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Cayuga County social services warns safety-net and foster-care costs remain high amid rising shelter use
Summary
Department of Social Services staff told the legislature that rising emergency shelter and foster-care expenses are driving projected budget increases; officials proposed headcount reductions focused on vacant positions and stressed limits on local control of mandated programs.
Cayuga County Department of Social Services staff told the Legislature on Wednesday that mandated programs including safety-net assistance, emergency sheltering and foster care are driving a projected increase in local costs for 2026.
The presentation outlined two main pressures: a sustained rise in emergency shelter and hotel costs for single adults and families, and higher foster-care placement costs driven by more-expensive residential and therapeutic placements. Staff said the county has budgeted $5.1 million for safety-net assistance in 2025 and proposes $5.64 million in 2026, with local share rising from about $3.1 million to roughly $3.3 million after reimbursements.
Those figures matter because reimbursement rates vary by program: “Safety net is…
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