CUMBERLAND — Governmental bodies aren’t the only ones whose budgets are being affected by state cuts. Nonprofit organizations are also seeing state money disappear before their eyes.

On Aug. 26, the state Board of Public Works announced resource coordination budgets would be cut 15 percent, agencies that provide residential, day and support services through the Developmental Disabilities Administration would have a 2 percent cut, rolling access or low-intensity supports would be cut 10 percent and adult respite care, funded by the state Department of Human Resources, would be cut 50 percent. These all went into effect Oct. 1.

“Because of the state’s budget crisis, the state’s $3 billion deficit, I guess it was just decided that this was one of the cuts that had to be made,” said Cari Oleskewicz, communications director for Service Coordination Inc., based in Frederick. “Our budget alone lost $3.2 million, which is pretty hard to absorb being a nonprofit organization.”

Oleskewicz said the agency, which provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has looked into cutting every possible expense to avoid furloughs and layoffs, but it was not possible.

“We renegotiated all of our leases, contracts, immediately enacted a hiring freeze, put a freeze on pay increases, eliminated any training or conferences that had a cost associated with them,” she said. “Staff across the agency also took a 1 to 5 percent salary pay cut, dependent on what level of pay they were at, and we’ve also eliminated a total of 74 positions.”

Of those 74 positions, approximately half were layoffs, the rest were vacancies that the agency decided not to fill.

Connie Davis, supervising service coordinator for the Cumberland office, said, at full strength, there were nine service coordinators. However there are only six there now.

“We had one vacant position we decided not to fill and then we’ve also had to have two furloughed,” she said.

The Ray of Hope Inc.’s staff of about 110 employees has also felt the blow. The agency, based on North Mechanic Street, works with people who have developmental disabilities.

“We’ve had to have a percentage pay cut across the board, every employee took a 5 percent cut,” Beth Banks, residential manger, said. “We serve 50 to 55 individuals through all of our programs — our day outreach support and residential programs — but our services through those haven’t really been affected. We still supply the needs for individuals we do support, it was more of just an adjustment for the staff.”

Spectrum Support is also struggling to make ends meet as managers work to deal with the state cut but also avoid any pay cuts, furloughs or layoffs.

“So far we haven’t had to do any furloughs, layoffs or pay cuts and we are trying to cut back on all our expenses first to avoid them,” said Jennifer Hilderbrand, Spectrum’s Western Maryland regional director. “But we have had to cut back on our benefits, leave time, training classes and any activities that have a price tag attached to them.”

Spectrum employs 29 people in its Cumberland office and serves 22 individuals with developmental and psychiatric disabilities, and all of them are feeling the strain these cuts have brought.

“It has actually affected our services,” Hilderbrand said. “We provide services for people who are in state hospital centers and that funding has been cut, so services have been reduced there.”

Both Oleskewicz and Hilderbrand expect another hit before the year is up.

“Right now we’re just waiting and holding our breath to see what happens next. The state has a large deficit and are projecting it to go into next year, too, so that’s a concern for us,” Oleskewicz said.

“Honestly, we don’t know what will happen or what we’ll do yet if we are hit with another cut,” Hilderbrand said. “Call your representatives, call the governor, write letters, anything you can possibly do, please do it. The people we serve tend to be forgotten by our society and they don’t always have the chance to speak for themselves, so pitch in and help them out.”

Oleskewicz said she is encouraging the individuals and families of those using these nonprofit services to do the same.

“We want people to realize this is not a bureaucratic agency that can easily be cut without affecting lives.”

Tess Hill can be reached at Contact Tess Hill at thill@times-news.com.