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Workgroup hears mixed results from short legislative session: funding cuts, targeted behavioral‑health wins

Children & Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup · March 31, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Workgroup members said the short legislative session produced both program cuts and important behavioral‑health policy gains, including restored funding for the Partnership Access Line, two CCBHC positions, and targeted investments to prevent critical incidents.

Workgroup leaders told members that the short legislative session left a constrained fiscal picture but delivered several policy wins for children, youth and behavioral health.

Representative Lisa Callan said the state faces a budget deficit and that agencies have already experienced cuts including "childcare and early learning" and reductions to some behavioral‑health services. She urged members to anticipate a lean biennium and to prioritize implementation choices accordingly.

Tisha Kirschbaum (Health Care Authority) described…

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