Care Services to help Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities are seeing a crisis in care due to the COVID-19 pandemic says InterHab.
Community based providers of services to Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities are struggling to continue care for patients as COVID-19 pandemic impacts solvency of these establishments according to the non-profit organization.
InterHab says in March the Kansas IDD provider network enacted drastic measures to keep staff and the public health due to significant numbers of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities have co-occurring physical health conditions making them more susceptible to COVID-19 complications.
While preserving the health of Kansans with IDD, service providers have greatly suffered from financial impacts threatening closure of the network that helps thousands of Kansans with IDD says the non-profit.
A recent survey showed that 45% of IDD service providers didn’t have, or were unsure if they would have, adequate operational funds for the next 3 months says InterHab. The survey also found that 74% of providers had to close day services resulting in the loss of millions in revenue.
IDD service providers say they fear funding cuts due to projected revenue shortfalls in the fiscal year that begins in July. They say the shortfall could be more than $600 million in the State of Kansas.
“Kansas IDD service provider organizations in every community of this state are now locked in a day-to-day fight to keep thousands of our most vulnerable Kansans safe and healthy during the coronavirus pandemic,” says Matt Fletcher, Executive Director of InterHab.
“Unfortunately, they’re also fighting to keep their doors open and their staff employed due to the devastating financial impacts of COVID-19. Many of these organizations will not survive funding cuts. The State must act to help end this crisis in care.”
For more information, go to InterHab’s website.
