Morgan said the center will not change these services, but he doesn’t know how it will make up for the lost money. She said Wayside is trying to cut costs.
Potential cancellation of funds in the Covid era is one of many changes that behavioral health care providers are concerned about. They also see Congressional actions regarding Medicaid and state legislative decisions. Providers like Wayside are pushing Minnesota lawmakers who are facing a potential budget deficit in years.
“If the federal government chooses not to invest in these types of programs, more burdens will clearly pass through the state,” Morgan said. “The need is still there and it won’t go away.”
Fast changes have also caused confusion. DHS told Vail Communities on April 7 to stop the job funded by ARPA grants. President and Executive Officer Karina Forrest Perkins said after the message he thought it would be necessary to close two “clubhouses.”
The locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, where they had seen the closure, would serve around 1,000 people, she said. That turned out to be a mistake, and DHS said the Bale community was funded through other sources. However, Steinmetz said their contract expired on June 30th and DHS offered to explore options to support another annual organization, but it is unclear which money will be available due to federal funding concerns.
The clubhouse in Hopkins’ Bale community was bustling on Friday as members cooked and distributed cheeseburgers and chatted. People who have come to Newport, Northfield and Farmington line up to share stories about how the program changed their lives. One man worked in a sea salt drink store through the clubhouse. Another said he helped him overcome his anti-social behaviour and return to college. The woman said it helped it emerge from the abusive situation.
