Posted: 1/24/06
A.B.L.E. serving 112 people
Director gives annual report to county board
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Two staff members from A.B.L.E. gave Houston County commissioners an update on the organizationís services and programs on January 17.
A.B.L.E. stands for A Brighter Living Experience. It provides independent living experiences for adults with developmental disabilities.
Director Gail Meyer spoke during the human services board meeting, which is held at 10:30 on the third Tuesday of every month. She said A.B.L.E. is currently serving 112 individuals, and has 218 employees. The non-profit group has intermediate care facilities for people with mental retardation in La Crescent (15 individuals) and in Houston (six individuals).
In-home support is given to 39 individuals, and 10 people receive independent living services. It operates 15 corporate foster care homes in Houston County: eight in Caledonia, five in La Crescent, and two in Spring Grove.
The non-profit group has a projected 2006 budget of $5.6 million and projected 2006 payroll of $4.2 million. State and federal funds pay for 97 percent of the programs, with three percent from the county.
Meyer said A.B.L.E does most of its business locally. ìWe only go out of county if we canít get it locally,î she said.
The biggest challenge is trying to find employees, Meyer said.
A.B.L.E. clients have high needs, human services director Beth Wilms added, and some people who work for A.B.L.E. find out itís not what they want to do.
Staffing is not a problem in La Crescent, A.B.L.E. human resources director Joan Mitchell said, because it is close to La Crosse and can draw from universities there. But staffing in places like Caledonia and Houston is more difficult, she said.
A.B.L.E. was started as Houston County Group Homes in 1979 by a group of people who wanted people with disabilities to lead lives in a community that care for them better than a state institution could.
Workforce over budget
In other human services board news, Wilms reported that Workforce Development went over its 2005 budget by $38,341.89. This will not cost the county any money, she said, and will be paid by Workforce Development.
Workforce Development provides employment and training opportunities for consumers receiving Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and Diversionary Work Program (DWP) services. The total Workforce Development MFIP/DWP budget for 2005 was $98,000. The budget amount for 2006 remains at $98,000.
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