We break down the details of this year’s Health and Human Services block grant funding changes.
By Rose Hoban
Every year, many health, human service and social programs are funded by block grants – big pots of money given to state agencies to be used for specific programs.
Large programs such as the Child Care subsidy – with a budget of more than $150 million – are funded in this manner, as well as small ones like the new budget line for mental health crisis initiatives that total about $2 million.
Many block grant dollars come from the federal government, which gives states broad guidelines on how to use the money. Others come with more strings attached.
For the most part, block grant funding stays relatively stable from year to year, but every year, there are changes. Below are the changes contained in this year’s state budget.
| BLOCK GRANT CHANGES | |
| Temporary Assistance for Needy Families | TANF funds moved into Foster Care Services: $1,385,152 (new budget line) |
| Subsidized Child Care Program Block grant funds reduced from $57,172,097 to $54,054,806 | |
| PreK “Swap Out”” $7,195,807 (new budget line) | |
| Total TANF funds increased from $306,234,756 to $313,460,826 | |
| TANF Emergency Contingency Funds | Subsidized Child Care Funds increased from $6,549,469 to $11,679,394 |
| PreK “Swap Out” $12,646,527 (new budget line) | |
| Total TANF Emergency Contingency Funds increased to $29,932,538 from $12,156,086 | |
| Social Services Block Grant | |
| Expenditures for DSS/Division of Aging and Adult Services | County DSS funds reduced from $29,422,137 to $27,427,015 |
| UNC Cares Contract reduced from $229,376 to $57,344 | |
| Foster Care Services budget line eliminated, moved to TANF above | |
| Total Social Services Block Grant reduced from $62,877,557 to $59,325,251 | |
| Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program | |
| Transfers to other state agencies: | Weatherization Program funds reduced from $14,947,789 to $12,473,090 to DENR |
| Heating Air Repair and Replacement program from $7,193,873 to $6,636,633 | |
| Local Residential Energy Efficiency Service providers for two lines above: increased from total $375,609 to $1,005,177 | |
| DENR Administration for lines 114, 115: increased from total $375,609 to $1,005,177 | |
| Total Low Income Energy Assistance Block Grant: decreased from $114,911,848 to $113,139,044 | |
| Child Care and Development Block Grant | |
| Division of Child Development and Early Education | Child Care Services increased from $158,328,747 to $168,536,136 |
| Quality and Availability Initiatives increased from $22,500,000 to $24,168,551 | |
| Administrative budget increased from $6,000,000 to $7,677,977 | |
| Division of Central Admin | Central Regional Hospital Maintenance $202,000 (new budget line) |
| Total Child Care and Development Services Block Grant: increased from $275,651,161 to $289,407,078 | |
| Mental Health Services Block Grant | |
| Program expenditures | Mental Health Services for adults from $10,717,607 to $0 and for children from $5,121,991 to $3,619,833 – total reduction of $12,219,765 |
| Mental Health Services for Adults/ Children: $12,398,643 (new budget line) | |
| Crisis Solutions Initiative – Critical Time Intervention: $750,000 (new budget line) | |
| Total Mental Health Services Block Grant increased from: $16,039,598 to $16,968,476 | |
| Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant | |
| Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services | Elimination of “Adult” Substance Abuse Service, Treatment Alternative for Women, Chlid Substance Abuse Prevention and Services budget lines: $32,338 028 total |
| Replacement of above with new budget lines: | |
| Substance Abuse Prevention: $8,699,284 (new line item) | |
| Substance Abuse Treatment for Children/ Adults: $29,519,883 (new line item) | |
| New budget lines for Crisis Solutions Initiative | Walk-in crisis centers: $420,000 (new line item) |
| Collegiate Wellness/ Addiction Recovery: $1,085,000 (new line item) | |
| Community Paramedic Mobile Crisis Mgmt: $60,000 (new line item) | |
| Innovative Technologies: $41,000 (new line item) | |
| Veterans Crisis: $250,000 (new line item) | |
| Division of Public Health | Elimination of Risk Reduction Projects and Aid to Counties budget lines: $765,949 |
| Replacement of above with new budget line: | |
| HIV Testing for Individuals in Substance Abuse Treatment: $765,949 | |
| Total Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant: Increase from $37,527,700 to $45,184,839 | |
| Maternal and Child Health Block Grant | |
| Division of Public Health | Children’s Health Services decreased from: $8,042,531 to $7,574,703 |
| Women’s Health decreased from $8,532,935 to $8,095,148 Increases Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship from $250,000 to $300,000 (only change in individual initiative funding) |
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| DHHS Program Expenditures | Children’s Health Services decreased by $926, Maternal Health by $58, State Center for Health Statistics by $8,257, Injury and Violence Prevention by $4,455 |
| Public Health Administration decreased by $20,537 | |
| Total Maternal and Child Health Block Grant decreased from $18,854,259 to $17,914,411 | |
| Preventive Health Services Block Grant | |
| Program Expenditures | Physical Activity and Prevention increased from: $1,186,142 to $2,034,060 |
| Injury and Violence Prevention (Rape Victims Services) increased from: $169,730 to $173,476 | |
| Division of Public Health | Laboratory Services – Testing, Training and Consultation, increased from $10,980 to $21,012 |
| State Laboratory Services – Testing, Training and Consultation: $199,634 (new line item) | |
| Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention increased from $162,249 to $189,693 | |
| Performance Improvement and Accountability increased from $213,971 to $738,784 | |
| Physical Activity and Nutrition increased from $38,000 to $68,073 | |
| State Center for Health Statistics increased from $61,406 to $107,291 | |
| Total Preventive Health Services Block Grant increased from $2,234,233 to $3,921,778 | |
| Community Services Block Grant | |
| Office of Economic Opportunity | Community Action Agencies increased from $22,402,724 to $24,168,417 |
| Limited purpose agencies increased from $1,244,596 to $1,342,690 | |
| Administration | Office of Economic Activity increased from $1,244,596 to $1,342,690 |
| Total Community Services Block Grant increased from: $24,891,916 to $26,853,797 | |
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Thanks, NC Health News! I find it really helpful to see how the block grant funds have changed, and to see where things fit in the new budget. Keep up that great work!