Guam behavioral health agency asks legislature for $4M after federal CCDF cut threatens core programs

Carissa Pangalinan, director of the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, told the Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs on June 3 that the agency was notified in late March that a federal reduction in Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) allocations to territories will eliminate roughly $5.3 million in subgrant support beginning Oct. 1, 2026. She asked the legislature to consider a supplemental FY2027 appropriation of a little over $4 million — about $1.3 million less than the CCDF amount — to preserve five programs that she described as "continuity, not expansion": mobile crisis response, family stabilization services, children's homebased services, autism services and a therapeutic group home for CPS-involved children.

Pangalinan said GBHWC's FY2026 appropriation totaled $26.7 million and that, as of an April 30 expenditure report from the Department of Administration, the agency had spent about $12.5 million and showed a remaining balance of $14.2 million, with roughly $11.6 million of that already obligated for personnel, contracted services and program operations through the fiscal year. After obligations, she said the agency anticipated approximately $340,000 in carryover and was not requesting a supplemental for FY2026.

At the hearing the director said the CCDF-funded programs are "core components of our behavioral health safety net" and warned that without replacement funding those services would end Sept. 30, leaving families and the crisis system with substantially reduced capacity. She said GBHWC was informed in person that its CCDF subgrant would not be renewed and that the Department of Public Health and Social Services would be before the committee next week to explain the federal funding changes affecting its subgrantees.

Senator Shawn Gumatau asked for written correspondence the agency received about the CCDF change and pressed for clarity on whether the cut was a Department of Public Health decision, a federal reduction, or a combination. Pangalinan committed to request and provide any written notifications and to coordinate with Public Health and other executive-branch offices. She also proposed legislative options including a supplemental appropriation or language to extend GBHWC's FY2026 appropriation through the end of FY2027 to help bridge the gap.

Deputy Director James Cooperners provided additional context about program impacts and potential savings associated with diversion from emergency services. Using an estimated $4,000 per emergency-department visit (including transport), he calculated that the center's 162 MCRT activations that resulted in safe resolutions could represent roughly $668,000 in avoided ED costs. Pangalinan also identified roughly 39 funded but vacant positions the agency needs to fill — including a psychiatric nurse administrator and the child/adolescent services administrator — with a prorated cost through the end of the fiscal year of $942,818 already factored into the agency budget.

Agency staff said they are actively seeking other grant opportunities and exploring local funding mechanisms, but stressed that the CCDF-funded programs are time-sensitive and serve children and families whose treatment and crisis supports would be interrupted without replacement financing. The committee recorded the agency's request and scheduled follow-up oversight with the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

The hearing adjourned at 3:28 p.m.