IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Statement from the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council 

Friday, May 27, 2011  |  Contact: Lisa R. Faust; (225) 342-7913 or (225) 252-3579 (cell)

The Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council announced today that the cuts to DHH contained in HB1 will be devastating to people with disabilities and their families. These cuts are not in "administrative overhead" but instead will take real services away from real families of children and adults with severe developmental disabilities struggling to care for their loved ones at home. The loss of these vital individual and family support services will likely result in a physical and financial hardship for families - or worse - force them to seek costly out-of-home placement. Many adults with physical disabilities will also lose their personal care attendants who serve as their lifeline to independence in the community. Without this assistance most of these individuals will be forced to enter a nursing home. And health care and support services to over 1,200 children with special health care needs who are served through DHH contracts will be eliminated as a result of the cuts in HB1. These are just a few of the services that will be reduced or eliminated as a result of this House action. "The entire list is overwhelming. When one considers the magnitude of these cuts and the resulting impact on the state's most vulnerable people, it is difficult to comprehend how these decisions could have been made," said Sandra 'Sam' Beech, DD Council Chairperson.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's blog, Twitter account and Facebook.