DMHAS commissioner outlines FY27 substance‑use block grant priorities, emphasizes 20% prevention set‑aside

Nancy Navaretta, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, told the joint hearing that the federal substance use prevention, treatment and recovery block grant funds a continuum of services and that the state complies with the federal prevention requirement. "We are required to set aside at least 20% of the funds for primary prevention strategies," she said, stressing prevention funding and continuity of services.

Navaretta said the FY27 proposed allocations do not represent programmatic changes and that year‑to‑year differences are driven by invoice timing or annualization of services. She pointed to an approximate $20,000 timing increase for a community treatment services line item and described the annualization of an employment services expansion that moved the program to statewide coverage. Navaretta also said the grant supports residential withdrawal management, outpatient treatment, medication‑assisted treatment, case management, vocational supports, transportation and outreach. She offered to take questions and to provide follow‑up details when legislators raised vendor wage and timing questions.