Office of the Child, Youth and Family Advocate asks appropriations panel to maintain state funding after new federal grant

Matthew Bernstein, Child, Youth and Family Advocate, told the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 19 that his newly formed office is asking the committee to maintain level state funding for fiscal 2026 while the office begins administering a federal grant worth about $1 million over five years.

Bernstein said the grant will fund services that connect vulnerable families to civil legal supports — for housing, public benefits, protection from abuse and education matters — following Department for Children and Families (DCF) interventions. "This money would not be coming to Vermont if we didn't do the groundwork to make it happen," Bernstein said.

The office presented two documents to the committee: its 2024 annual report and a summary of the federal grant. Bernstein and Deputy Advocate Lauren Hicks said the office's FY26 request follows the governor's recommended 3% increase and that the federal grant brings additional resources. Brenda Berry, the office's budget analyst, walked the committee through budgetary line items and said the office is still aligning its line items to actual operating costs because it has only been fully functional for about two years.

Bernstein said the grant-supported work is being carried out in partnership with DCF, a county prosecutor (Tim Dunn), civil legal service partners, lived-experience partners and a PhD-level data scientist. The office plans to use grant funds to create a limited-service position funded for the five-year grant period to coordinate referrals and support operations. Bernstein said that because the position is grant-funded, the office is not requesting an additional state-funded position this year and instead is asking for level funding.

The office reported a 63% increase in referrals from the prior year, which Bernstein said translated to 22 new referrals in fiscal 2024 for an office of two staff. Bernstein asked the committee for an on-the-record commitment that the state would not reduce the office's state appropriation because it received federal grant funding: "I would very much like your commitment on the record, Senator, not to do that."

Committee members asked whether the office had connected with judiciary or other service providers; Bernstein said the office has engaged partners and is still building operational processes. Committee members were provided paper copies of the office's annual report and the grant summary for further review.

The office did not record a formal committee action or vote during the presentation. The advocates emphasized their limited staffing, rising referrals and that the grant is intended to help prevent unnecessary child placements by addressing poverty-related drivers of child welfare involvement.