Justin, left, an Independence Association client, gardens with staff member Keely Forestell. Courtesy of Independence Association
Amid financial difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic, the Brunswick-based Independence Association is closing its first major fundraising campaign this week.
The Independence Association is a nonprofit that provides support services for about 400 individuals with developmental disabilities and autism.
According to Executive Director Ray Nagel, the current fundraising effort is the first of its scale in the organization’s 55-year history. So far, around $245,000 has been raised of the $250,000 goal.
Nagel said in an interview Friday that the state reimburses the organization based on the hourly salaries of direct care staff and that the reimbursement rate has not kept up with inflation or minimum wage, prompting the fundraising efforts.
While this has been more long-term problem, Nagel said the impacts of the pandemic have amplified it.
“Right now, the rates that we are paid are based on a direct support professional’s hourly wage of $11.21 an hour,” Nagel said, noting that Maine minimum wage is $12.15 an hour. “In order to compete with Hannaford or Burger King or McDonalds, we have to pay our direct care staff a lot more than we are reimbursed, and that has placed a gap in our ability to recruit and retain enough staff without jeopardizing the quality of services that we provide.”
Nagel said the Independence Association is a roughly $10 million organization, about 97% state funded and, for the upcoming fiscal year, the budget has a $568,000 loss.
The organization would be fully staffed with 235 employees, but it currently only employees 168.
“We realized that, unless we start focusing on philanthropy, that gap is just going to continue,” Nagel said, noting that the problem is larger than just the Independence Association and dozens of other organizations statewide, such as Mobius in Damariscotta, have plans to close or have closed some group homes due to funding and staffing issues. “It has reached an epic crisis, it’s horrible.”
Nagel said that the Office of Aging and Disability is the governmental entity that manages funding for the Independence Association. Attempts to contact office for comment on Friday and Monday were unsuccessful.
As a remedy, Nagel referenced a bill backed by the organization, LD 1573, which seeks to enforce and legalize rates that are 125% of the minimum wage for essential support workers. The amended bill will next be sent to the house and senate.
Woolwich resident David Cowing, whose son Jay is provided employment, residential and community access services through the Independence Association, said that the organization has done an outstanding job supporting his son.
“It takes constant vigilance to ensure that your family member is in a situation where they are well cared for and supported the way they need to be supported,” Cowing said. “That’s a real ethic that the organization has.”
Both Cowing, who also serves on the board of directors, and his son have been involved with the organization for over 20 years. Cowing said that staffing shortage and turnover rate has had a large impact on his son.
“He’s had two house supervisors in the last two months come and go,” Cowing said. “It’s very personal, they get to know each other very well, they develop close relationships.”
Topsham resident Debbie Dionne, whose daughter Kate has been receiving services from the Independence Association for about 20 years, agreed. Dionne has also served on the board of directors for around nine years.
Dionne said that, over the four years that she has been keeping track, her daughter has had 84 different direct support professionals.
“Staff are really important to her. Every time somebody comes into her home to work there, it’s a matter of building trust because they help her with her most personal needs,” Dionne said. “For staff turnover to happen as often as it does it undermines everything for my daughter.”
This story was updated at 4:17 p.m. June 29 to reflect that only some group homes may close.
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