Human Services committee supports several BAA restorations, debates HOP reallocation
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Summary
The committee recommended restoring a missed residential care (tier 1) payment of $1,071,550 and supported a 2% COLA for area agencies on aging; it debated HOP/prevention fund reallocations and approved a partial $210,000 recommendation for recovery centers while reserving other decisions pending DCF testimony.
After testimony on supervised visitation, the House Human Services Committee turned to budget adjustment (BAA) items and debated several restoration requests raised by providers and community partners.
Residential care (tier 1): Chair Wood and members described an unintentional shortfall and recommended restoring $1,071,550 to residential care tier‑1 providers so their FY25 funding matches legislative intent. Committee members clarified that most of these expenditures are Medicaid‑reimbursable and that roughly 45% of the added cost would be state funds (the federal match would cover the remainder). The committee recorded a show‑of‑hands in favor of recommending the full restoration to the Appropriations Committee.
Area Agencies on Aging: Members noted a missed 2% cost‑of‑living adjustment calculation affecting area agencies on aging (approximately $140,000) and by hand count agreed to support restoring the intended increase.
HOP flexible pool and homelessness assistance: Providers asked to restore $1,322,141 to 14 community providers that historically received direct financial assistance (rent, deposits, moving costs) after the department diverted funds to other priorities. Members expressed concern about DCF reallocating the funds without committee notice and debated whether to deduct the restoration from the $2,000,000 DCF requested for the same program. Chair Wood said the committee would consider the department’s testimony the next day and could modify recommendations accordingly.
Recovery centers and opioid/prevention funds: Six recovery centers requested $420,000 total to reflect a distribution they had expected from a prior appropriation. Committee members debated the source (opioid prevention fund vs. other) and fairness across providers. By majority, the committee voted to recommend half the request — $210,000 — to come from the prevention/opioid‑related fund rather than general fund.
Legal aid request: Vermont Legal Aid requested funding to backfill losses from ended federal streams and to add capacity (including staff attorneys and helpline support). Committee members discussed the mix of one‑time and ongoing federal funding losses and signaled caution about backfilling short‑term pandemic funds; a narrower proposal (one staff attorney plus helpline support, roughly $250,000) was floated for further consideration.
Next steps: Several members requested clearer budgetary explanations and documentation from DCF (including itemized plans for HOP and HOP reallocation decisions). The committee deferred some final decisions until DCF and judiciary testimony the following day.
Actions recorded by the committee will be forwarded to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.
