Parents and providers warn FY26 cuts would destabilize DC school-based behavioral health program

Chair Christina Henderson convened the Committee on Health on May 30 for the first of two oversight hearings on the Department of Behavioral Health's proposed FY26 budget. Public witnesses — including parents, community-based organizations and provider networks — spoke repeatedly about proposed cuts to school-based behavioral health and urged the Council to preserve or stabilize the program.

Leah Kaslaz, senior policy attorney at Children’s Law Center and co‑chair of the Strengthening Families Coalition, told the committee, “The mayor's proposed budget for DBH includes a $3,300,000 cut to the school based behavioral health expansion program.” Kaslaz said that DBH’s budget books do not clearly show how DBH is allocating $25,400,000 for school‑based behavioral health across expansion grants, DBH clinicians, evaluation, and other lines and asked the committee to require DBH to provide a detailed breakdown.

Kaslaz and other witnesses argued that the way the expansion grant is structured creates billing pressures that make…