The House Ways & Means Committee released a $42.7 billion FY ’20 budget proposal on April 10 that includes investments in public education and some housing assistance programs, but largely reflects the human services funding put forth by Gov. Charlie Baker in his House 1 budget proposal in January.
HWM includes language requested by the Providers’ Council and a coalition of providers specific to Competitive Integrated Employment Services (CIES) programs in the Employment Services Program line item (4401-1000).
Other items of note in the HWM proposal, the first from new House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewicz, include:
- Department of Children and Families: A significant 5 percent boost to Family Support and Stabilization Services (4800-0040) at $53,471,223; $2.5 million above the H1 allocation, and boosts spending for Family Resource Centers to $15 million;
- Early Education and Care: HWM funds Quality Improvement (3000-1020) at $36.6M, below the Governor’s $39.1 allocation;
- Department of Community Housing and Development: HWM proposes $110,000,000 for the Mass. Rental Voucher Program (7004-9024) – 10 percent more than Gov. Baker. But it also cuts Emergency Assistance (line item 7004-0101) by 6 percent, while the Governor’s budget includes a slight increase;
- Department of Mental Health: HWM essentially level funds Child and Adolescent Mental Health services at $93.4, whereas the Governor proposes a 3 percent cut to $90.6 million;
- Department of Public Health: HWM proposes $32,255,808 for line item 4512-0103 HIV/AIDS prevention treatment and services – nearly 5 percent more than Gov. Baker and $1.4 million more than projected spending this fiscal year.
The budget plan also allocates $4.5 million for re-entry programs, which is a $500,000 cut from FY ’19 funding and below the $7 million being sought by advocates. The Chapter 257 Reserve line item (1599-6903) is funded at $20.5 million for FY ’20, consistent with the Governor’s House 1 proposal.
And HWM allocates $2.75 million for census work in FY ’20. You can view the Council’s budget tracker here.
The full House will finalize its budget during the week of April 22. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will release its FY ’20 budget in mid-May.
If you have questions about the budget or want the Council to track a specific line item, please email Bill Yelenak at bill@providers.org or call 617.428.3637 x122.
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