NORWICH – Catholic Charities of Chenango County is introducing changes to its programming, including its Roots and Wings program, that it says are a step forward in helping the organization become more sustainable in the long-run.

Catholic Charities rolled out three new programs this year, creating a total 24 new jobs within the organization and expanding services for certain demographics including the elderly, the developmentally disabled, and individuals who are Medicaid eligible.

Another program geared toward individuals in need of emergency respite services is slated to start in January, and will add another 10 jobs to Catholic Charities’ roster.

According to Jeff Chesebro, Director of Operations at Catholic Charities, the new programs are designed to strike a balance between long-term viability and meeting community needs. State agencies, namely the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), are shifting funding streams from in-patient to out-patient service programs. Unfortunately, there’s a gap in programming that’s available in Chenango County, said Chesebro.

Catholic Charities is trying to fill that gap.

“This is the direction that our state legislators are moving our human services – to these home and community based types of services,” said Chesebro. “What we’re doing as an agency is analyzing which one of these services will be viable in the future and we’re trying to transition all our services in that direction. So we're constantly reviewing all of our programs to shape and reform them.”