Innovative Services NW closing Adult Day Health Center

April 10--Innovative Services NW recently decided to end its Adult Day Health Center program in Vancouver, impacting about 30 clients, most of whom have developmental disabilities.

The decision was primarily financial, as the program experienced increasing monetary losses over the last five years, said Dena Strong, vice president of client services. The last day the health center will be open is April 28.

"It's not something we've taken lightly," Strong said. "It's been a conversation for a long time."

Clients were informed via a letter sent out at the end of March. The letter says "Innovative Services NW routinely monitors best practices, legislative changes, and self-advocate recommendations for all our programs areas. As a result we have made the decision to end our Adult Day Health Center program."

Innovative Services NW took over the program in 2006 from another ailing nonprofit. The center has been open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays offering breakfast, lunch and activities such as bingo, crafts and dancing. It provides respite for care providers. People either pay privately, through Medicare, or some other type of funding. Most people don't visit the center every day.

Although Strong wasn't sure about the total cost of the program, she said the staff, space, activities and food all contributed to the cost to run it. The increase in the minimum wage led to a 15 percent increase in expenses, according to Innovative Services NW. Possible C-Van changes may impact clients, too.

Each weekday, about 12 people come into the health center, which is run by four staff members, Strong said. Innovative Services NW intends to find other positions within the agency for those four staff members.

The nonprofit plans to hold a social hour once or twice a week where clients can meet as a group and help people transition to other services, within the agency or outside of it.

There are other local options for people seeking adult day care or activities. Many clients already use Vancouver Parks and Recreation, which offers camps and activities. CDM Caregiving Services has an adult day center and provides in-home care. Stephen's Place, an assisted living facility for people with developmental disabilities, has activities open to the public on Mondays and Thursdays that include gardens, crafts and yoga; clients have to be relatively high-functioning and cannot need one-on-one care. The Arc of Southwest Washington offers twice-weekly community walks.

Adult day care isn't as popular as it once was. There's a push at the federal and state level for inclusiveness -- including people in the broader community -- rather than programs that segregate a portion of the population, Strong said. Innovative Services NW also cited a lack of legislative support for this population as a reason for ending the program.

Innovative Services Northwest serves more than 1,700 children and adults through its programs, which include pediatric therapy, employment services, an early learning center and a janitorial program. The Vancouver-based nonprofit has been around since 1963.

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