RUMFORD – Come the first of December, about 15 to 20 people using the adult day services center on Pleasant Street in Farmington will have to go to Rumford for the same services.
That’s when the Farmington center, which is operated by Community Concepts, is to close.
Additionally, eight Community Concepts employees associated with the adult day services program in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties were notified Thursday that they are to be dismissed.
Community Concepts spokeswoman Mary Ellen Therriault said Tuesday afternoon in Paris that a lack of state funding forced the employee layoffs and center closure, which could be permanent.
“They are making several changes at the state level that are making it difficult for adult day services to survive,” Therriault said.
“We’ve experienced a significant reduction in state funds, which is unfortunate, because this is a highly needed service in the community,” she added.
Therriault said she wasn’t sure if employees at each of the organizations’ three adult day services centers – Farmington, Rumford and Paris – were among those to receive layoff notices.
“We will keep our most appropriate staff to run a continued part of the program. We have been experiencing a changing funding picture, but have been able to keep from having layoffs. That’s the absolute last resort,” she said.
Adult day services centers offer personalized daily health and rehabilitative care and socialization for physically and cognitively impaired adults.
Therriault said the centers enable participants to remain in their communities with their loved ones rather than go to a nursing home or assisted-living center.
Adults now sending loved ones to the Farmington center are being told that, as of Dec. 1, they’ll have to use the Rumford center, which is in the Muskie Building on Congress Street.
“Travel will be an issue for some, but there are openings at Rumford, which will stay running,” Therriault said.
She would not say what the state funding cuts amounted to, but Therriault did say that state officials are now limiting the number of hours per week for which Maine would fund participants.
“Previously, it was 40 hours a week, but now, they’re only allowed to come for 10 hours. It’s impossible to run our staff for 10 hours,” she said.
“Most of our programs run with state or federal funds, and, as the funding picture changes, we have to try to work with the picture. We’re trying our very best to keep the center open at the Muskie Building and continue the program,” Therriault added.
Community Concepts employs about 400 people in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, who operate more than 30 programs.
“I don’t remember the last layoff we had. They’re extremely rare,” she said.
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