Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DHHS outlines governor’s budget requests, including Meals on Wheels and youth supports
Summary
DHHS staff summarized the department’s legislative priorities and specific budget requests ahead of the 2025 session, including funding for Meals on Wheels, youth aging‑out supports, HCBS rate increases and correctional health deficits.
Paul Ray presented the Department of Health and Human Services' priorities ahead of the 2025 legislative session and reviewed items in the governor's proposed budget that DHHS will advocate for with the Legislature. He emphasized the department can only seek support for items included in the governor's budget and listed both one‑time and ongoing requests across divisions.
"We're asking $4,200,000 for Meals on Wheels," Paul Ray said, and he detailed other asks including $408,100 ongoing to increase capacity to protect vulnerable seniors and $11,100,000 ongoing to meet mandated additional needs for youth aging out of DCFS and JJYS. Ray also outlined an HCBS waiver home‑health rate increase request of $7,300,000 and various one‑time holds to plug inflationary and operational costs.
The presentation included context on formula adjustments in the budget (e.g., one‑time reductions that reflect implementation timing) and a note that public health emergency preparedness funding of $707,000 could unlock a roughly $10,000,000 federal match for PPE rotation. Amanda Slater, assistant deputy director for operations, urged providers to watch the session and advocate where the proposed items affect their services.
DHHS staff cautioned that the budget is tight, that amounts could change during the session, and that providers who are affected by the listed items should consider advocacy with legislators. No formal actions or votes occurred during the call; participants were encouraged to contact DHHS for more detail or to see the department's public budget materials.
