Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based Thundermist Health Center, a federally-qualified non-profit community health center offering primary care, dental care, and behavioral health services, has announced a 14% \personnel realignment plan to respond to its financial crisis.
Cost-saving measures included terminating the contract of its CEO and president, laying off 124 employees, reducing staff salaraies, adjusting employee insurance and benefits.
According to a company statement, ”We are very sorry to take the steps we are enacting today to reduce our payroll costs. If we don’t impose these measures, we will be unable to make payroll through the next month. With these actions, we will be able to buy the time we need to get plans in motion that will give us a fighting chance to balance our budget. This is an absolutely devastating decision to have to make and carry out. It is driven by a financial crisis that forces us to reduce costs by nearly $2 million a month, effective immediately. We know these changes will affect our remaining employees as well as our patients, and we are grateful to everyone for their understanding as we work through these transitions. Thundermist’s employees are our greatest asset and ensure that every year more than 62,000 Rhode Islanders get the primary care, behavioral health services, dental care, and social services they need."
The decision was driven by a revenue reduction from the federal 340B drug rebate program and its Medicaid operations.
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall; why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?