Department of Human Services briefs committee on Community Services Block Grant allocation and local impact

The Department of Human Services presented the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan for federal fiscal years 2026–27 as the legislatively required update. Lindsay Whitten, CSBG program director, told the committee the state received an allocation of about $15.1 million in FY25, that at least 90% of CSBG funds are directed to community action agencies, and that federal rules permit up to 5% for administration and up to 5% for discretionary purposes.

DHS described the program’s statewide network (20 community action agencies serving all 95 counties) and summarized FY23 impact figures from the annual report: 337,468 individuals served and 170,824 households served, plus program‑level metrics such as people helped with health care access, services for individuals with disabilities, seniors, children in poverty, and veterans. DHS said CSBG’s flexibility allows agencies to develop local programming in response to community needs and highlighted leveraged funding, reporting that CSBG grantees leveraged roughly $21.84 from other public and private sources for every $1 of CSBG funding in 2023.

Committee members asked whether CSBG demonstrably reduced poverty over multi‑decade periods and requested county‑level trend data and multifactor analysis. DHS said annual federal reports and dashboards exist and that the FY24 report is in review; staff agreed to provide members with published outcome reports and county dashboards.

The committee thanked DHS, noted the need for rigorous multi‑year analysis as legislators prepare for future policy debates on affordable housing and anti‑poverty measures, and adjourned the meeting.

Next steps: DHS will provide committee members with the requested CSBG reports, dashboards and the FY24 materials when available.