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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Budget Update #4: Final State Budget
Summary of State Budget Actions in Health and Human Services

The Governor and Legislative leaders struck a 2020-21 budget agreement today, after negotiations stretched into the fourth week of June. The Legislature passed a balanced budget on June 15th to meet the Constitutional deadline to enable Legislative members to continue to get paid, but that budget agreement was only between the Senate and Assembly and there remained several unresolved issues with the Governor. The budget package announced today reflects a three-way budget deal.

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CWDA Submits May Revision Response to Legislature
Memo Details Critical Budget Priorities for County Human Services Agencies

The release of the Governor’s May Revision last Thursday brings into stark relief that which we all already knew – the COVID 19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on our state budget and economy, not to mention the toll it has exacted on the health and personal economy of so many Californians.

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Budget Update #3: May Revision Summary

CWDA has posted Budget Update #3. This update contains a summary of key human services and health related changes of interest to county human services agencies proposed in the Governor’s May Revision, released on Thursday, May 14.

CWDA Budget Update #3 - 2020-21 May Revision

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CWDA Statement on Senate Budget Plan Released 5-12-20
Executive Director Frank Mecca Praises Approach, CWDA Ready to Assist Legislature, Governor

The California Senate today released a blueprint for approaching the state budget in light of significant revenue declines forecast by the Legislative Analyst’s Office and Department of Finance.

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CWDA Puts Forth May Revise Budget Priorities for County Human Services Agencies
Memo Sets Out Key Issues and Considerations for Governor, Legislature

CWDA sent a memo on Friday, May 1 to Governor Newsom and the Legislature, along with other key decision-makers, outlining priorities for the upcoming May Revise and budget deliberations.

The memo outlines recommended priorities, taking into consideration the effects of COVID-19 on the individuals and families that county human services agencies help. 

CWDA 2020-21 May Revise Priorities

Budget Priority

Increase CalWORKs Applicant Earned Income Disregard
Despite Inflation, Minimum Wages Increases, Inadequate $90 Disregard Has Not Been Updated Since 1998

As the Governor and Legislature continue to grapple with the state’s homelessness and housing issues, many policies have been implemented in order to encourage employment and give our poorest families a better opportunity to create self-sufficiency. Many working poor families already live on the cusp of needing social services and safety net resources.

Budget Priority

Adult Protective Services Budget Request Materials
Coalition Seeks $100m to Help Elders, Dependent Adults Facing Homelessness

The APS Program has a long and successful history of working with California’s most vulnerable older and dependent adults. APS workers understand their needs and the program is connected to other systems and partners familiar with serving this unique population. With the requested resources and strategies outlined in this proposal, the APS Program will be able to expand to meet the needs of the growing aging population, and to enhance case management to address the growth of both senior homelessness and those with cognitive impairments.

Budget Priority

More CalFresh, Less Hunger Budget Request Materials
Policy, Practice Enhancements Will Increase Uptake and Reduce Churn

CWDA is sponsoring the More CalFresh, Less Hunger Act (AB 2413, Ting/Wiener), which will  help battle food insecurity across California. The significant policy and practice changes promoted by the Act will increase the food and economic security of an estimated 200,000 additional CalFresh households in California when fully realized, while helping the 2.17 million households already receiving benefits stay on the program instead of dropping off for purely administrative and paperwork-related reasons as happens too often today.

CWDA CalFresh Memo to Assembly Budget Sub 1

CWDA CalFresh Memo to Senate Budget Sub 3

Budget Priority

CWDA-SEIU Budget Memo re CalHEERS and Medi-Cal Eligibility
Joint memo calls for greater legislative oversight

It is critical for the Legislature to understand the shortcomings of CalHEERS and inordinate delays in developing functionalities that are considered to be a baseline for most eligibility systems.

Budget Priority

County Administration Cost Adjustment Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) respectfully requests your support for updating the funding levels for county administration of human services programs to reflect the appropriate state share of actual costs. Counties administer these programs on behalf of the state. Yet the proposed budget does not provide funding to cover the actual costs of counties for performing those duties in several key areas.

CWDA Cost Adjustment Memo to Assembly Budget Sub 1

CWDA Cost Adjustment Memo to Senate Budget Sub 3

Budget Priority

Expanded Subsidized Employment Budget Memo

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) opposes the proposal in the Governor’s Budget to shift funding from the CalWORKs Single Allocation to the Expanded Subsidized Employment (ESE) Program. Under the Administration’s proposal, $19.8 million associated with the base funding requirement (BFR) for ESE will be removed from the Single Allocation and provided as part of the ESE Program allocation.  This funding shift is effectively a cut to the Employment Services component of the Single Allocation.

Budget Priority

2020-21 State Budget Updates
Updates Issued In January 2020

State Budget Update #2 – January 14, 2020

CWDA Budget Update #2

 

State Budget Update #1 - January 10, 2020.

CWDA Budget Update #1