The coronavirus crisis has caused layoffs at an organization in Ann Arbor that offers mental health services. WEMU's Jorge Avellan has the details.
Six full-time staff members and a part-time employee have been laid-off at the Fresh Start Clubhouse. The facility had recently transitioned to video conferences and phone calls to serve its nearly 110 members. But Director Summer Berman says they're no longer being reimbursed by Medicaid because their service format changed.
"We're providing a lot of one-to-one outreach via variety of different platforms. We've been preparing meals and delivering them to people"
Berman is the only employee still on the payroll, and she's trying to offer services to as many clubhouse members as possible. She's reached out to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for help.
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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu
