Georgia legislative hearing on five federal human services block grants hears no public comments

Senator Kay Kirkpatrick convened a legislative public hearing to receive input on five federal human services block grants that fund services for Georgia residents in state fiscal year 2026. The panel described the grants and the public-comment process but no members of the public signed up to speak, and the hearing was adjourned.

The hearing, called by Senator Kay Kirkpatrick and chaired by Representative Katie Dempsey, covered the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant, the Community Services Block Grant, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant and the Social Services Block Grant. “This legislative public hearing on block grants is hereby called to order,” Senator Kay Kirkpatrick said at the start of the session.

Rashad Jackson, budget director for the Department of Human Services, said the hearings are required by federal law. “By federal law, Georgia is required to hold public hearings on these grants,” Jackson said. Jackson gave an overview of the Community Services Block Grant, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant (LIHEAP) and the Social Services Block Grant, describing the types of activities those grants may fund, including employment and education services, meals and nutrition, housing-related assistance, cash and weatherization assistance for energy costs, childcare and home-delivered meals.

Chris Hamilton, chief financial officer for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, summarized the two mental-health–related grants. “The community mental health services block grant implements the provisions of the mental health state plan by providing services to individuals with a serious mental illness, and to children with a serious emotional disturbance,” Hamilton said. He described the substance use block grant as providing funds for community-based alcohol and drug treatment, prevention and early intervention programs.

Officials explained the public-comment procedures and materials available. Rashad Jackson told attendees that pamphlets with grant details and proposed funding levels were available outside, that speakers would be taken in the order they signed up, and that each speaker would be allotted five minutes with a one-minute warning from a timekeeper. He said two speakers would initially be called to the podium so the next speaker could approach while the first was speaking and asked that organizations send only one representative. Written comments were accepted for the record and could be left on the table at the end of the meeting; a sign-up sheet was available in the hallway and staff asked if anyone required sign-language interpreter services.

After calling for speakers and confirming that no one on the sign-up sheet wished to speak, the panel thanked attendees and adjourned. At the close, Representative Katie Dempsey and Senator Kirkpatrick were acknowledged along with staff who participated in the panel.