HARRISBURG - Thousands of western Pennsylvania residents with drug and alcohol addictions might not get the help they need because of budget cuts to rehabilitation programs proposed by Gov. Ed Rendell.

In his first state budget presented Tuesday and approved by the House on Thursday, Rendell called for eliminating two drug and alcohol programs under the Department of Public Welfare, saving $66 million. If the cuts are passed by the General Assembly, Allegheny County will lose about $7.9 million, Beaver County will lose about $1 million, Fayette County will lose about $800,000, Greene County will lose about $200,000 and Washington County will lose about $1 million.

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