Joint EC/HHS Committee Meeting on FY27 DHHS Budget – April 27, 2026
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Joint EC/HHS Committee Meeting on FY27 DHHS Budget – April 27, 2026
The Education and Culture (EC) and Health and Human Services (HHS) committees held a joint work session on April 27, 2026, from 1:34 p.m. to 3:56 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room. Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles (HHS Chair) and Councilmember Will Jawando (EC Chair) presided. The meeting focused on the FY27 Operating Budget and FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) – Children, Youth, and Family Services (CYFS) and School-Based Services and Partnerships. Major topics included a departmental reorganization, the Lighthouse Initiative, school health services, and several program reductions and enhancements.
Consent Calendar
- Approved two contractors to provide Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Protective Service Clearances: $160,000 (Councilmember Mink temporarily absent).
- Approved reduction to Nurse Management Staffing Ratios (assuming January 2027 start): $340,055.
- Approved continuation of Head Start contractual nurse staffing to annualize FY26 Supplemental Appropriation: $261,103.
- Approved support for the Rapid Response Hotline: $151,610 (Councilmember Mink temporarily absent).
Discussion Items
- MCPS Protective Service Clearances: DHHS requested $160,000 for two additional contractors to process CPS clearances, addressing a backlog from an Inspector General report. The item was placed on the reconciliation list.
- Nurse Management Staffing Ratios: $340,055 added to reduce the nurse manager-to-nurse ratio from 1:25 to 1:19. Placed on reconciliation list.
- Head Start Nurse Staffing: $261,103 to annualize a supplemental appropriation for five contractual nurses. Placed on reconciliation list.
- Rapid Response Hotline: $151,610 requested for a new contract with CASA to support immigration-related crisis calls. The committee clarified that this line is distinct from a reduced health information line; a memo will be provided to full council to explain the funding changes.
- George B. Thomas Learning Academy (Saturday School): The County Executive originally recommended cutting $722,579, then reinstated it after MCPS could not absorb the program. Councilmember Friedson moved to reduce the MCPS budget by the same amount to guarantee funding outside the reconciliation list. The motion passed 3-2 (Jawando, Evans opposed; Mink later noted opposition). The enhancement will still go on the reconciliation list with a note of the committee’s recommendation.
- Washington Youth Foundation Programs: Two reductions were approved: $62,585 for after-school/weekend tutoring (Evans opposed) and $92,638 for a care mentoring program, with participants to be transitioned to existing services.
- Long Branch Area Green Space and Gardening Program: Reduced $29,503; program moved to competitive Office of Food Systems Resilience grants.
- Positive Youth Development Gang Training: Reduced $40,000 to actual spending level; virtual training no longer needed.
- Substance Abuse Contract at Youth Opportunity Centers: Eliminated $80,000 due to expired contract and duplication with Identity Inc.
- After-School Programming at Carroll Ave/Quebec Terrace: Reduction of $133,523 was deferred to full council pending written confirmation from MCPS that students can be transferred to Excel Beyond the Bell and MCPS High Dosage Tutoring.
- School-Based Health Center Somatic Services: Reduced $349,121 to operate two elementary school health centers three days per week instead of five, with staff reassigned. Approved without objection.
- Lighthouse Initiative: Restored continuation as a three-year grant program with administrative support: $4,594,294 and 4 FTEs (item 2.10). Also approved continuation of wraparound services: $2,564,375 and 7 FTEs (item 2.11). Both items were placed on the reconciliation list.
- Linkages to Learning at Twinbrook Elementary: Councilmember Katz requested $200,000 for a small team (family care manager and child therapist). The motion was approved and added to the reconciliation list.
Key Outcomes
- Votes:
- MCPS Protective Service Clearances – approved without objection.
- Nurse Management Staffing Ratios – approved without objection.
- Head Start Nurse Staffing – approved without objection.
- Rapid Response Hotline – approved without objection (with request for explanatory memo).
- George B. Thomas Learning Academy – enhancement approved via 3-2 vote to reduce MCPS budget offset; Mink later recorded opposition.
- Washington Youth Foundation tutoring reduction – approved (Evans opposed).
- Washington Youth Foundation mentoring reduction – approved.
- Long Branch Green Space reduction – approved.
- Positive Youth Development Gang Training reduction – approved.
- Substance Abuse contract elimination – approved.
- After-School Programming at Carroll Ave/Quebec Terrace – deferred.
- School-Based Health Center somatic services reduction – approved.
- Lighthouse Initiative items – approved without objection.
- Linkages to Learning Twinbrook – approved without objection.
- Next Steps: Council consideration tentatively scheduled for May 2026. Council staff to provide a clarifying memo on hotline funding and to obtain written confirmation from MCPS regarding the transition of after-school program participants. Councilmember Jawando requested an update on the MOU between MCPS and DHHS for the George B. Thomas Learning Academy before the FY28 budget transmittal.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, good afternoon, everyone. So used to seeing everyone in the morning, good afternoon, and welcome to the joint committee meeting with Education and Culture and Health and Human Services. I am Councilmember Laurie Ann Sales and joined by my colleague Chair Jawondo of the ENC committee. We also have Council Member Shevra Evans. Councilmember Kristen Mink will uh be joining us in a bit. She is doing double duty in our TNE meeting. I'm joined by my committee members, Council members Ludke and Councilmember Friedson. Thank you. And today we will be discussing two significant items for today's work session. Today's uh work session will focus on two major components of HHS's FY27 operating budget that we will be discussing together, uh, both of which directly shape the well-being and long-term outcomes of children and families in Montgomery County. So, item one is our children, youth and family services. Uh, we'll be discussing HHS's substantial internal reorganization, how programs, staff, and resources have been aligned, realigned to better meet the needs of our young people and their families. We'll hear updates on this restructuring, programmatic shifts underway, and the major budget changes affecting some of our most essential supports, including the Lighthouse Initiative. Um, we will also talk about item two, which is school-based services and partnerships. Um, this will encompass school health services and the newly created school-based mental health and related services program area. Um, we will also look at the implications of consolidating programs like linkages to learning, high school wellness centers, and therapeutic mentoring in this reorganized structure. Uh, the two items together reflect the county's commitment to building a coordinated equitable system of care. I want to thank uh Ms. Nicole Rodriguez Hernandez and Tara Clemens Johnson for preparing today's packet and grounding our discussion and data, service impacts, and the realities facing our providers and partners. And uh, before we begin, I would just like to invite Chair Jawondo to provide any remarks before we get started. Just say thank you for teeing that up and looking forward to the conversation, some of the most important services for our young people in the county, both in and out of school. So look forward to the conversation and decision points. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. All right, thank you, Miss Nicole Rodriguez Hernandez. All right, good afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you. All right, I want to start off by thanking our partners at the Department of Health and Human Services and MCPS and Office of Management and Budget for their time for today's committee work session. Uh, I will try to maintain a very clear discussion as we move through the packet for today, as we are combining some items from different areas within HHS. So, as the chair noted, today we will be reviewing three areas. The first is the Department of Health and Human Services, Children, Youth and Family Services Service Area. In years past, um, we have divided the review of this service area based on its relation with MCPS and other areas. Um, but for for the due to the reorganization, we are reviewing all of the children, youth, and family services area today, except for early care and education, that early childhood services that we re-reviewed last week on April 21st. Um, we will also be reviewing the school health services program area that resides under public health services as well. And because of the reorganization, we will be reviewing the school-based mental health and related services program area, which is a new program area that we discussed originally as it is now under the behavioral health and crisis services service area. So just to start off with that overview. Um as the uh package shows at the table of the bottom of page two, we show the FY26 approved as realigned compared to the FY27 CE recommended. So we can see about a 10 million dollar increase or 21.2% increase with a slight reduction in FTEs due to the realignments. Um, the executives uh recommendation includes 16 items for the council's review. However, 1.6 million dollars worth of those items or five items are specifically would be added to the reconciliation list per the council president's budget approach. We also have a point here that the recommendation includes $7.2 million increase in the children, youth and family services service area related to the Lighthouse Initiative. To provide just an overview on page three, we have the department background where we've provided the mission statement of the service area of children, youth, and families, as well as the program area of school health services. I would just like to note again for housekeeping due to the reorganization and as we move into council's final budget approval and the council version of the approved budget book, just noting to eliminate the Office of Community Affairs from the school health services program area as that office no longer exists in the DHS's reorganization, and then same for the school-based mental health and related services program and area under the behavioral health and crisis services to amend the text to reflect the new program title and all of the services they provide. Like to note again that the committee, the HHS committee reviewed the department's operating budget equity tool analysis on April 16th, and that information is provided for you on page four. We do have presentations from our chiefs of children, youth and family and behavioral health and crisis services to discuss their service areas, their programs, and the realignment, but did just want to note the table on page five provides additional details where you can compare the fiscal year 26 children, youth and family program areas to the impact on fiscal year 27 and beyond. So, for example, the existing administration children, youth and families program area. The child and adolescent school and community-based services program area from fiscal year 26 has now realigned to the behavioral health and crisis services service area under that school-based mental health and related services program area. Child care subsidies has been realigned to just be absorbed by the early childhood services in the children, youth and family service area.
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