Joint committees approve FY2027 block grant allocation plans for health and human services

A joint public hearing of the Appropriations, Human Services and Public Health committees on Aug. 27 reviewed proposed FY2027 federal block grant allocation plans for substance use prevention, community mental health, maternal and child health, preventive health, the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). Commissioners from the Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Children and Families (DCF), Public Health (DPH) and Social Services (DSS) presented the departments’ allocation plans and responded to legislators’ questions.

Commissioner Nancy Navaretta of DMHAS described the substance use block grant and said the state meets a federal requirement to set aside at least 20% of those funds for primary prevention, noting that "we are required to set aside at least 20% of the funds." Navaretta said FY27 proposed allocations do not reflect programmatic changes and that small year‑to‑year differences mainly reflect invoice timing or annualization of programs. Susan Hamilton, Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, summarized the children’s portion of the community mental health block grant and said most line‑item differences reflect timing or one‑time costs rather than service reductions.

Department of Public Health testimony described flat FY27 funding expectations for the Preventive Health and the Maternal & Child Health (Title V/HRSA) block grants, and noted program examples funded locally — including hypertension screenings, falls prevention and a mother‑to‑baby hotline that received 3,966 calls in the past year. DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves presented SSBG and CSBG plans, saying DSS expects to expend roughly $19 million for SSBG (including carryforward) and a combined CSBG allocation near $9.2–9.3 million with roughly $8.3 million passed through to community action agencies.

After testimony and member questions about braided funding, invoice timing, workforce training, vendor impacts from minimum‑wage increases and continuity of services, each committee moved to approve its items. Human Services approved the community mental health, social services and community services plans (roll call 21‑0; two absent). Public Health approved the maternal & child health and preventive health plans (27‑0; five absent). Appropriations approved all six block grant plans on its agenda, including funding for substance use and mental health (45‑0; eight absent).