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Disabled workers in St. Peters could soon lose transportation

Dozens of people in the St. Charles area are panicking.

ST. PETERS, Mo. — Pretty soon dozens of people with disabilities could be left without a job.

It's because funding that helps them get to their job may be cut.

Now, dozens of people in the St. Charles area are panicking.

That change could cause Boone Center Incorporated to lose more than half its employees.

Traveling to and from work is what millions do every day however Tiffanie Johnsteon said it’s something a lot of people take for granted.

“There are people here who have seizures who have other disabilities that make it harder for them to learn how to drive,” Johnsteon said.

She has autism so her daily commute is much different. Johnsteon said she’s worked at BCI for almost ten years, and thanks to Missouri’s Department of Mental Health the entire time she’s had transportation, but soon that could change.

“Oats has made it so much easier for me to get to and from. You know it’s just not fair, you’re not affecting just one person, your affecting hundreds of other people,” Johnsteon said.

That’s because recently DMH announced that the transportation contract was ending. Debra Walker is the director of public affairs for BCI, she said ending the contract means more than 100 workers with disabilities could lose their transportation options.

“They get so much out of it beyond a paycheck, so for that to be taken away because we’re not able to agree upon a contract for transportation it’s devastating,” Walker said.

If no other transportation options are created, BCI could lose around 60 percent of their employees.

However, Johnsteon is hopeful a solution can be made.

“There are a lot of people who have to have other services to wake them up, to get them ready to get them out the door, they deserve to have these services,” Johnsteon said.

The current agreement runs out at the end of September. The Missouri Department of Mental Health said it's currently working through negotiations and a solution to ensure none of these people lose their transportation.

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