Q&A
Funding and budget allocations for preventive services
1:54:58
·
4 min
Council Member Stevens inquires about funding and budget allocations for preventive services, including recent changes and future plans. Commissioner Dannhauser provides details on current budgets and explains recent program adjustments.
- The FY 2025 budget for preventive services is $332 million, with an additional $31 million for home finding services
- FY 2024 spending for preventive services is currently at $314 million with accruals
- ACS has made targeted reductions in underutilized programs (less than 20% utilization)
- The agency has redesigned some programs, like the FTR program, to create more intensive services with a higher cost per slot
- ACS is conducting budget modeling to ensure current models are sufficiently supportive and intensive
- There are currently over 2,000 slots available in the preventive services system
Althea V. Stevens
1:54:58
I have some funding questions.
1:55:00
The fiscal 2024, mayor's management report, reports that the number of children receiving daily prevention services increased by 3.9% in fiscal 2024 when compared to fiscal 2023.
1:55:13
Despite the increase in utilization, the peg included in 2025, 2025 preliminary plan have not been restored.
1:55:22
Does ACS anticipate the preventative services PEG will be restored in the upcoming preliminary plan?
Jess Dannhauser
1:55:28
We don't, but we have some important, planning underway.
1:55:31
So the the pegs that we, underwent really looked at, programs that were seriously underutilized, less than 20%.
1:55:40
And so we looked at, are there other providers in that neighborhood that could pick that up, that kind of service?
1:55:47
And so it was a very limited peg around in the first initial rounds around where we just were not seeing the uptake in services, and we made sure that the services remained, in that in that community.
1:56:00
There was sufficient access for families.
1:56:02
The other peg that we did was to take our FTR program, which is designed for families with substance abuse, mental health challenges, and, to look at across the board, utilization was about 60%.
1:56:17
And so we said, how can we create a new model budget for a smaller program that actually is more intensive?
1:56:26
It was a higher cost per slot.
1:56:28
And so we we did that.
1:56:30
Providers were able to invest some of those.
1:56:32
About half of our private providers went from 128 to 96.
1:56:36
So we saved a little bit of money while still, creating a more intensive program.
1:56:41
We're gonna look at that.
1:56:42
We know that providers, have been talking to us about around workforce.
1:56:47
We wanna make sure we're infusing concrete needs and services.
1:56:50
So we are gonna be doing some some budget modeling to make sure that the current model is sufficiently supportive and intensive.
1:56:59
And we have about, today, over 2,000 slots available.
1:57:03
And so we're looking, as our system has evolved, more family enrichment centers, more other types of support, to make sure that we're keeping it current and making sure that the providers have what they need to provide excellent services.
Althea V. Stevens
1:57:16
Yeah.
1:57:16
I just feel like that's, like it's really thoughtful of, like, how you're going about doing it.
1:57:19
But I also think that even with we're seeing that we're using preventative services and it's, you know, we're expanding certain programs and things like that, but, like, if we're still reducing it, that's still a problem.
1:57:31
So it's still hard for me to, like, kinda grasp of, like, how we are saying, like, it was underutilized.
1:57:36
So that doesn't necessarily mean that they don't need the spots there.
1:57:39
Maybe it needed to have different outreach or what specific communities was it in or did we need to change the communities to somewhere else.
1:57:46
And so was it really underutilized?
1:57:47
Was it not right placement?
1:57:49
Was, you know, not the right provider?
1:57:51
So I think even saying underutilized, like, what do like, it it often feels like I get we know what it is.
1:57:58
I get it.
1:57:58
Y'all gotta find a way to cut the money out, and so it's easier to say that.
Jess Dannhauser
1:58:01
Well, I think I think, I absolutely hear what you're saying.
1:58:04
We go through that analysis.
1:58:06
But if, if we're able to really stabilize the system, invest in providers, and make sure and it's a slightly smaller system, and then we see a major increase, we can absolutely advocate to add resources to that.
1:58:23
Right now, we just don't wanna have those resources not put to work when the providers, are telling
Sharon Brown
1:58:29
us to do that.
Althea V. Stevens
1:58:30
An additional, need for capacity with demand increasing?
1:58:34
Because there there has been a increase in demand.
Jess Dannhauser
1:58:36
Not in the foreseeable future, but we're always keeping a very close eye on it.
1:58:40
We have about 2,000 slots available today.
Althea V. Stevens
1:58:43
Don't worry.
1:58:43
I'll help you keep a close eye on it too.
1:58:45
I know you will.
1:58:47
As of November 2024 plan, ACS budget includes, 331,600,000 for expenditures related to preventative services.
1:58:57
Can ACS verify the current budget amount for preventative services in 2025 and out years?
1:59:02
And how was actual how was that money actually spent in 2024?
1:59:07
And how has alright.
1:59:08
I'll I'll stop there.
UNKNOWN
1:59:09
I was
Althea V. Stevens
1:59:09
about to ask a whole bunch of questions.
Jess Dannhauser
1:59:12
So that is correct.
1:59:13
FY 25 preventive is 332.
1:59:17
Home finding if you add home finding to that, it's about 363,000,000.
1:59:23
It's a separate budget line.
1:59:24
We're not counting, a lot of the work that we do in FAP or the family enrichment centers in that number.
1:59:30
24 spending for the preventive, the 3.32, right now is with accruals is 314,000,000.
1:59:38
314,000,000.
