff at these group homes and other programs keep changing because of LOW WAGES. Some of these jobs only pay $12 an hour or less and require BS degrees. Who the hell is going to work for that pay ? The only people who are taking these jobs are the truly desperate and/or new graduates who are looking to get work experience.
IF the state wanted to save money they should consider paying caregivers (such as parents or close relatives) wages to take care of their disabled family member(s) at home. New York state does this I believe and pays up to $18 an hour.
Services for the disabled are one of the things that should NEVER be cut IMO. And they especially should never be privatized because a for profit business is going to cut corners to make that profit.
Services for the disabled are not welfare and should never be included in the same sentence. At least people on welfare for the most part, even if the overall percentage is low, have the chance to get off of welfare.
That woman is incredibly misinformed and does not speak for every one. Whatever savings is realized in the future by these cuts will be funneled to the state's General Fund and will not be used to help the disabled. The state has already done this in the past when funds were cut for these programs.
Also, the staff at these group homes and other programs keep changing because of LOW WAGES. Some of these jobs only pay $12 an hour or less and require BS degrees. Who the hell is going to work for that pay ? The only people who are taking these jobs are the truly desperate and/or new graduates who are looking to get work experience.
IF the state wanted to save money they should consider paying caregivers (such as parents or close relatives) wages to take care of their disabled family member(s) at home. New York state does this I believe and pays up to $18 an hour.
Services for the disabled are one of the things that should NEVER be cut IMO. And they especially should never be privatized because a for profit business is going to cut corners to make that profit.
Services for the disabled are not welfare and should never be included in the same sentence. At least people on welfare for the most part, even if the overall percentage is low, have the chance to get off of welfare.
Surprisingly welfare statistics are difficult to find for CT, though the average compensation turns out to be something like 45k per year. Not a bad gig, unless your the taxpayer. Doesn't take many who don't truly deserve it to start adding up quick. I often ask (as you are all painfully aware) why I pay so MUCH in taxes. If we start cutting funding by the tens of millions to services for the disabled, I start wondering why I am even paying taxes AT ALL. Services for the disabled and TRULY needy, education, roads, police, fire, jails, hospitals. These are the basic necessities of a society. The DNA of civilization, yet for some reason they find themselves the first target of cuts , never the last and I'll never understand why. I had no idea how low paying those jobs were BTW.
Is it possible for CT to have a non-profit company take over the operations and bring in MORE jobs and provider better care with higher wages than CT can afford?
Is it possible for CT to have a non-profit company take over the operations and bring in MORE jobs and provider better care with higher wages than CT can afford?
How would this work?
There is no magic involved so the private company would have to be saving money somewhere either from lower headcount, less pay for employees, reduced administrative costs, etc.
The idea that a private company can generate MORE jobs while proving better wages than the state would mean all of the savings is solely from administration or procurement.
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