Cutbacks restricting charity’s services

A CHARITY for people with intellectual disabilities
says the level of services it offers its clients has been severely restricted
due to funding cuts imposed by the Health Service Executive.

Camphill Communities is a charity that offers homes
for children, young people and adults with intellectual disabilities and other
special needs. Those who avail of the service live, learn, and work in a
community setting in various centres around the country.

In the Republic of Ireland Camphill runs 18 centres
and caters for around 500 service users.

The charity runs a centre in Goatstown, which
currently caters for six full-time residents and nine day care patients, as
well as two respite care patients.

Miriam Moffat, from Rathfarnham, is the chairperson of
Camphill Communities in Ireland. She explained that the charity receives a
significantly lower capitation grant from the HSE than other similar charities
get for providing the same services.

She said the charity’s annual funding to run the
service has been reduced by approximately

?¬2 million since 2008.

“The crux of the matter is that we are not getting
anywhere near enough funding from the HSE to cover our costs,

? she said.

“A lot of the people who work in Camphill work here on
a voluntary basis.

?

Ms Moffat explained that the charity traditionally
receives less funding, partly because most of its workers are unpaid
volunteers. But she noted that the costs of operating the service was
increasing because fewer volunteers were willing to work for the charity
without pay.

“Increasingly we have paid employees as well because
the volunteer ethos is diminishing,

? explained Ms Moffat.

“We have to take in paid staff which is increasing our
costs and at the same time our funding isn’t going up. So at a time when our
funding is being cut our costs are going up significantly. We are gone beyond
being stretched.

“It is coming to the stage that you will only get
staff placement funding for someone in a case of extreme crisis situations. We
would have the space to take them in but really unless someone is at the stage
that the family are totally disintegrating or almost dead the HSE will not
sanction new funding for anyone.

?

Katri Helme, who is the coordinator of the Greenacres
Camphill Community Centre in Goatstown, said the HSE cuts meant that the centre
was not in a position to hire extra staff if a vacancy arose.

In addition, she said the centre can’t offer
additional day or residential care services to intellectually disabled members
of the public who seek their help.

“Because of the cuts the HSE is facing it cannot fund
any new places for people in need,

? she said.

“Even if we had vacancies for those who need them
there is no funding for the places.

“Regarding those people who are already availing of
our services – let’s say for day services – if they would like to have any
additional hours with the service they can’t have them because there is no
funding.

“If there is no funding for filling new vacancies that
arise again that affects our ability to provide a better service. The Camphill
communities are running on a deficit because their costs are not fully met.
Every year the debt is growing larger and larger and eventually the implication
is that we cannot keep operating like that.

?

Dublin South TD (FG) Olivia Mitchell said she was very
familiar with the Camphill movement because the charity previously cared for
her own son, who is intellectually disabled, for a number of years.

“The Camphill movement was founded on a philosophy
which involved care being given on an almost volunteer basis by co-workers,

?
said Deputy Mitchell.

“Over the years volunteers have become scarcer and
consequently the cost of the services have become more expensive, though it’s
still great value relative to other care facilities.

“I believe the changed circumstance in which Camphill
operates has to be recognised by the HSE. It is not fair that the per capita
payment for their clients should be so much less than that paid to other
facilities caring for disability. Money is scarce for everything but there has
to be some equity in its distribution.

?

A statement from the HSE said it had worked closely
with the Camphill Communities for many years.

“It is one of the many charitable organisations who
benefit from an annual funding agreement with the HSE,

? the statement reads.

“The HSE acknowledges the contribution Camphill
Communities make to the lives of a number of individuals with disabilities and
is committed to continue working with the organisation, exploring all
possibilities to maintain services and are working closely together to conclude
discussions on service arrangements.

“Significant work has just been completed to enable
HSE and Camphill sign a new service arrangement.

“Reflecting the current economic situation the HSE
must manage service levels within existing resources. Similarly, voluntary
organisations face challenges in delivering efficiencies to ensure that
services are delivered within the allocated budget. This is a challenge for all
of us in the current environment but by working together and finding innovative
ways to make savings we can help to protect services.

“The HSE is working closely with all service providers
to ensure that the provision of services is effectively managed in these
challenging times.

?