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The Eureka Reporter - Article
Prompted by a $400,000 budget shortfall, the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency is closing its Eureka satellite office no later than Dec. 31.
“DCARA is very saddened by the closing,” said Chief Executive Officer Diana Herron from the main office in San Leandro. “Unfortunately, we have been faced with large cuts and something had to go. It’s not a pleasant task. No one deserves this.”
In addition to closing the Eureka office, Herron said the Santa Cruz office will close, five staff members will lose their jobs and three open positions will not be filled.
Client support specialist Julie Symons learned of the closure Sept. 12. She is the only paid staff member in the Eureka office.
Herron said the Eureka site could close earlier if Symons moves to another job before Dec. 31.
DCARA is a nonprofit, community-based social service agency established in 1962 as one of the first deaf-run agencies in the country.
In addition to random projects and translation for those who use English as a second language, Symons said she serves as an information referral service for agencies.
“When they wonder, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ they call me,” she said. “I also help people with communication access issues.”
“I’ve been here with and without DCARA and I’d much rather be with it,” said Tracey Thomas, director of Disabled Students Programs & Services at College of the Redwoods. “It’s the primary connection for businesses and consumers, the first place people go to for resources to improve the understanding of interpreters and communications access to meet ADA requirements for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.”
Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a wide-ranging legislation intended to make American society more accessible to people with disabilities.
“(DCARA) is an invaluable resource: one primary contact who can hook people up with interpreters, talk about strategy and talk about equipment,” Thomas said.
But when Herron and her management staff saw DCARA’s prior year budget of $2.2 million fall to a projected $1.8 million, closing the Eureka office became a means to make up $100,000 of the deficit.
“It was not a quick decision,” she said. “We looked at community need, number of clients coming in, grant requirements, cost and income.”
Herron said the budget shortfall comes from 20 straight years of static funding from the California Department of Social Services and the loss of grant money.
Symons said she made calls to get the word out to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community last week and sent written notification out this week.
“People have expressed shock and disappointment,” Symons said. “They’re asking, ‘What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?’”
A town hall meeting to discuss the closure is set for Oct. 20 at the Humboldt Area Foundation. Start time has yet to be determined.
Herron promised to be in attendance to meet with community members and answer questions.
Raising $100,000 from a grant or benefactor would not assure continued operation.
“There’s much more involved to keep the office open,” Herron said. “The process would require another assessment.”
Herron emphasized that a return to Eureka was not out of the question.
“Eureka is not a dead deal,” she said. “We hope to have a better business plan in the future, a better recovery plan, so we can come to Eureka and provide better services than ever.”
DCARA expanded services into Eureka and Ukiah in 1999.
The Ukiah office has since moved to Santa Rosa.
Prompted by a $400,000 budget shortfall, the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency is closing its Eureka satellite office no later than Dec. 31.
“DCARA is very saddened by the closing,” said Chief Executive Officer Diana Herron from the main office in San Leandro. “Unfortunately, we have been faced with large cuts and something had to go. It’s not a pleasant task. No one deserves this.”
In addition to closing the Eureka office, Herron said the Santa Cruz office will close, five staff members will lose their jobs and three open positions will not be filled.
Client support specialist Julie Symons learned of the closure Sept. 12. She is the only paid staff member in the Eureka office.
Herron said the Eureka site could close earlier if Symons moves to another job before Dec. 31.
DCARA is a nonprofit, community-based social service agency established in 1962 as one of the first deaf-run agencies in the country.
In addition to random projects and translation for those who use English as a second language, Symons said she serves as an information referral service for agencies.
“When they wonder, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ they call me,” she said. “I also help people with communication access issues.”
“I’ve been here with and without DCARA and I’d much rather be with it,” said Tracey Thomas, director of Disabled Students Programs & Services at College of the Redwoods. “It’s the primary connection for businesses and consumers, the first place people go to for resources to improve the understanding of interpreters and communications access to meet ADA requirements for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.”
Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a wide-ranging legislation intended to make American society more accessible to people with disabilities.
“(DCARA) is an invaluable resource: one primary contact who can hook people up with interpreters, talk about strategy and talk about equipment,” Thomas said.
But when Herron and her management staff saw DCARA’s prior year budget of $2.2 million fall to a projected $1.8 million, closing the Eureka office became a means to make up $100,000 of the deficit.
“It was not a quick decision,” she said. “We looked at community need, number of clients coming in, grant requirements, cost and income.”
Herron said the budget shortfall comes from 20 straight years of static funding from the California Department of Social Services and the loss of grant money.
Symons said she made calls to get the word out to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community last week and sent written notification out this week.
“People have expressed shock and disappointment,” Symons said. “They’re asking, ‘What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?’”
A town hall meeting to discuss the closure is set for Oct. 20 at the Humboldt Area Foundation. Start time has yet to be determined.
Herron promised to be in attendance to meet with community members and answer questions.
Raising $100,000 from a grant or benefactor would not assure continued operation.
“There’s much more involved to keep the office open,” Herron said. “The process would require another assessment.”
Herron emphasized that a return to Eureka was not out of the question.
“Eureka is not a dead deal,” she said. “We hope to have a better business plan in the future, a better recovery plan, so we can come to Eureka and provide better services than ever.”
DCARA expanded services into Eureka and Ukiah in 1999.
The Ukiah office has since moved to Santa Rosa.