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County Health budget highlights rising clinic and animal services costs; community pushes to revive Project PetSafe
Summary
County health leaders told supervisors rising clinic and pharmaceutical costs will push the department to use fund balance in 2025–26 while animal services and volunteers urged reviving Project PetSafe, a licensing and community outreach program, with one‑time funding.
County health officials told the Board of Supervisors on April 14 that the Santa Barbara County Health Department’s 2025–26 operating budget must rely on fund balance to cover higher clinic and pharmaceutical costs and continued service demand.
Dr. Hamami (full name given in county materials as Dr. [First name not specified in transcript]), Director of County Health, said clinic revenue growth is modest but pharmaceutical costs have risen sharply following disruption of the 340B program and other supply pressures. The department requested about $11 million in general‑fund support and expects to use roughly $5 million of fund balance in 2025–26 to smooth the gap, Dr. Hamami said. She said the department is targeting $1.5 million per year in permanent efficiency…
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