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Early‑childhood centers urge Council to restore Healthy Futures funding to support behavioral health consultants
Summary
Child‑care directors and early‑education providers told the Committee on Health that mayoral FY26 proposals would reduce Healthy Futures funding and risk removing weekly behavioral‑health consultants who coach teachers, support families and reduce classroom disruptions.
Several early‑childhood program directors and parent leaders urged the D.C. Council's Committee on Health to retain or restore funding for the Healthy Futures early‑childhood behavioral health program in FY26, saying consultants provide coaching, teacher support and family engagement that improve child outcomes and reduce teacher turnover.
Dr. Rosalina Gullosil, executive director of Jubilee Jumpstart, said the program provides weekly visits and coaching from consultants such as “Dr. Anais,” who helps teachers interpret behavior as communication and provides trauma‑informed strategies. “Her consistent presence, visiting weekly, coaching staff, and partnering with families has built trust and transformed how we care for children,” Gullosil said. She wrote that Healthy Futures is “not a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
Witnesses said the mayor’s proposed FY26 budget reduces Healthy Futures funding to $3.2 million — $206,000 less than FY25 — and that cumulative reductions since FY23 have materially depleted the program’s resources. Providers asked the Council to maintain at least $3.4 million in FY26 and to preserve stable multi‑year funding so programs can retain specialized consultants and supervisors.
Teachers, program directors and parents said the consultants are especially valuable given the pandemic’s continuing effects on social‑emotional development: children returned to classrooms with disrupted routines and increased dysregulation, they said, and center staff often lack the specialized training to manage complex behaviors on their own. “Young children don't have the language to say they are anxious or grieving. Instead, they may cry constantly, lash out, or shut down,” said Jubilee Jumpstart’s director. Providers testified that Healthy Futures reduces classroom disruptions, supports teacher retention and increases school‑readiness skills.
Ending: The committee asked DBH and budget staff to provide additional detail on Healthy Futures line items and to discuss funding stability in upcoming hearings. Providers asked the Council to preserve multi‑year funding commitments and to avoid further cuts that would cause loss of consultant staff and increased strain on early‑learning centers.
