BUTLER TWP — Lifesteps has laid off 16 employees because of a decrease in funding.

Karen Owens, president and CEO, said this morning the employees were taken off the job on Tuesday due in significant rate and reimbursement cuts from the state Office of Developmental Programming.

“We had to make some hard business decisions,” Owens said.

She said the decision to cut the jobs was proactive and meant to keep the agency sustainable. She declined to say what jobs were cut or where they are based.

Owens said the people have been offered other positions at Lifesteps.

“They’re giving consideration to the positions,” Owens said.

She said the job cuts will not affect any of it’s 35 programs, and she said it is important that the programs remain high quality.

It’s annual budget is about $25 million, and government funding makes up about 84 percent of that. It has 750 employees.

Lifesteps, which is headquartered on New Castle Road, serves families, children, adults with disabilities and seniors. It serves about 8,000 people per year.

It has about 50 community homes and six program centers in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington and Westmoreland counties.