John's usual--
Due to the lack of staff, CLI has had to trim our regular day program hours back to the traditional 9am-3pm. We've provided an extended 3pm-5pm for a number of years. This slightly later shift has been helpful for a few working families. I have been tthe assigned staff for this late afternoon group a few days last week, so I've an opportunities to talk 1:1 with the families directly affected. I appreciate honest conversations and believe that they are essential. One of the sentiments expressed was that CLI is confused about our purpose, that we've lost sight of what people and their families need.
I understand this criticism even though I still believe that I'm making the right business decision. CLI can't afford to continue providing this service without cutting some of our 9am-3pm services, which pay CLI more because more people want services during those hours. We are paid per service per person. CLI is a non-profit business that is paid for each service that we provide. It is very possible that CLI would go out of business if we don't earn more dollars than we spend. We're in a catch 22 where I don't have enough people to cover all of the services. Less services means less revenue. I have to prioritize services that I can serve more people with the staff I have, even though I know I am hurting this family. It's definitely not fair. Speaking from the standpoint of the statewide system, it is counter-productive because if we push families into a corner where they can't afford to support their loved ones, everybody suffers-- the state with increased financial expenses of 24/7 direct care-- the individual with DD who most likely will have to settle for a living situation that isn't their first choice (and might be really far away from the people they know-- and the family who didn't want this outcome in the first place.
I know that there continues to be quite a bit of confusion about why CLI has invested in the properties downtown Norwalk (especially the bowling alley). The short version is that we need more money. Everything we do costs money and everything is going up. Part of why the DD system can't find labor is that it typically pays less than other industries. We've been scrambling to find every possible way to earn more money so that we can continue our mission to improve the lives of people with DD, people who provide direct services to people with DD, and the communities in which we live. Renting 16 West Main makes a little more money. Running the bowling alley as a night job makes CLI a little more money. Because we did invest in these properties, we've been able to pull out a little more equity out this year to keep forging ahead, despite negative operational margins for the last 2 years. All of our costs are going up, but what we can charge for the services we provide is fixed in state law. CLI's workforce is getting older. I don't know if CLI is typical, but our average age is 45 and our median staff age is 44. Only 12% of our staff are under 30. Only 25% are under 40. There's a lot of discussion about the workforce crisis in the DD field. It's getting worse not better. Murphy's Law being what it is-- 20% of CLI's already scant workforce is out for serious medical reasons. Our only way forward is to make sure that I can keep staffing the services that serve more people at the same time. If we run out of cash, then CLI shuts down for good. For the record, I would like CLI to come back to evening and weekend services again in the future.
But for now, as a part of Ohio's state-wide DD system, we are letting this family down. CLI has real financial reasons for making this change. However, this family has needs that are even more immediately real. Person-centered services don't mean much if nobody's willing to show up to provide them. I wish that we could afford to continue to be part of the solution.
I apologize for the downer on a Monday, but this has been on my mind all weekend. Thanks for your patience.
John
