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Social Services warns of grant risk, highlights kin‑first placements and homeless‑system gaps in FY26 briefing
Summary
Department leaders told the HHSVS committee the county portion of the Department of Social Services FY26 budget is about $29.72 million, with large portions of program staffing and operations funded by state and federal sources. Staff flagged grant risks, high turnover in limited‑term grant positions, and gaps in shelter capacity and outreach.
Prince George’s County Department of Social Services officials told the HHSVS committee their FY26 county budget portion totals about $29,720,000 and that the department’s overall budget, including state‑funded personnel, is larger.
Council budget staff reported that the department’s total FY26 budget inclusive of direct state funds is about $76.5 million, with roughly $46.2 million coming from the state. The presentation to the committee focused on the county portion of funding and noted that roughly two‑thirds of the department’s personnel costs are paid through state funding that does not appear in the county operating budget.
Director Steven Leggett Creel (as introduced at the meeting) described a series of programmatic priorities and operational pressures. He and budget analyst David Noto emphasized two structural risks: (1) a high share of limited‑term, grant‑funded positions that have elevated turnover; and (2) potential changes to the federal‑to‑state funding flows the department uses as matching funds. Noto said the county portion of the department’s budget for FY26 is a modest decrease from FY25 (a decrease presented as $280,400 in the analyst’s slides).
The department highlighted several program developments and operational items: a renewed partnership with Bowie State University to recruit social work interns; launch of a voluntary income tax assistance pilot in a South County office to help benefit recipients claim available tax credits; and a kin‑first licensing and placement practice for children in foster care. Director Creel said kin placements rose from 16% of placements in 2024 to 48% in the first three months of 2025 after the county implemented the kin‑first model.
On homelessness, the department presented a homeless‑system inventory and noted it maintains an emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing continuum with a total of about 448 emergency shelter beds at any given time and approximately 380 permanent supportive housing beds. Staff described a small street outreach team of four grant‑funded positions and emphasized the networked nature of outreach — the department relies on partner nonprofits, law enforcement, mobile crisis teams and municipalities to identify and serve people living outdoors across the county’s wide geography.
Council members pressed the department on the vulnerability of grant‑funded positions if federal or state funding shifts occur. Director Creel and budget staff said they are monitoring proposed changes closely but that specifics remain unclear. The department advised council members it is developing prioritization plans should grant revenue or state‑funded personnel levels decline.
Ending: Committee members asked for follow‑up materials on homeless bed types, exact bed counts by facility, and contingency plans for potential grant funding reductions; the department said it will provide those details to council offices for continued review.
