State Budget Priorities

Overview

State Budget Priorities

Each year, CWDA works with its Board of Directors and its committee members to set budget priorities that will improve the well-being of children, families and individuals served by the human services system and to align public policy with the needs of populations and communities across the state.

Click on the sections below to find an overview of our budget priorities, periodic budget updates and more specific information on budget priorities contained in budget memos and fact sheets.

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Federal Safety Net Threats

Congress is considering unprecedented cuts to county administered safety net programs, including nearly $900 billion in cuts to Medicaid, $230 billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and a 10% cut to the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant. These cuts would decimate the state’s safety net as California draws down a disproportionate share of federal funds; 14% of all TANF block grant funding and 11% of SNAP funding, nationally, supports California’s most vulnerable.

Presentation

CalWORKs Coalition Budget Memo – CalWORKs Administration Funding

Attached is a budget memo from the County Welfare Directors Association, the Service Employees International Union, the California State Association of Counties, the Urban Counties of California, and the Rural County Representatives of California.

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CWDA & SEIU – Disaster Response Budget Request

This budget memo from the County Welfare Directors Association and the Service Employees International Union requests $70.9 million General Fund (GF) in FY 2025-26 and $95.9 million General Fund in FY 2026-27 and annually ongoing to provide dedicated funding and resources to bolster county human services departments’ provision of mass care and shelter, support emergency and disaster preparedness and response, and address unmet critical immediate needs of survivors that counties serve.

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Other Budget Considerations

CDSS Housing Programs

Overseen by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and proven effective at reducing homelessness, funding and spending authority is set to expire for Home Safe and Bringing Families Home by June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027, respectively. Previous one-time funding combined with multi-year spending authority has resulted in expansion of service provision and reduced homelessness.

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CWDA 2025 State Budget
Update #1 - Governor’s Proposed 2025-26 Budget

Overall Budget Picture

California’s overall economic picture has performed better than projected compared to the 2024 Budget Act. The stronger-than-anticipated performance of the economy, stock market, and cash receipts, combined with an improved economic outlook, have all contributed to an upgraded revenue forecast, with General Fund (GF) revenues coming in higher by approximately $16.5 billion in the three-year period of 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26, and with the state having a modest surplus of $363 million.

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Child Welfare Services (CWS): Foster Care Rate Reform Proposal

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) appreciates the efforts of the Administration and California Department of Social Services (COSS) to put forth a comprehensive foster care rate reform proposal. CWDA supports the overarching goals of the proposal to support family-based care, particularly kinship care, and to establish a new structure driven by the child’s needs rather than by their placement setting. CWDA is also supportive of proposed new state investments associated with the rate proposal.

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California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program – Opposition to the Elimination of the Family Stabilization Program

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) opposes the Governor’s Budget proposal to eliminate the CalWORKs Family Stabilization Program (FSP). The CalWORKs FSP serves CalWORKs families facing immediate, destabilizing crises. The proposed elimination would strip CalWORKs families of essential support, leading to even greater challenges in accessing the resources and services necessary to stabilize their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.

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California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program – Opposition to the Elimination of the Expanded Subsidized Employment program

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) opposes the elimination of the CalWORKs Expanded Subsidized Employment (ESE) Program as proposed in the Governor’s Budget. The CalWORKs ESE program offers CalWORKs participants subsidized employment placements that provide crucial training, skills, and experiences essential to securing and maintaining unsubsidized employment. The proposed elimination of this program would deprive CalWORKs participants of this valuable benefit and transformative experience.

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Governor’s Budget Proposal: Funding Deferral of CDSS Administered Housing Programs

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) urges caution on the Governor’s Budget proposal of delaying the availability of a portion of the one-time funding provided for the California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS) administered Bringing Families Home (BFH) Program, the Home Safe Program, and the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) provided in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23.

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In Home Supportive Services: County Administrative “Bridge” Funding and Language

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) and the California Association of Counties (CSAC) respectfully request $51 million General Fund (GF) on a one-time basis to county human services agencies for administration of the IHSS Program and trailer bill language requiring the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to work with CWDA, county human services agencies, and county worker representatives during the 2024-25 fiscal year to update the existing IHSS administration state budget methodology to take effect in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

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Emergency Services And Disaster Response Support

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) requests your support for $14 million General Fund (GF) annually to provide dedicated funding and resources to bolster county human services departments’ emergency services and disaster preparedness and response.

 

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Child Welfare Services (CWS): Oppose Governor’s Proposed Cuts – Initial Comments on Other CWS Proposals

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) and the California Association of Counties (CSAC) are strongly opposed to the Governor’s Budget proposal that would cut $62.5 million General Fund (GF) in program funding impacting vulnerable foster children, youth and families served by the child welfare system. These cuts would eliminate vital services proven to stabilize youth and families and will result in increased costs in other systems including housing, criminal justice, health, and behavioral health.

Budget Priority

Budget Update: Budget Update: California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program– Oppose Governor’s Budget Proposed Cuts
Updates Issued In February 2024

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) and the California Association of Counties (CSAC) strongly oppose the cuts to the CalWORKs program proposed in the Governor’s Budget, which total over $400 million. In addition to the prospective cuts that would begin in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, the Governor’s Budget proposes to retroactively cut current-year funding and permanently eliminate all funding for specific CalWORKs services.

Budget Priority

State Budget Update #1 – Governor’s Proposed 2024-2025 Budget
Updates Issued In January 2024

Governor Newsom released his proposed 2024-25 budget this morning. The following budget update summarizes what we know so far about the proposals and issues of interest in the health and human services area. 

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FY 2023-24 State Budget Issues

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State Budget Update #3 Final 2023-24 Budget Agreement

The Legislature passed a revised budget bill yesterday afternoon, reflecting the final agreement reached by the Governor and the Legislature on the 2023-24 budget late Tuesday. Also passed were 18 of the approximately 25 budget trailer bills. The Legislature is expected to pass the remaining trailer bills in the coming days. The Governor signed the main budget bill last night and will sign the remaining budget-related bills over the next few days in time for the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

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Budget Update #2 on 2023-24 May Revision

Governor Newsom released the May Revision to his proposed 2023-24 budget on Friday, May 12th. This budget update summarizes what we know so far about the proposals and issues of interest in the health and human services area where there are changes proposed in the May Revision. CWDA staff will continue to keep you updated as we learn more details and as budget actions are taken in the Legislature. 

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County Human Service Workforce: Fund Innovative Recruitment Efforts – May Revision

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) continues to respectfully request $35 million General Fund (GF) to increase recruitment of human service workers to meet the growing demands to provide safety-net services and economic supports to California’s children, youth, families, older adults and persons with disabilities. As California faces a potential economic slowdown and increased demand for safety net services, having an adequate human services workforce is even more critical.

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In Home Supportive Services: Increase County Administrative Funding May Revision

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) continues to respectfully request $240.2 million General Fund (GF) to increase funding for county administration of the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program. This funding is needed to ensure IHSS social workers have manageable caseloads to perform essential functions of the IHSS program.

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CWDA May Revision Response – Key Human Services Issues

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) appreciates the collaboration and hard work of the Legislature and Administration throughout the budget process this year. The May Revision generally spared safety net programs for low-income Californians from significant cuts. We are grateful to the Governor and the Legislature for holding firm against those cuts given the uncertain revenue picture facing the state.