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County staff warn HR 1 and state cuts will shrink Medi‑Cal, CalFresh funding and strain local safety net
Summary
County officials told the Board of Supervisors that HR 1, changes in state budget policy and a possible federal shutdown will reduce federal and state support for Medi‑Cal, CalFresh and other programs over multiple years, creating multi‑million‑dollar budget pressure and likely increases in uncompensated care, food insecurity and homelessness.
Santa Cruz County officials told supervisors on Sept. 30 that changes enacted in the federal reconciliation bill known as HR 1, recent state budget decisions and the possibility of a federal shutdown will reduce funding and shift costs for health care and food‑assistance programs over the next several years.
Assistant County Executive Officer Elisa Benson opened a panel of county and community partners with a summary of how cuts and policy changes will affect county operations and residents. Human Services Director Randy Morris told the board that the county is one of the public entities required to administer federal programs such as Medi‑Cal and CalFresh and that those programs’ eligibility, renewal and staffing changes will increase county workload and local costs.
The staff presentation identified three overlapping impacts: coverage and eligibility changes that reduce who receives public health benefits; fiscal shifts that move federal shares…
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