State revenue shortfalls have resulted in many questionable budget decisions, but few are as infuriating and counterproductive as cuts to a program that provides in-home services to elderly Kansans.

In response to a $17 million reduction in its overall budget, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services decided to reduce funding for in-home services provided through the state-funded Senior Care Act by $2.1 million or about 30 percent. The state’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging administer the program and have indicated that letters will go out this month to at least 1,300 clients saying their services will be reduced or eliminated.

What does that mean to Kansas seniors who pay for those in-home services on a sliding scale based on their income? For some, it may mean the difference between being able to stay in their homes or being forced to move into a nursing home, which not only isn’t what the elderly residents want but also will be much more costly to the state. According to the state’s monthly Medicaid reports, in-home services for the elderly cost the state an average of $200 per person compared with a monthly cost of $2,750 for people in nursing homes.

It just doesn’t make sense — except, apparently to KDADS, whose spokeswoman Angela de Rocha said last week that it’s unlikely that reduced in-home care would result in more people moving to nursing homes. Most clients receive only two to four hours of service per week, she said, and family and community members likely would step in to take up that slack. Does the department have any evidence to support that contention? Has it made any effort to find out whether the people whose services will be cut have other options? In many cases, family members may not be available or already are doing as much as they can. Cuts in various state programs also have taxed social service agencies that might step in.

Joyce Clark of Topeka was cited as an example in this week’s Associated Press story. At age 82, five hours a week of assistance with cleaning and shopping helps her remain in her home. Five hours that the state may now say it won’t provide.

This and other state budget cuts have been driven by state revenue shortfalls that resulted at least in part from the 2012 legislation that exempted more than 330,000 business owners and farmers from paying income taxes. So, the state has decided to give away that tax revenue and make up for the loss by refusing to provide a few hours of service a week to elderly Kansans like Joyce Clark.

It’s inhumane and fiscally irresponsible, but that seems to be par for the course in Kansas these days.