CES asks town/county for $400k to keep 24/7 disability supports staffed

Community Entry Services (CES) is asking local governments to help underwrite direct-care wages as it heads into FY2027 with continued pressure on its frontline workforce. In its application packet, CES requests $220,000 from Teton County and $180,000 from the Town of Jackson—categorized under “Other” rather than the standard priority buckets—saying the money would be used for the same purpose on both sides: direct support professional wages. (Community Entry Services Funding Request Staff Report)

CES describes itself as the region’s only comprehensive 24/7 support system for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with services spanning community living supports, adult day habilitation, community integration, and employment training/placement. The group also points to its ownership of local properties to provide ADA-accessible, below-market housing paired with in-home staffing—an operational model that, in a high-cost housing market, makes wage competition and retention a make-or-break issue.

In a notable staffing snapshot, CES says it was at a 62% vacancy rate in 2021 and warns that level “nearly forced the permanent closure” of its Teton County programs. After the last local award, CES reports it held a $22/hour frontline rate, reduced vacancies to 13% (four openings at the time of the application), and maintained a “0% turn-away rate” for qualified applicants—meaning it did not have to deny services due to staffing. For FY2027, CES frames the town/county dollars as a “bridge” over what it sees as a Medicaid reimbursement gap, with success measured primarily through reduced turnover and faster time-to-hire—metrics it says it tracks through HR reports and employee engagement surveys.