Representative Andrea White, chair of the Ohio House Children and Human Services committee, provided the clearest picture yet of the process that the committee will follow in hearing testimony on the state budget. Community Solutions provided a broad overview of how the state budget process will move through the legislature earlier this year and then provided even more information on the new process that the House of Representatives plans to follow.
Below is the House Children and Human Services Committee schedule shared by Chairwoman White. This schedule outlines ways to follow and engage in the state budget process related to the agencies and topics being covered by the Children and Human Services committee. Of note, the Department of Medicaid will be covered by the Ohio House Medicaid Committee.
Invited testimony refers to agency directors testifying on their respective budgets before the committee, while public testimony is a chance for anyone to come and present testimony on the topics outlined for that day.
2025 House Children and Human Services Committee
| Date |
Time |
Statehouse Hearing Room |
Type of Testimony (video of Committee is linked if the date has passed) |
| Tuesday, Feb. 11 |
11:15am |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony: New African Immigrant Commission |
| Wednesday, Feb. 12 |
3:00pm |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony: Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (Behavioral Health), Commission on Minority Health & Chemical Dependency Board |
| Tuesday, Feb. 18 |
9:30am |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony: Department of Job and Family Services & Department of Aging |
| Wednesday, Feb. 19 |
1:00pm |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony: Department of Job and Family Services & Department of Aging
Invited Testimony: Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board & Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs
Public Testimony topics: Aging & Adult Protective Services
https://ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-house-children-and-human-services-committee-2-19-2025
|
| Tuesday, Feb. 25 |
11:15am |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony: Department of Children and Youth |
| Wednesday, Feb. 26 |
3:00pm/After Session |
Room 121 |
Public Testimony topics: Behavioral Health, ADAMH boards, Pharmacy Services, Recovery Housing and other areas within the Department of Mental Health and Addiction |
| Thursday, Feb. 27 |
9:30am |
Room 116 |
Public Testimony topics: Children and Youth Services – Child Placement, Child Support, Foster Care, Adoption, Child Care and Publicly-Funded Child Care, Infant/Maternal Mortality, Infant Vitality, Home Visiting, Early Childhood and other areas within the Department of Children and Youth; Public Assistance (Food Assistance, Ohio Works First, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, etc.), Unemployment, Employment Services (Ohio Means Jobs, Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program, etc.), Workforce Area Boards and other areas within the Department of Job and Family Services |
| Tuesday, March 4 |
11:15am |
Room 121 |
Invited Testimony |
| Wednesday, March 5 |
3:00pm |
Room 121 |
All Public Testimony |
Any member of the public or those representing organizations who submit their testimony to the chair’s office can join in person and share their perspective on the respective areas of the budget being covered that day. Chairwoman White did include instructions that limit testimony to 5 minutes each and require submission to her office 24 hours in advance of the scheduled committee time.
For those interested, a PDF of your written testimony and a Witness Information Form must be submitted to OHRChildrenandHumanServicesCommittee@ohiohouse.gov.
Anyone testifying can combine all children/human services related topics into one testimony; no need to testify on multiple days based on the topic.
Community Solutions will continue to monitor and share information related to the state budget process and how to engage. If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us via tbritton@communitysolutions.com.
