Humboldt County Health and Human Services outlines $24.4M reduction in 2025–26 budget, warns of service impacts

Connie Beck, director of Humboldt County Health and Human Services (DHHS), told the Board of Supervisors the department’s FY25–26 budget is approximately $293 million and includes a proposed $24.4 million reduction from the prior year.

Beck said the department has implemented organizational and operational strategies to reduce costs while attempting to preserve direct services. Those steps include reducing allocated positions, consolidating administrative units, closing lower‑traffic offices, and shifting some program costs to other funding streams or contractors.

What was presented: Beck and Travis Green, deputy director of finance, summarized program‑level changes: - Staffing and positions: DHHS has reduced allocated positions over the past few years; proposed reductions for FY25–26 total roughly 77.9 positions across branches. The department said it has prioritized filling direct‑service clinician and eligibility roles while deallocating or holding administrative positions vacant. Beck said the department has already deallocated 19 positions since 2023 and proposed a further net reduction this cycle. - Facilities and consolidation: DHHS noted planned or completed facility consolidations to save operating costs, including vacating certain leased offices (savings estimated, e.g., $300,000 for vacating 605 K Street) and closing lower‑traffic sites (Redway office) and service relocations to Garberville and other county properties. - Program changes: the department identified reductions in some non‑mandated cost‑share arrangements (for example, partners for local AmeriCorps and other community programs) and said some program staffing (HCTAC youth advocacy support) will be reduced, lowering the number of youth served in some programs. - Public guardian funding pressure: Beck noted that public guardian services rely on general fund support and are not eligible for realignment funding, stressing that the current model is “not sustainable.”

Federal and state risk: Beck and Green stressed uncertainty in federal and state funding. They identified possible federal Medicaid (FMAP) changes, potential reductions in federal program funding and policy shifts (work requirements) that could reduce recipients and shift costs to counties, potentially increasing demand for local safety‑net services and county general fund exposure.

Behavioral health: DHHS described staffing and rate challenges that make it difficult to provide in‑house services and indicated the department may seek to contract some services to meet mandated levels of care. Beck said the department received new grants that will help with placement costs and is looking at CalAIM changes and other state shifts.

Public health and prevention: Beck said public health retains a significant fund balance but has shifted program funding to reduce dependency on realignment. The department noted potential federal cuts to public health preparedness, substance use prevention, HIV services and immunizations as risks.

Board questions and response: Supervisors asked about projected deficits, carryover deficits, reserve levels, and the department’s plan for a hiring freeze. Beck said DHHS hoped to avoid a wholesale hiring freeze and preferred targeted internal review. She asked the board for flexibility on exemptions for critical positions should an external freeze be adopted.

Ending: DHHS requested board support as it navigates reductions while preserving core mandated services. Beck and Green said they will continue to seek new funding and refine the departmental plan; the board discussed but did not adopt additional actions at the meeting.