Governor Maura Healey presented her FY ’27 budget proposal this afternoon, a $62.8 billion spending plan, including $2.7 billion in surtax spending.
The proposal includes $175 million for the Chapter 257 Reserve. On a budget call Wednesday afternoon, EOHHS officials noted the House 2 budget proposal “recommends maintaining Chapter 257 rates benchmarked to the 53rd percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage data at an estimated cost of $260 million in FY27. Of this, $175M is funded through the Ch. 257 reserve in H.2, with the remaining about to be covered in a future vehicle through an extension of existing resources into FY27 or filing for additional funds as needed.”
EHS also noted that, over the past four years, provider rates have seen significant rate growth “with approximately $1B in rate increases supported through the CH. 257 reserve in the FY23-26 GAAs.”
The slides presented at the EOHHS briefing call are available here.
Gov. Healey noted in her budget message that the spending plan “is about making life easier and more affordable for Massachusetts residents and businesses.”
“At a time when budgets across the country are tight, this proposal maximizes our resources to deliver on what matters most while controlling spending, protecting taxpayer dollars and driving economic growth,” she wrote.
The preliminary analysis from the Providers’ Council, which tracks frequently discussed human services line items, is located here. To discuss any of these line items or ask that other line items be tracked, please contact Caroline O’Neill.
The full budget was posted online today at approximately 2:00 p.m.
You can view it here. You can also view the EOHHS budget itself at this link.
Other items of interest include:
- EEC line item 3000-3060 – DCF and DTA Related Child Care – rose from $448.2 million to $597.2 million, an increase of 33.25%.
- MRC line item 4120-2000 – Vocational Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities – increased from $28.8 million to $29.1 million, an increase of 1.35%.
- DTA line item 4401-1000 – Employment Services Program – decrease from $20.6 million to $20.4, a decrease of 0.89%.
- DPH line item 4512-0200 – Bureau of Substance Abuse Services – decreased 1.89%, dropping from $187.1 million to $183.6 million.
- DPH line item 4513-1020 – Early Intervention Services – decreased 3.9%, dropping from $39.2 million to $37.7 million.
- DCF line item 4800-0041 – Congregate Care Services – dropped from $463.7 million to $450.7 million, a decrease of 2.81%.
- DCF line item 4800-0200 – DCF Family Resource Centers – decreased 26.53%, dropping from $35 million to $25.7 million.
- DMH line item 5042-5000 – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – rose from $132.4 million to $136.6 million, an increase of 3.17%.
- DMH line item 5095-0015 – Inpatient Facilities and Community-Based Mental Health – rose from $380.9 million to $395.1 million, an increase of 3.72%.
- DDS line item 5920-2000 – Community Residential Services – increased from $2.01 billion to $2.06 billion, a 2.4% increase.
- DDS line item 5920-3000 – Respite Family Supports – rose from $123.9 million to $131.4 million, an increase of 6.02%.
- HLC line item 7004-0101 – Emergency Assistance — Family Shelter and Services – dropped from $276.4 million to $258.6 million, a decrease of 6.43%.
- HLC line item 7004-9024 – Mass. Rental Voucher Program – rose from $253.3 million to $278.3 million, an increase of 9.88%.
- OAI line item 9110-1630 – Home Care Services – rose from $278.9 million to $298.9 million, an increase of 7.18%.
The Providers’ Council is reviewing the budget for other major changes to human services accounts or line items, and we will provide more information to our members as we receive it.
Again, the preliminary Providers’ Council budget analysis is located here and it is also included as an image below. If you have questions about the FY ’27 budget or the budget process, please contact Caroline O’Neill.
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