The Governor's FY26 Budget Proposal (H.1), released on Wednesday, January 22, has proposed $62 billion in spending, including $33.3 billion for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). EOHHS leadership shared H.1 Budget Highlights describing the 9% overall increase to EOHHS’s budget, which includes commitments we appreciate, as well as items of concern - noted below.
INVESTMENTS SNAPSHOT
- Total spending for EOHHS
- $33.3 billion - a 9% ($2.829 billion) increase from FY25
- Chapter 257 Reserve
- The $207M investment includes annualizing the FY25 rate increases and a commitment to maintaining rates at the 53rd percentile of the BLS in this "small year" for rates
DECREASED INVESTMENTS
Dept. of Children and Families Funding
- Congregate Care (line item 4800-0058) - $32.1M less than FY25
- Congregate care settings respond to the needs of children whose behaviors, trauma, and needs are particularly high in acuity, presenting safety hazards and threats to the wellbeing of themselves and others, such as other youth, families, and providers, in alternate settings.
- Services for Children & Families (line item 4800-0038) - $26.9M less than FY25
- DCF provides case management, in-home and community-based services and support, and referrals as needed to keep children safe and ensure their well-being.
- Family Support and Stabilization (line item 4800-0040) - $14M less than FY25 but FY25-level needed: $139,539,127
- Family Support and Stabilization funds family preservation, reunification, and service coordination, including services that draw funds from the federal Family First Prevention Services Act.
- Family Resource Centers (line item 4800-0200) - $5.6M less than FY25
- FRCs provides a wide variety of services and supports, such as basic resources like housing/emergency shelter, food, baby supplies, healthcare referrals and transportation and local disaster recovery and humanitarian crisis support.
Coalition Partners Shared Priorities
- Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (line item 5042-5000) - $20.3M less than FY25
- The Department of Mental Health (DMH) provides critical services for children, youth and adults with the most serious mental health needs, such as therapeutic support, intensive community services, clinically intensive intervention programs, school and community therapeutic support, young adult access centers, program for assertive community treatment for youth (PACT-Y) and more.
- Temporary Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) (line item 4403-2000) - $29.5M less than FY25
- The Governor’s proposal would eliminate the FY25 budget’s 10% grant increase starting in April 2025, thereby the maximum benefit for a family of three without income would go back to 2022 levels: $783/month.
TAFDC provides our state’s lowest-income, eligible families or individuals with temporary cash assistance and services to pay for basic needs: housing, food security, health care, or childcare to sustain employment.
- The Governor’s proposal would eliminate the FY25 budget’s 10% grant increase starting in April 2025, thereby the maximum benefit for a family of three without income would go back to 2022 levels: $783/month.
- Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) (line item 4512-0200) - $34.6M less than FY25
- BSAS oversees the prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support services for individuals, families, and communities affected by substance addiction.
CLM continues to analyze the budget proposal’s impacts with our members and coalition partners. We will share more details on priority asks to reach out to your state Representatives about soon. The House will have a couple months to develop their budget proposal for the Senate.
Resources:
- CLM's Budget Table
- Line-items breakdown of Governor's proposed budget
- EOHHS's Budget Highlights
- Governor's Budget Message
* Photo retrieved from State House News Service