32 Group Homes Closing Statewide, 340 Jobs Affected

Financial problems are prompting 32 group homes around the state to close their doors by the end of the year and could leave 340 people unemployed.

REM Connecticut, which operates group homes for the mentally and developmentally disabled, will shutter all its locations between Oct. 31 and Dec. 31, according to an Aug. 19 letter from Executive Director Paul Cataldo to the Department of Labor.

“We have recently learned of several changes that negatively impact our level of reimbursement and as a result we’ve made the tough decision that we can no longer continue to provide the level of service that we believe is in the best interest of our clients,” Cataldo said in a statement released Wednesday.

The layoffs will affect 44 supervisors and support staff members and 298 direct support professionals, according to Cataldo, who said he'll work to find new positions for all of them.

“We are hoping that the transition of the individuals we serve to a new provider will include employment opportunities for REM staff so that employees will experience no gap in employment and relationships will continue uninterrupted,” he said.

Affected employees will not receive severance packages but will be compensated for unused vacation time, according to the letter. Workers currently covered by company insurance can opt for COBRA coverage.

Staff members who aren’t placed at a new provider may be eligible for unemployment, the letter says.