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HHS committee advances most of Montgomery County executive's FY26 recommendations, defers some clinic decisions
Summary
The Health & Human Services Committee reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services FY26 operating and CIP recommendations, approving most line items (including salary equity and infrastructure annualizations) while deferring decisions on a proposed Montgomery Cares clinic addition and certain community contracts for follow-up.
Council Member Gabe Albernaz, chair of the Montgomery County Council Health and Human Services Committee, opened the committee's multi‑day review of the Department of Health and Human Services FY26 operating budget, calling this budget cycle “unprecedented” given federal and state uncertainties and noting the County Executive’s recommendation includes a roughly $43.4 million increase (about 8.5%) from FY25.
Tara Clemens Johnson, presenting the overview packet, summarized the executive’s recommendation: roughly $35.3 million in general‑fund increases and $8.3 million in grant‑fund changes, with a net addition of about 65.6 FTEs (3.3% growth). She also flagged two non‑service‑area items and multiple CIP amendments tied to behavioral health projects.
The committee concurred, without objection, with a one‑time salary equity adjustment of $994,034 to cover 127 social worker and therapist positions (an MOA‑driven change) and with the annualization of 11 infrastructure positions at $1.3 million that the council previously approved in a supplemental; staff said those positions are projected to generate additional Medicaid/FFP revenue and relieve administrative burden.
Committee members repeatedly cautioned that the FY26 numbers rest on several assumptions. Deborah Lambert of the Office of Management and Budget confirmed a lapse assumption was included in the budget and said it will be reevaluated as hiring and federal policy are clarified. County staff and the department agreed to provide ongoing updates during the fiscal year.
Several smaller increases and one‑time items were approved for FY26, including targeted public‑health enhancements and CIP shifts for the diversion center project (see separate article). At the same time, staff recommended—and the committee accepted—several contract reductions where services were judged duplicative, with the department tasked to notify affected vendors and clarify service‑absorption plans.
Two items were deferred for more information: the committee agreed to postpone a final vote on adding an additional Montgomery Cares clinic (the Islamic Health Center/ICM discussion) and delayed a recommended one‑time contract expansion for the American Diversity Group until follow‑up on utilization and demographic impact can be presented on April 28.
On the Montgomery Cares primary‑care reimbursement rate, committee members debated whether to enact the executive’s full proposed increase or split it into tranches. The packet records a 2–1 committee vote to fully fund the executive recommendation on the reimbursement increase, and staff said that decision will be reflected in the final packet going to full council.
What happens next: committee staff will deliver the additional requested details—methodology for primary‑care encounter projections, vendor notification plans for contract reductions, and demographic/utilization data for community clinics—at scheduled follow‑up sessions. The committee will present its recommendations, including reconciled changes, to the full council later in the budget calendar.
Ending: The chair adjourned the morning session and noted the committee will reconvene multiple times over the next week to complete the department’s review.
