The Center for Community Solutions released priorities for the 2026-27 State Operating Budget earlier this year. Governor DeWine released his formal budget proposal in early February. We have been combing through the budget documents—known as the Blue Book—to identify the Governor’s priorities across health and human services in what is one of the most important policy documents to make its way through the legislature every two years.
The actual budget language was introduced as House Bill 96 (Stewart) on February 11th and will continue to make its way through the House of Representatives over the next two months.
Community Solutions budget priorities FY 2026-27
Our budget priorities are bolded below, each followed by highlights from the Governor’s As-Introduced budget that relate to each of the priorities. The Governor’s budget overall continues to work to strengthen Ohio families and while there is more to be done, this is a solid starting point to move through the budget process.
While the budget moves forward in policies for Ohioans, there is one particularly worrisome provision included in the state budget related to Medicaid expansion.
The budget includes what is known as “trigger” language that would immediately end Medicaid expansion in Ohio.
Medicaid is a federal-state partnership. To incentivize states to expand Medicaid coverage as allowed by the Affordable Care Act, the federal government picks up 90 percent of the cost of coverage for the Medicaid expansion population (known as Group VIII). Under the as-introduced budget language, if the federal government lowers the matching funds, they contribute to this expansion population it would “trigger” the immediate end of Group VIII coverage. This would effectively cancel health coverage for over 770,000 Ohioans who have health insurance through Medicaid expansion. Community Solutions will be actively engaged in tracking this language and quantifying the impact that would be felt if Medicaid expansion just went away.
Support tax policies that center the realities of families as they juggle working, caretaking and making ends meet.
A headlining provision included in the Governor’s as-introduced budget is a child tax credit. The Governor proposes a $1,000 refundable tax credit for each child under age 6 in families within a targeted income range. As we learn more about the details of the budget and hear more testimony from the administration, we will further understand the potential impact of the child tax credit as proposed. Community Solutions has long supported these types of tax policies that target resources to working families most in need.
The tax credit is funded in the budget with an increase to the state’s tobacco tax. This dynamic has already been the subject of much debate in the legislature.
Improve coordination, efficiency, and access across public benefits, including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF and WIC.
While there is continued support for operations of these programs at the state and county levels in the as-introduced budget, it has not kept pace with growth in enrollment and costs. It is difficult at this stage of the budget to determine exactly how administrative dollars are budgeted across programs, and programs to improve efficiency are often included in overall policy changes related to the budget, rather than spelled out in legislation.
Community Solutions will continue to track policy and funding changes in this space as we get access to more budget-related documents in the coming weeks and as the budget process moves forward. Director Matt Damschroder is scheduled to present testimony before the House Children and Human Services committee on February 18, which will reveal more details about the agency’s budget.
Advocate for solutions to health and human services issues that address the needs of Ohioans of every age.
As expected, Governor DeWine’s budget focuses largely on kids and families with kids, with policies that look to build on work done to date. Older adults have been less of a focus of the DeWine administration, but there have been investments for this population and policy advancements. The PACE program was expanded over the last few years into more counties around the state and this is maintained in the current budget proposal.
While the absence of federal COVID relief dollars has been felt across the budget, it has meant the elimination of Healthy Aging grants in the Department of Aging’s budget. Overall, the Department’s budget is flat-funded, despite a growing older adult population.
Improve data collection and sharing and implement strategies to improve maternal health, with a focus on those most impacted by severe outcomes and death.
The as-introduced budget includes an expansion of Family Connects, a free program that provides a nurse visit to families with newborns. It also continues to support home visiting programs for new moms and their families. Community Solutions will continue to work with the administration and legislature to elevate the issue of maternal mental health in the budget process.
MRSS provides structured support to youth under 21 with a behavioral health crisis.
Support the continuum of care for children and youth with behavioral health needs.
Governor DeWine’s proposed budget includes continued support for the OhioRISE program and school-based health centers that can reach students in school who have behavioral health needs. The budget also includes funding to expand the Youth Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) to all 88 counties in Ohio. MRSS provides structured support to youth under 21 with a behavioral health crisis, including in-home care in the period immediately following a crisis.
Ensure Summer EBT has adequate funding and infrastructure.
The budget includes funding for the state’s portion of administering the Summer EBT program. Throughout the budget process and beyond, Community Solutions will work to ensure that the lessons learned from the first year of Summer EBT (2024) are communicated to policymakers who can provide support so that the program reaches all eligible children going forward. This could include expanding awareness of the program and equipping schools with more support to communicate information about it to students and families.
Community Solutions will continue to monitor health and human services across the state budget.
Advocate for additional funding for harm reduction.
While we did not see a restoration of the dedicated harm reduction line item in the Ohio Department of Health’s budget, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (proposed to be renamed the Department of Behavioral Health) does include an array of harm reduction related programming. It includes a new level of flexibility in the state’s funding for local alcohol, drug addiction and mental health services (ADAMHS) boards, which can be used for local harm reduction needs.
Community Solutions will continue to monitor health and human services across the state budget over the next five months and push for policies that advance health, social and economic conditions for Ohioans.
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