NORTHAMPTON - To offset state budget cuts, a major public health care provider for western Massachusetts will suspend key services for the last five days of this month.

Tapestry Health is cutting back its comprehensive family planning program so it can break even at the end of the fiscal year.

"The heartache of all of this is that our services are needed now more than ever," said Leslie Tarr Laurie, president and founder of Tapestry Health.

Tapestry is not scheduling appointments for the last five days of June. Those who require Tapestry's services may still make appointments before June 24 and after July 1.

Management is in the process of arranging furloughs for its administrative and health-worker staff during the five days.

"It seems ridiculous that we cannot provide these basic services," Tarr Laurie said.

The family planning program provides laboratory testing for general health, testing for and curing of sexually transmitted infections, contraception provision and consultation, pregnancy tests and instruction in breast self-exams for women. Tapestry receives 17,000 visits from clients a year across western Massachusetts.

Tapestry will continue to provide its needle exchange and HIV testing programs and its Women, Infants, Children nutrition program in Springfield. "This is just related to family planning," Tarr Laurie said of the cutbacks.

The state Department of Public Health cut funds to Tapestry after Gov. Deval Patrick made $600,000 in midyear budget cuts to comprehensive family planning this fiscal year, according to Jennifer Manley, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health.

The organization plans to ask its health service workers and administrators to work without pay for five days to make up for the state cuts.

Tarr Laurie said Tapestry managers gave seven days' notice to the agency's staff.

Tapestry maintains administrative offices on Riverside Drive in Florence, with satellite offices at 16 Center St. in Northampton, 27 Pray St. in Amherst and 80 Sanderson St. in Greenfield.

Rick Page, the union representative for SEIU Local 509, said Tapestry's management "verbally floated a rumor to furlough" on June 4.

Local 509 responded by filing a grievance about Tapestry's action, he said.

The union has not yet discussed the concept or implementation of furloughs, Page said. The action would affect about 40 union members. 

Tarr Laurie said Tapestry plans to firm up how much time staff will be asked to be on furlough by Monday. "That's what we're figuring out right now. We hope to have sites open in all four counties in western Massachusetts," she said.

Tarr Laurie herself will continue to work without pay. "Our senior management staff, including our chief financial officer, will also furlough," she said.

Tarr Laurie said she hopes Tapestry's supporters will continue to make tax-deductible donations to help the agency weather this financial storm. "We're hoping people will be generous with private donations."

Supporters of Tapestry Health can donate through the agency's Web site. "We need to ensure that Tapestry will keep its doors open for generations to come," she said.