Press Release: 7/3/2025

CLM's FY26 Budget Advocacy Underscores Family Preservation Priorities

 



June 3, 2025



 



Senate Budget Highlights



The FY 2026 Senate budget passed March 22 with $61.51 billion in total line-item spending, $70.3 million less than the House budget, $568.1 million less than the Governor’s budget, and $3.7 billion above the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act.  Thank you to Massachusetts' Senators for their strong investments in children and family services, including: 




  • Family Resource Centers (4800-0200) - $35,000,000

  • Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (5042-5000) - $132,063,724 

  • Head Start Program Grants (3000-5000) - $20,000,000 



Each budget proposal from the Governor's to the House to the Senate has provided a reasonable base off of which the FY26 Budget Conference Committee can draft their final budget proposal and Legislators can vote to invest in children and families.



Final FY26 Budget Advocacy: Conference Committee & All



The time to reach out to the Conference Committee and all of our legislators is now as final budget debates are imminent. We want to highlight the above noted Senate priorities, along with the following needs:



Matching FY2025 Levels




  • Congregate Care (4800-0041) - $495,864,634 




  • Services for Children & Families (4800-0038) - $374,388,635 




  • Local & Regional Admin. provided by Area Leads (4800-0030) - $11,701,980 



From the House Budget




  • Housing Services for Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness (4000-0007) - $10,645,850 with no less than $100,000 to BAY-CASH as included in the House Budget (v. $10.5K in FY25) 



Additional Priorities 




  • Family Support and Stabilization (4800-0040) - $130,486,736 v. FY25 $139.5K and only $125.5K in the FY26 proposals 




  • Chapter 257 (1599-6903) - $307,000,000 v. FY25 $309K and only $207K in FY26 proposals 




  • Temporary Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (4403-2000) - $486,929,423 v. $496K in FY25 and $466 to $467 in FY26 proposals




  • Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (4408-1000) - $219,190,924 v. $183K in FY25 and $209K in FY26 proposals 




  • Special Education Circuit Breaker (7061-0012) - $648,214,953 v. $493K in FY25 and $485K to $531K in FY26 proposals 




  • Child Care Financial Assistance (1596-2452) - $128,000,000 with no less than $30,000,000 to reduce the Waitlist for Income-Eligible Early Education and Care Programs v. $53K to 98K in FY26 proposals 



Find CLM's advocacy letter to the Conference Committee with more details on line items below and reach out to your legislators about these critical needs.