Services for People with Disabilities Face Cuts

Services for people with disabilities continue to face cuts in government aid.


HOUMA, La. — Local programs aimed at helping people with disabilities could suffer budget cuts this month.

The cuts are among proposed changes to the state Department of Health and Hospitals’ budget under consideration by the Louisiana Legislature.

Terrebonne and Lafourche ARC programs, which serve people with mental and physical handicaps, could see up to 7.4 percent cut to state Medicaid payments.

That would mean a $237,000 loss for TARC, which serves more than 300 people in Terrebonne, and $938,000 cut to Lafourche ARC’s budget, which serves more than 400 in a seven-parish area that includes Terrebonne and Lafourche.

“You can’t take that kind of money out of your budget and expect to not run some deficits,” said Lester Adams, Lafourche ARC’s executive director.