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.

Budget Priority

CWDA on Full Funding for the Resource Family Approval (RFA) Workload in the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) True-Up Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) requests your full funding for the workload associated with performing the state mandated Resource Family Approval (RFA) process as part of the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) True-up. The current estimate of these costs is $80 million General Fund (GF) annually, although we are in the process of gathering specific cost data for the 2018-19 fiscal year, the year of CCR costs that are being reconciled now.

Budget Priority

Child Welfare Services: Family First Prevention Services Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) and Children Now jointly request an augmentation of $50 million General Fund (GF) in FY 2021-22, and $100 million on-going, to build locally driven services and supports for children, youth and families at risk of entering foster care. The goal of this effort is to keep families safely together and prevent the need for entries into the foster care system whenever possible.

Budget Priority

Flexibilities for CDSS Administered Housing Programs Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) respectfully requests your consideration of several statutory changes to housing programs administered by the California Department of Social Services and county human services departments, including the Housing Support Program (HSP) and the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP).

Budget Priority

Global Telephonic Signatures Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully requests $5 million General Fund (GF) ($4 million one-time and $1 million ongoing) to support implementation of a global telephonic signature solution for human services programs. 

Budget Priority

Reduce Senior Homelessness: Expand and Enhance Adult Protective Services (Early Action Request) Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) and Justice in Aging respectfully request the Legislature take early action due to the pandemic to augment and expand the Adult Protective Services CAPS) Program to meet the growing needs of older adults who are victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We respectfully request $25 million GF in the current year and $100 million ongoing for the APS and Home Safe Program. This population is growing fast, as are cases with increasingly complex needs, including those who are homeless or cognitively impaired.

Budget Priority

Flexible Funding for County Human Services Department- Administered Housing Programs Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) respectfully requests your consideration as part of the early action on the budget a $100 million one-time General Fund augmentation for county human services departments to create a flexible funding pool to fill service delivery gaps in the housing programs that the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and county departments currently administer. The housing programs specifically serving those linked to the state’s social safety net programs are critical to the success of those programs.