The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, a pioneering nonprofit that has provided medical care to individuals and families for nearly 40 years, is cutting staff and services due to federal changes to Medicaid.
CEO Stan McLaren told the Globe that the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program issued layoff notices to 25 people last week and does not anticipate further cuts this year. Among those losing jobs are administrative, clinical, and support staff.
The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program also plans to close the Stacy Kirkpatrick House, a 20-bed medical respite facility in Jamaica Plain where people experiencing homelessness can recuperate after surgery, hospital stays, or injuries.
The 25 employees make up about 4 percent of the Health Care for the Homeless workforce. Of those, 18 worked at the Stacy Kirkpatrick House, one of the nonprofit’s two respite programs.
The Program’s flagship facility, Barbara McInnis House, will remain open, providing 103 medical respite beds for patients requiring short-term, facility-based care, leaders said.
McLaren said the layoffs and closure are “difficult but necessary steps to address financial challenges and prepare for anticipated Medicaid and policy changes that threaten the sustainability of safety-net providers.”
President Trump’s signature domestic policy law, passed in July, will reduce federal Medicaid spending by $326 billion over 10 years, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office. Massachusetts stands to lose some $3.5 billion in funding over that same time period, state health officials have said.
About 75 percent of the local program’s funding comes from Medicaid. Leaders anticipate a $7 million drop in revenue next year.
“We have got to be strategic, especially with the population that we serve. We can’t wait for this to come at us,” McLaren said. “In an effort to ensure that we’re being proper stewards of our resources, we have to look ahead and plan and start to make adjustments.”
The program serves some 11,000 people a year at 30 clinics, and employs medical and behavioral health professionals, social service providers, and support staff. It also shares its research and care model with hospitals, professional schools, public agencies, and homeless programs locally, nationally, and internationally.
Karen Beckett, who has worked as a case worker at the program’s Barbara McInnis House for 2½ years, said she learned of her layoff from a co-worker at a union meeting. “She asked if I was sitting down, then read the list, and my name was on the top of it,” said Beckett, who is in her 60s.
She said she has not received details on her end date or severance, but the list of employees provided to the union lists Oct. 10. She worries she and her son, who is seriously ill and lives with her, could be pushed into homelessness by the loss of income. She also worries for her clients. “This is going to severely impact the people we serve — from helping with Mass IDs and Social Security cards to going with them to medical appointments,” she said.
The union representing affected workers, 1199SEIU, has organized a rally at noon on Tuesday outside BHCHP headquarters at 780 Albany St.
The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program will offer severance pay, extended health benefits, and career transition resources to support terminated employees.
“We’re doing everything we can to treat the employees affected by these changes with respect and gratitude,” said Anik Conley-Doss, the program’s director of human resources. “This has been difficult for the entire organization, but we’re committed to navigating it as thoughtfully as possible. We’ve provided a grace period so staff can stay on until their last day, and we’re winding down programs like the Stacy Kirkpatrick House carefully to ensure patients are discharged appropriately, and their care remains our top priority.”
Sarah Rahal can be reached at sarah.rahal@globe.com. Follow her on X @SarahRahal_ or Instagram @sarah.rahal.