"Jobs will be maintained; who's running those operations will be different."
Gov. Dannel Malloy
Governor Dannel Malloy says the state is following a long-term trend as it plans to privatize many services for people with developmental disabilities.
The Commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services said this week that her agency will lay off more than 400 workers, bringing recent job cuts to more than 600.
Several state run group homes will be shifted to private providers, as will other day programs and community based care. Malloy told WNPR he doesn’t believe this will lead to unemployment for most of the workers involved.
"What Connecticut is doing is replicating best practices across the country," he said. "Jobs will be maintained; who's running those operations will be different. And in point of fact I suspect a lot of the same people will remain employed."
Unions representing the workers have argued that providing services for the disabled should be a core function of the state. They’re also concerned about the low reimbursement rates paid to private contractors who take on the services.
