ROCK SPRINGS — A Sweetwater County respite care program that has for nearly 50 years helped elderly and disabled people stay in their homes will shut down at the end of March after its funding was slashed.
Operated by the nonprofit Volunteer Information and Referral Service (VIRS) Respite Care, the program provides in-home support such as meal preparation, bathing assistance, and relief for full-time caregivers, allowing clients to avoid more costly nursing facilities.
VIRS Respite Care Executive Director Melissa Searle said the program has long operated on a tight budget, but could not absorb the latest county budget cut.
Operating at its previous level cost about $220,000 a year, she said, with county-provided office space and utilities helping keep overhead expenses low.
“It just came to the point that we had to see the writing on the wall,” Searle said. “Next year we don’t even know if there will be county funds, so it was just, unfortunately, the demise of us.”
County officials say the cuts are part of broader efforts to adjust to declining revenue from property taxes reductions, mineral production and other sources.
Funding for outside organizations was among the first areas reduced because the county is not legally required to support them, Sweetwater County Commissioner Taylor Jones said.
The reductions were not aimed specifically at VIRS, he added.
“The first thing we started cutting was nonprofits and outside organizations and anything we were not required to fund by law,” Jones said.
Property tax changes were “certainly a catalyst,” Jones said, but not the only factor.
County property tax revenue alone is down about $1.3 million, and reductions have reached beyond nonprofits to other county-supported services, including funding tied to the local hospital.
County Funding Cut By About Half
Sweetwater County provided $104,500 to VIRS in fiscal year 2024 and $99,000 in fiscal year 2025. County records show that dropped to $49,500 in fiscal year 2026, which runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Most outside agencies supported by county money saw similar reductions, County Clerk Cindy Swenson said.
“Most of the outside agencies … were cut about in half,” she said.
Further reductions have also been discussed for the upcoming fiscal year, which would provide even less money for VIRS and other nonprofit organizations.
What VIRS Does
Unlike traditional home health providers, the respite program focuses on nonmedical, day-to-day support that typically is not covered by Medicaid or Medicare.
Without it, there are few options for the same types of services for the families who rely on it, Searle said.
That includes relief for full-time caregivers, something Searle said is essential in a community where many elderly residents live at home and family members juggle jobs and round-the-clock care.
“Caregiver burnout is real,” she said. “It’s a lot to care for someone all the time and not get a break.”
About 45 clients receive direct care through the program, she said. When families receiving respite services are included, roughly 130 people rely on VIRS.
For years, the agency has also maintained a waiting list of at least 50 people.
Private in-home care exists, but is often too expensive for families, Searle said, estimating some services cost about $30 an hour. VIRS charges on a sliding scale, with the highest rate at $10 an hour.
“We can’t ask our clients, who are already on such a fixed income, to pay more,” she said.
‘Writing On The Wall’
As funding declined, the organization reduced staffing and wages in an effort to stay afloat.
The office is now down to two employees, Searle and a registered nurse, while 10 certified nursing assistants provide direct care in clients’ homes.
Those caregivers have gone five years without raises and are paid below typical CNA wages, she said.
“We’ve really applied for every grant that we can possibly qualify for,” Searle said. “There’s only so much fundraising that you can do and grants you can get.”
The agency’s board of directors voted to close the program, though VIRS will continue operating through the end of March.
Clients and care providers were notified ahead of the public announcement.
After nearly five decades in the community, Searle said shutting down has been emotionally difficult.
“This agency has been around for close to 50 years and it closes on my watch,” she said. “It’s heartsick. It just breaks my heart.”
County Explores Options
County officials are exploring whether some of the services provided by VIRS can be absorbed through the county’s Health and Human Services Department, though it remains unclear how much of that work could realistically be replaced, Jones said.
“We’re looking at working with Health and Human Services, seeing if they can take that stuff over — or at least partially,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re going to be able to cover 100% of what they’re doing.”
For Searle, the uncertainty is less about government logistics and more about the families who will be left to fill the gaps.
“The sad thing is, most of the time you don’t see these people asking for help,” she said. “They just kind of do their thing and hope for the best.”
