The House Ways & Means Committee this afternoon released a $63.3 billion FY ’27 budget proposal, which has a combined traditional and wealth surtax spending about 1.6% higher than the budget Gov. Maura Healey’s H.2. budget.
The proposal includes $175 million for the Chapter 257 Reserve. The proposed budget for the rate reserve represents no change from the Governor’s budget. The Administration has noted that it will need $260 million to fully fund the Chapter 257 Reserve account, and it expects $85 million in funding to be left in the FY ’26 Chapter 257 Reserve – which it will then request to move to the FY ’27 budget during its closeout supplemental budget this fall.
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 Bill Yelenak.
The full budget was posted online today at approximately 12:30 p.m.
You can also view the HWM budget itself at this link.
Other items of interest include:
- JUD line item 0339-1011 – Community-based Re-entry Programs – rose from $16.107 million to $16.110 million, an increase of 0.02%.
- DAR line item 2511-0105 – Emergency Food Assistance – rose from $55 million from to $60 million, an increase of 8.33%.
- DYS line item 4200-0100 – Non-Res Services for Committee Population – dropped from $23.8 million to $23.3 million, a decrease of 2.04%
- DYS line item 4200-0200 – Residential Services for Detained Population – dropped from $27 million to $26.5 million, a decrease of 2.04%
- DYS line item 4200-0300 – Residential Services for Committed Population – dropped from $120 million to $117 million, a decrease of 2.04%
- DDS line item 4000-0000 – Human Services Transportation; 5920-2000 – Community Residential Services; 5920-2025 – Community Day and Work Programs; 5920-3000 – Respite Family Supports, were funded at the same levels proposed in the Governor’s budget.
- DTA line item 4401-1000 – Employment Service Program – was funded at the same level proposed in the Governor’s budget. Unlike the Governor’s proposal, the line item includes language the Council and members sought preserving Competitive Integrated Employment Services – or CIES – at “not less than the amounts expended in fiscal year 2026.”
- DPH line item 4512-0103 – HIV/AIDS Prevention Treatment and Services – increased from $31.6 million to 35 million, an increase of 9.56%.
- DCF line item 4800-1100 – Social Workers for Case Management – dropped from $327 million to $320 million, a decrease of 2.04%.
- DMH line item 5042-5000 – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – was funded at the same level proposed in the Governor’s budget.
- HLC line item 7004-0101 – Emergency Assistance – Family Shelter and Services – was funded at the same level proposed in the Governor’s budget.
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.
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