Consultant outlines state Medi‑Cal loan, homelessness plan and budget subcommittee activity

Amy Costa of Full Moon Strategies briefed the committee on state activity affecting Alameda County. She said the California Department of Finance approved a $3,440,000,000 General Fund loan (March 4) to allow the State Department of Healthcare Services to complete critical Medi‑Cal payments. Costa said that Medi‑Cal caseload increases — including among seniors and newly eligible immigrants — have contributed to spending pressures and that the Legislative Analyst’s Office has raised questions about caseload projections.

Costa also summarized the California Interagency Council on Homelessness’s 2025–27 statewide action plan, which establishes five goals: help more people leave unsheltered homelessness, move more people into housing, prevent returns to homelessness, prevent new cases, and create more housing. She said the committee would receive a link to the full plan in her written report.

Costa said budget subcommittees have been active: the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services reviewed the state public health department’s proposed budget and discussed public health information systems such as myCalVax; Senator Weber criticized proposed cuts to myCalVax funding. The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services discussed mandated reporting, foster care rate restructuring, BH Connect, and family home programs. Costa told the committee she would follow up with additional materials and links.

The committee asked whether the statewide homelessness data currently presented at the county level could be broken down to city level and by subpopulations; Costa deferred to county staff on HMIS capabilities and noted that local jurisdictions often collect additional data beyond state requirements.