Committee recommends Human Services FY26 budget; SHINE funding depends on pending state grant

The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates standing committee on health and human services unanimously voted to recommend the Department of Human Services fiscal year 2026 budget to the county finance committee, but department leaders told delegates that several programs depend on grants that are not yet secured.

Director Joseph Pacheco told the committee the budget includes a pending $73,000 state SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) award that, if not renewed, would be expected to be covered by the county general fund only if administration and delegates decide to do so. “My understanding of county policy is any grants that we've received prior to 2019 and or grants that are only partially subsidized by the general fund can become fully sustained by the general fund if administration, the commissioners, and delegates choose to do so,” Pacheco said.

Pacheco said the SHINE award meets the county's threshold because the program pre-dates 2019 and has historically been subsidized by the general fund; by contrast, he said, the Substance Use Prevention Program and the Aging Program are funded by more recent awards and would cease if those grants expire. “If we were to lose either or both of those grants … the program would cease,” he said, adding that continuing them would be “far outside of my pay grade” unless administration or delegates appropriate general-fund dollars.

On federal grants, Pacheco said the department was notified by HUD in December that it had been awarded roughly $2,700,000 — “the largest single award in our history” — but that the county had not yet received the signed contracts. “From a technical standpoint, they've been awarded. We have not yet received the contracts,” he said, noting that awards sometimes precede formal contracts and that he could not give absolute certainty about timing.

Committee members pressed on a salary-line increase that initially appeared as an 18.6% rise; Pacheco said about $73,000 of that increase is tied to the SHINE funding and that if the grant is received those dollars will not be expended from county funds. He described the remaining increase as covering merit, step and cost-of-living adjustments.

The committee voted to recommend the Human Services budget to the finance committee. Roll-call responses recorded the following votes: Delegate Frederickson — yes; Delegate Gallagher — yes; Delegate Harder (for Delegate Green) — yes; Chair O'Malley — yes; Vice Chair Tai — yes. The clerk announced the motion passed unanimously.

The finance committee will review the recommendation and the department will report back if grant decisions or contract timelines change.