Committee recommends DCF appropriations for FY25 and FY26; multiple targeted grants approved

The Committee on Social Services Budget voted to recommend appropriations for the Department for Children and Families (DCF) for fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026 as amended, approving several line-item additions and one‑time grants and rejecting several higher‑cost or policy‑oriented proposals.

The committee approved $1,825,000 in State General Funds (SGF) for the summer EBT program in FY25 and a separate FY26 package that included $825,000 SGF for operations plus $100,000 SGF for anti‑fraud work related to the summer EBT program (a total of $925,000 for FY26). The committee also approved purchasing licenses for a case‑management software product (listed in the packet as 883,200 total cost, with a portion paid from SGF), one‑time SGF support for vocational rehabilitation provider Envision (600,000 SGF), a one‑time appropriation for the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas pilot project (215,000 SGF, one year), and a TANF‑funded award to Big Brothers Big Sisters consistent with federal purposes (300,000 TANF). Those motions were seconded and carried by voice vote or show of hands as recorded in committee.

The meeting included substantive discussion on several items that did not pass. Representative Orpiza proposed replacing state retainage of SSA/SSI collections for foster youth with a policy to preserve those benefits for the child; Secretary Howard explained that the governor's executive order would phase out the practice and place funds into ABLE or similar accounts so funds can follow youth when they leave custody. Representative Orpiza's motion to redirect SSA/SSI collections (proposed…