MRDD Parents question spending choices

The board expects to lose millions because of funding cuts in June.
AUSTINTOWN -- Parents and guardians are still not convinced the Mahoning County Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities board is properly spending funds despite reassurances from board members they are making the right fiscal decisions.
"If it wasn't for us parents that started this [program] 50 years ago, you wouldn't be here today," one woman shouted at the board. "It's time you start thinking about our kids," she added as a group of about 100 people applauded.
Parents and guardians met with MRDD board members Wednesday night at Leonard Kirtz School to ask questions about recent budget cuts and funding issues.
County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti attended the session, but did not speak.
Estimating loss
The MRDD board expects to lose up to $4 million because of the end of the Community Alternative Funding System, which is a Medicaid reimbursement for services to MRDD individuals and disabled schoolchildren. This fund pays for board workshops, transportation and ancillary services.
MRDD Superintendent Larry Duck said there was an estimated loss of $3 million for this year, including $1.2 million for transportation, $1.7 million for the day program and $200,000 for other services. The CAFS program ends June 30.
Duck said the Rayen Avenue workshop might close because of the budget cuts.
Many parents and guardians said they wanted to know where their children would go if the workshop closed.
Duck said the board's goal is to make sure that "families and consumers continue to get service although it might be from a different provider," meaning that some people at the Rayen workshop might go to different area workshops.
The board already is seeking different providers for preschool programs. The Mahoning County Educational Service Center is cooperating with the board to make sure the preschool units do not leave the community. Leonard Kirtz will have three preschool classrooms.
Other concerns
Some parents wanted to know about the training of these new preschool teachers. Board representatives assured the parents that the teachers from the county service center must be trained in the same way as other special-needs educators.
Duck also confirmed that Leonard Kirtz will lose its music program because of budget cuts. He said the board will look for alternatives to supply a music program.
"The bottom line is we can't keep everything and work it until there's nothing left, and the state comes in and takes over," Duck said.
The board focused more on finding other options for adult services programs instead of programs for children 3 years old and younger because there are more options for younger children than adults.
Some parents were still dissatisfied with how the MRDD board was spending its money. Some of the concerns stemmed from adding new administrative positions to expansions to buildings like the $2.2 million renovation at the board's Javit Court facility.
"Can you explain why the administration staff has grown by 33 percent?" asked Terri Mannion of Austintown, adding that she thought the board added 10 staffers.
Duck said the board only added seven staff members in the past year. "And five out of seven of those positions were necessary," Duck added.