Roughly 90 employees at CICOA Aging & In‑Home Solutions are losing their jobs after a major state contracting shakeup cut off funding for key care‑coordination roles. The Indianapolis nonprofit disclosed the move in a recent WARN filing, and some staff were told to expect layoffs on or about this Friday. The organization’s notice indicates the job losses are expected to be permanent.
What the WARN filing shows
On the Indiana Department of Workforce Development WARN page, CICOA’s notice is dated last Thursday and lists an anticipated layoff date of this Friday. The filing cites roughly 90 affected workers and says the employer expects the positions to be permanently eliminated, with no bumping, transfer or displacement rights for those employees. That online WARN table serves as the state’s official public record of mass layoff and closure notices.
State vendor change at the center
CICOA has told reporters the cuts follow the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s decision not to keep the nonprofit as a case‑management provider and instead tap Maximus as the state’s Level of Care Assessment Representative, or LCAR. FSSA PathWays materials show that change took effect last July. In a statement to Fox59, CICOA said the vendor switch wiped out the funding that had supported many of its case‑management positions. FSSA documents outline the LCAR role and lay out performance standards for the contractor.
Local ripple effects and bigger pattern
CICOA is not the first Indiana organization to feel the sting of recent state contracting changes. MDWise previously filed a WARN notice covering about 238 employees after it lost its Medicaid managed‑care contract late last year, and that reduction appears on the Indiana Department of Workforce Development WARN listings. That earlier turnover is part of the broader PathWays rollout, which shifted assessment and enrollment duties, and law firm Strauss Borrelli has reported on an investigation into whether MDWise provided enough advance notice under WARN rules. Providers and advocates have told local outlets that these vendor handoffs can shuffle who handles front‑line coordination and put extra strain on networks that deliver meals, transportation and in‑home care.
What this means for clients and workers
CICOA has served as the region’s Area Agency on Aging since 1974 and lists its Indianapolis headquarters and range of programs in public documents. According to CICOA's public filings, the agency provides meals, transportation and care‑management services across central Indiana. Community groups warn that losing experienced case‑management staff could create service gaps for homebound older adults and people with disabilities who rely on coordinated supports. Laid‑off employees will be able to seek state re‑employment assistance and apply for unemployment benefits.
Legal context
The federal WARN Act generally requires covered employers to give 60 calendar days of advance notice before certain mass layoffs or plant closings, with limited exceptions for unforeseeable business circumstances. The U.S. Department of Labor publishes guidance on how those notice rules work and what remedies might be available when employers fall short of the law’s requirements.
Fox59 reported that it requested comment from the Indiana FSSA. The agency had not posted any public response on the state WARN site at the time CICOA’s notice appeared. This story will be updated if FSSA or CICOA releases additional details or issues a new public statement.
