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 $8,000,000) failed on a recorded show of hands. A separate recommendation to restore transfers into the Kansas Endowment for Youth/Children's Initiative Fund (the Key Fund) drawn from the Master Tobacco Settlement was debated and failed. A proposed appropriation for Foster Adopt Connect in Hays (250,000) also failed.

Agency staff and committee members clarified specifics during the meeting. Secretary Howard said, "We did not request any changes to that in fiscal year 25. It is 1 of the enhancements that the governor recommended in 26. It would show up as number 9 on, the sheet that your staff gave you." Susannah Johnson of KDHE told the committee that "with regard to the current software, KDHE is actively using it. DCF does not currently use it. Yes. So this is why we would wish to purchase the licenses for the software for our agency." Representative Carpenter repeatedly emphasized restraint in overall spending, saying the committee was "working to make a good faith effort to keep this budget as narrow as we possibly can." Representative Rees (or Reese, transcript spelling varies) and other members pressed for protecting early‑childhood and children'focused funds, and committee counsel and KLRD staff provided a technical briefing on the Master Tobacco Settlement / Key Fund condition.

Votes at a glance (items proposed during the meeting): - Summer EBT (FY25): Motion to add $1,825,000 SGF to summer EBT program (mover: not specified; second: Representative Ballard). Outcome: passed (voice vote). - Summer EBT (FY26): Motion to add $825,000 SGF for operations plus $100,000 SGF for anti‑fraud (total $925,000). Mover: Representative Ward; second: not specified. Outcome: passed (voice vote). - Case‑management software licenses (listed as total $883,200; SGF portion reported in discussion as ~$38,748 or alternately recapped with a different SGF line in the packet): Motion to purchase licenses for FY26. Mover: Representative Rivas; second: Representative Reese. Outcome: passed (show of hands recorded in committee; chair recorded five hands in favor). - Envision vocational rehabilitation: Motion to appropriate 600,000 SGF one‑time for FY26. Mover: Representative Wilcott; second: Representative King. Outcome: passed (voice vote). - Big Brothers Big Sisters (TANF): Motion to appropriate 300,000 TANF (ending balance) for evidence‑based 1:1 mentoring. Mover: Representative Steens; second: not specified. Outcome: passed (voice vote). - Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation pilot (vocational rehab): Motion to appropriate 215,000 SGF one‑time for FY26 (one year). Mover: Representative King; second: Representative Ballard. Outcome: passed (voice vote). - SSA/SSI collections for foster youth (replace state retainage; $8,000,000 asked): Motion by Representative Orpiza to change collections policy so funds follow the child. Outcome: failed (show of hands recorded; chair counted and motion failed). - Key Fund / Master Tobacco Settlement redirect to replenish Children's Initiative Fund (large restoration request): Motion by Representative Rees. Outcome: failed (voice vote recorded as failed). - Foster Adopt Connect (Hays center): Motion to appropriate 250,000 SGF. Outcome: failed (voice vote recorded as failed).

Following consideration of individual recommendations the committee moved, rescinded and re‑moved the recommendation that the committee recommend to the House Appropriations Committee the DCF appropriations for FY25 and FY26 "as amended." A final motion to recommend adoption as amended carried.

Context and why this matters: the committee is allocating limited State General Funds and federal block grant/TANF balances across DCF programs and partner nonprofits. Committee members repeatedly framed the work as a prioritization exercise: many proponents requested funding, but committee members emphasized fiscal constraints and the need to keep the package as narrow as feasible while preserving critical services. The discussion over SSA/SSI collections and ABLE accounts illustrated a policy shift: the governor's executive order and agency staff described an intent to preserve benefits for children (in ABLE or similar accounts) rather than use them to offset state foster care costs.

What happens next: the committee recommended the DCF appropriations package to the House Appropriations Committee; that body will receive the committee's recommendations and consider them in the full appropriations process.

Ending note: several committee votes were recorded by voice or show of hands rather than roll call; dollar amounts and SGF allocations were read from the committee packet and discussed in the hearing. Where the transcript showed inconsistent figures (for example the SGF share of the 883,200 software line), staff and packet references were cited during committee discussion and the committee used the packet numbers for final recommendation.