The House Ways & Means Committee released its FY ’25 budget proposal this afternoon, a $57.9 billion spending plan that, in keeping with Gov. Maura Healey’s proposal, would allocate a record amount of funds to the human services sector.
The proposal includes $390 million for the Chapter 257 Reserve, which represents an increase of $160 million, or nearly 70%, from FY ’23. (The Council compared the Chapter 257 line item to the FY ’23 budget, rather than the FY ’24 budget, because the number of Chapter 257 rates reviewed by EOHHS alternate in proportion every other year.)
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 LaJuan Allen.
The committee made relatively few changes to the human services line items the Council tracked in Gov. Healey’s Budget. The most noteworthy changes were:
- DMH line item 5095-0015 – Inpatient Facilities and Community-Based Mental Health Services – dropped from $385.3 million in Healey’s budget proposal to $324.3 million, a decrease of 15.85%.
- DPH line item 4512-0103 – HIV/AIDS Prevention Treatment and Services – increased by 3.75% compared to Healey’s proposal, from $29.4 million to $30.5 million. The Healey administration noted in January that the funding decreased from FY ’24 ($35 million) as it eliminated one-time costs and projected lower need.
- MRC line item 4120-4000 – Individual Living Assistance – dropped from $13.9 million to $13.4 million, a decrease of 3.6%.
- DVS line item 1410-0400 – Veterans’ Benefits – dropped from $70.4 million to $68.2 million, a decrease of 3.12%, returning to FY ’24 funding levels.
The full budget was posted online today at approximately 12 p.m. You can view it here. 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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