by Jim Copeland

Well, it is that time of year when most agencies are going through the stress that is known as budget preparation.  It is not a pretty sight.  You look at every dollar that is spent.  Where was it spent?  What was it spent for?  Do we have to spend that dollar again this year?  The answer to that last question is usually yes, but it’s $1.25 this year.  Then the question becomes, where are we going to get the $1.25 this year?

What most people may or may not know is that the money for the most part, at least for Alta Mira, comes from contracts/provider agreements with the Department of Health.  Also, another concern is the Department of Health doesn’t include cost of living adjustments in those agreements.  What does that mean?  It is just like your own family budget.  The cost of living; groceries, gas, utilities, insurance, property taxes, clothing, and anything else you purchase or have to have goes up, but your salary stays the same.  How do you handle those situations?  Credit cards society has painfully discovered are not the first solution.  At some point, you have to pay the piper.  The first thing you do is look at where you can reduce your spending.

In our case, the fixed costs cannot be reduced.  Workers Compensation, unemployment, property, liability and health insurance, and utilities, etc. are fixed.  (Well, actually they aren’t fixed.  They seem to go up every year.)  Because Alta Mira is primarily a service provider, we have to employ the people to provide the services.  That is where we spend approximately 85 – 90% of our budget.  To reduce spending, means to reduce what we pay or the benefits we provide to our employees.  Neither of those options seems viable at this time.  Those options would most likely have one impact.  They would create turnover.  Turnover disrupts the services that families receive at critical times in their lives.  One other option is to secure the funding needed through grants, fund raisers, gifts, bequests, or in-kind support.

We are pursuing the fund-raising options.  Monday, August 10, Alta Mira is scheduled to have its first Alta Mira golf classic.  Vicki Assaad, the Alta Mira Board of Directors, and the entire Alta Mira staff are working to secure donations and support for this effort. 
We are pursuing the grants options.  We are receiving funding from the United Way, the Governor’s Commission on Disability, and other foundations and individuals.  We have submitted applications to funding sources to seek additional support for the valuable programs that Alta Mira provides.  We are also looking at expanding our services to see if we can diversify our income streams.

Well, enough of hearing about our problems.  You probably have problems of your own.  But, if one of your problems is what to do with all that excess money, I think I may be able to offer some advice.  If you could see yourself helping to support a family who is struggling with a family member with a developmental disability or delay, we might be just the right fit for you.  If you are interested in assisting us in any of these efforts, please contact Vicki Assaad, (505) 366-2132 or me (505) 366-2117.