Division of Aging outlines FY26 budget, reports reduced waitlists and plans new chronically ill hospital

Director Shaquillea Hines, director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DESAPID), briefed the Joint Finance Committee on the division's accomplishments and its fiscal year 2026 governor's recommended budget.

Hines told the committee DESAPID connected more than 20,000 individuals to services in fiscal year 2024 and reported a 16 percent reduction in wait lists and shorter wait times as a result of additional funding and program changes. The division's FY26 governor's recommended budget includes $76,813,200 in general funds, $4,020,500 in appropriated special funds spending authority, and $12,995,200 in non-appropriated special funds for a total of $93,828,900, Hines said.

Why it matters: lawmakers and advocates have focused on home- and community-based supports as the population ages. Hines said the recommended funding would maintain FY25 service levels, support a home-modification program that used one-time ARPA dollars to build a statewide modification infrastructure for people with disabilities, and fund aging-in-place supports the General Assembly previously boosted.

Key details reported to the committee included: - DESAPID said it had connected more than 20,000 Delawareans to services in FY24, producing a 16 percent reduction in wait lists. - The division expects the FY26 funds to enable completion of more than 145 home modifications, assistive technology installations and some vehicle modifications. - A one-time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program supports a uniform home-modification infrastructure across disability-serving agencies. - The division piloted a healthy-aging program at 22 senior centers that reached about 542 participants; the division plans to expand lessons learned statewide in 2025. - Hines reported plans for a groundbreaking later this spring for a replacement building at the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill (DHDI) in Smyrna; the new facility will have the same licensed bed capacity but a modern, more home-like environment.

Committee questions and staff responses: lawmakers pressed the division on staffing and vacancy rates at state-operated facilities. Senator Hansen cited a divisional complement of about 604.7 full-time employees and asked how many positions were vacant; Hines answered "185" vacancies. Committee members asked whether some of those vacancies are excess positions resulting from prior facility consolidations; Hines said many are tied to facilities and that the recent merger of three facilities (Governor Bacon, Emily P. Bissell, and the prior chronically ill facility) created excess positions that the division is reviewing.

Lawmakers also asked about census and staffing at the chronically ill hospital. Division staff said the facility has 120 available beds and about 71 were occupied at the time of questioning. The division said the census has been low but that admissions are increasing after changes to the admissions committee cadence and the creation of a complex case unit to handle referrals.

What the division asked for and next steps: Hines highlighted ongoing recruitment and retention efforts for direct care staff (including training pathways to move workers into certified nursing assistant roles). The division also said it will continue to explore low- and no-cost program improvements and submit additional detail on service outcomes and vacancies as requested by committee members.

Ending: Lawmakers and advocates at the hearing asked the division to provide more detailed slides and data in future hearings. Hines thanked the committee for the opportunity to present and agreed to provide follow-up numbers about residential placements and vacancies.