JFAC approves $14.13 million supplemental for Division of Youth Safety and Permanency (child welfare)

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on March 14 approved a FY2025 supplemental request for the Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Youth Safety and Permanency to cover a projected shortfall in trustee and benefit payments for foster care.

Senator Wintrow moved the supplemental (seconded by Representative Furniss). Committee analyst Alex Williamson explained the division’s foster care and congregate care populations drove the need for a one‑time increase of $14,126,900, allocated as $8,868,200 from the General Fund and $5,258,700 in federal funds. The funding is intended to cover higher‑than‑anticipated congregate care costs incurred earlier in the fiscal year before the department’s efforts to move youth to less costly placements began to reduce expenditures.

Senator Wintrow and Representative Furniss, among others, said the supplemental addressed complex, high‑cost cases and praised work group negotiations that reduced an initial request from about $24 million to the committee‑approved amount. Senator Wintrow and others emphasized prevention and in‑state placement as long‑term strategies to reduce dependence on out‑of‑state congregate care.

The committee adopted the motion by roll call: Senate 9 ayes, 1 nay; House 9 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent, for a combined total of 18 ayes, 1 nay and 1 absent/excused. The motion carries a due‑pass recommendation to the full Legislature.

Next steps: The Department of Health and Welfare will apply the supplemental to cover trustee and benefit payments for FY2025 and continue work on placement strategies to reduce future congregate care demand.