Local Council on Aging contracts given to Colville

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | May 31, 20120

Five

contracts in $300,000 bundle to go to Rural Resources Community Action

The Council on Aging and Human Services has announced the loss of five case management and caregiver support contracts beginning July 1. Services provided by the Nutrition and Transportation (COAST) divisions will continue.

After a protracted bidding process, Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington chose to give the $300,000 bundle of contracts to Rural Resources Community Action (RRCA), with headquarters in Colville.

Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington distributes state and federal funding for seniors and persons over 18 living with disabilities for five counties in Eastern Washington.

As a result, five full and part-time positions will be lost, along with additional administrative support staff.

The local council, with help from local and state elected officials, is working to appeal the decision.

“We have our state elected officials involved, but if we’re not successful, we will be a very different agency,” said Karl Johanson, executive Director of the local Council on Aging and Human Services (COA&HS).

“There will be a new staff, a new office and you’ll be calling different phone numbers than you’ve been calling for the past 36 years.”

However, he went on to say many things will stay the same.

“Our clients are going to possibly be served by the same workers, just working for somebody else,” he said. “We’re not closing our doors, we’re not going to stop providing services.”

Under the new contracts, specific programs being transferred from Colfax are: Senior Information and Assistance/General & State Core Case Management, ADR Connections, Family Caregiver Support, Kinship Caregiver Support and Kinship Navigator.

Johanson indicated that COA&HS will work closely with RRCA to ensure that the transition for clients in these programs is as seamless as possible.

“We hope that the new agency selected to administer these programs serves the clients as well as the COA&HS has done for the past 36 years,” said Johanson. “The service and dedication of our employees has been exemplary and will forever be a model for social service agencies to follow.”

RRCA has given COA&HS employees priority status to compete for their current jobs.

The two remaining divisions of the COA&HS will continue operating. The Nutrition Division provides food banking, commodity distribution, senior meal site and Meals on Wheels services to seniors throughout Whitman County. The Transportation Division, COAST, will continue meeting special transportation needs in Asotin, Garfield and Whitman counties in Washington, and Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties in Idaho.

COA&HS is a private, non-profit, public benefit organization committed to enhancing lives and supporting communities throughout its service area. Founded in 1976, the Agency helps people stay independent for as long as possible and aims to help each individual experience an optimum quality of life, no matter what their circumstances or challenges.