Banner photo: The Walnut Street facility in Hyde Park.
A new program in Hyde Park will provide more services to young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The new facility on Business Street opened in May and is run by Walnut Street Center, a Medford-based nonprofit that provides a variety of services for adults with intellectual disabilities. Currently, it provides day programs for about 20 people, but the goal is to provide space for 50 once it is fully settled into the new facility and has hired more staff.
Walnut Street Centre CEO Caroline Guffey said the centre’s opening comes in an area that’s still dealing with the lingering effects of the pandemic.
“They’ve been anxiously waiting at home for the program to start, and I think the pandemic put a stop to everything,” she said. “They’re so excited to finally be able to start the program.”
The new facility will primarily serve young people who recently turned 22, who at that age are transitioning from special education services provided by schools to adult services provided by the state Department of Developmental Services, and will focus on programs to prepare them for pre-employment programs.
Guffey likened the transition moment to graduating from high school.
“When they graduate from high school, they don’t really know where to go after,” Guffey said. “Some go to college, some go to trade school, some get a job, and I think that’s the same thing that happens with the people we help.”
The program offers participants the opportunity to explore potential career opportunities, interact and integrate with the local community, and volunteer with other nonprofit organizations such as senior care, food banks, and animal shelters.
In addition to Walnut Street Center’s new facility, the new Hyde Park location is also home to several nearby programs that serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as a nearby office for the Department of Developmental Services that serves the Greater Boston Area. But she says demand currently outstrips supply, especially given the challenges programs are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are certainly other institutions doing similar things, but the need is greater than the supply of programs,” she said. “Many are not expanding because they are trying to staff existing programs rather than take on new projects.”
Guffey said the need is especially high among the younger population the new facility will serve, as day programs have been closed during the pandemic and the organization works to support young people who have aged out of school-based services and now want to participate.
“Like most businesses, we were told to close so a lot of people didn’t get the chance, whether that was turning 22 at the time, finishing school or staying home from school,” she said.
Day programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities struggled during the pandemic as closures limited services and furloughed staff sought new positions, Guffey said. Even after things began to reopen, programs struggled to rehire staff, who found new jobs that were less demanding or better paying.
She said the industry still has problems retaining talent and that is the biggest barrier her organization faces.
“These jobs tend to be low-paying and stressful, and they’re not for everyone,” Guffey said. “I think it’s hard to educate people on the importance of this work and get them to hire in this field, when you can make $19 an hour at Target or Starbucks.”