Department of Developmental Services defends Southbury transitions and supportive‑housing strategy amid staffing and wait‑list concerns

Department of Developmental Services Commissioner and finance staff briefed the Appropriations subcommittee on DDS operations, Southbury Training School, supportive housing and wait‑list activity.

Commissioner Nancy Navarretta said the Southbury campus population is “below a hundred” and that six to eight residents are moving off grounds shortly, which would leave about 90 residents on campus. DDS officials said many buildings on the site are mothballed and that the agency is engaged with stakeholders — Disability Rights Connecticut, the Home and School Association and other groups — to create a plan for future use rather than abruptly closing the campus.

Why this matters: Southbury is a high‑profile facility in Connecticut with a complex mix of clinical, housing and land‑use issues. Several legislators urged the department to accelerate stakeholder meetings and provide a timeline for repurposing or disposition of buildings, noting remediation and cleanup can be costly.

Key operational items discussed

• Wait list and placements: Commissioner Navarretta said DDS’s active waiting list is approximately 900 people but noted DDS placed roughly 857 people in the previous fiscal year — substantially higher than a historical 10‑year average of about 450 placements. She said the agency has broadened housing and day‑service options including community companion homes and supportive housing and is prioritizing placements for primary caregivers aged 65 and over.

• Staff vacancies and workforce: DDS reported an authorized headcount of 481 with 404 filled and 77 vacancies not funded. Lawmakers noted continued provider workforce challenges across regions and asked DDS to provide regional breakdowns of staffing shortages. DDS said it has a workforce development staffer, participates in a national learning collaborative and uses ARPA funding for recruitment and retention supports. The governor’s recommended budget includes a 3 percent cost‑of‑living adjustment in each of the next two years to help providers.

• Supportive housing and development: DDS described new supportive‑housing projects (e.g., an Orange development and other sites) that use housing subsidies and wrap funding to reduce DDS’s direct facility footprint. Officials said public‑private partnerships and housing authority collaborations are being used to secure units with long‑term subsidies.

• Emergency placements and IT centralization: DDS said a line item labeled “emergency placements” also covered IT costs that are being centralized to the Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS). The department agreed to provide the subcommittee a breakdown of items currently included under that line because the label “emergency placements” had become broader in use.

• Dental services: Lawmakers pressed DDS on dental care for people with developmental disabilities; DDS said Norwich clinic is reopened and contracted arrangements with Yale‑New Haven and other health systems remain in place for specialized dental needs.

Follow‑up commitments: DDS agreed to provide the subcommittee with (1) a list of remaining Southbury buildings, current staffing counts on the campus, and a timeline for stakeholder convenings; (2) a breakdown of emergency‑placement line elements and IT costs transferred to DAS; (3) regional analyses of provider workforce pressure and vacancy patterns; and (4) detail on new supportive‑housing projects and financing sources.

Ending: Commissioner Navarretta said the goal is to downsize the state footprint while repurposing land and buildings in ways that benefit both the campus residents and the surrounding community; she invited legislators to schedule site visits.