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State shortfall forces cuts to Healthy Families program; about 28–30 families affected
Summary
A decline in Student Success Act revenues reduced state funding for the Healthy Families program; Multnomah County will eliminate or not fill positions and expects roughly 28–30 families to lose services; the board approved the budget modification acknowledging reductions.
Multnomah County public health officials told the board that state revenue shortfalls tied to corporate tax receipts supporting the Student Success Act have forced reductions to the Healthy Families grant, requiring the department to scale back some supports and not fill several positions.
Public Health Director Kirsten Eyre said the decrease stems from lower‑than‑expected state funding and that the county worked with community‑based organizations to reduce mental‑health supports for home visitors and office support roles to minimize family impacts. Eyre said one CBO was unable to hire a final home visitor and the county elected not to fill a state position responsible for eligibility screening; as a result, an estimated 28–30 families will not be served by the program owing to the vacancy.
Budget staff presented detailed line‑item impacts including approximately $161,000 in personnel reductions and a roughly $327,000 reduction in pass‑through and program support. Commissioners asked for further outcome data and indicated interest in revisiting priorities in the FY27 budget process. The board approved the budget modification.
