The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services Translate Our Website This Google ™ translation feature provided on the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) website is for informational purposes only. The LAO is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool. Choose your language: × Skip to main content Home --> Policy Areas Capital Outlay, Infrastructure Criminal Justice Economy and Taxes Education Environment and Natural Resources Health and Human Services Local Government State Budget Condition Transportation Other Government Areas Publications The Budget Propositions and Initiatives Staff Careers About Us Search Table of Contents Overview Department of Developmental Services CalWORKs Food Assistance Aging-Related Issues Update on Home- and Community-Based Services Spending Plan Child Welfare Department of Social Services Housing and Homelessness Programs Immigration Related Budget Actions LAO Contact Ginni Bella Navarre Deputy Legislative Analyst: Human Services and Governance Angela Short Child Welfare Department of Social Services Housing and Homelessness Programs Sonia Schrager Russo CalWORKs Food Assistance Juwan Trotter Aging-Related Issues Update on Home- and Community-Based Services Spending Plan Immigration Related Budget Actions Karina Hendren Department of Developmental Services See More Publications Like This Back to the Top --> Tweet November 21, 2025 The 2025-26 California Spending Plan Human Services Overview The 2025-26 spending plan provides around $38 billion from the General Fund for human services programs across ten state departments, councils, and commissions. This represents a net increase of more than $4 billion, or nearly 13 percent, compared to the revised prior-year spending level, as shown in Figure 1. The net increase is driven primarily by rate and caseload-driven spending increases for a few programs most notably developmental services, child care, and In-Home Supportive Services. In addition to caseload growth and rate increases, a significant portion of the increase for child care in 2025-26 is due to the full expenditure of carry over funds that had offset some costs in 2024-25. The increase for California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids also reflects the reduced availability of federal funds that were used to offset General Fund costs in 2024-25. Figure 2 shows some major human services policy changes adopted by the Legislature as part of the 2025-26 spending plan. These changes are discussed in more detail in the issue-specific links provided on this page. Figure 1 Human Services Programs and Departments—Spending Trends General Fund (Dollars in Millions) 2024 25 2025 26 Change From 2024 25 to 2025 26 Amount Percent Department of Social Services (DSS) In Home Supportive Services $9,868.8 $11,105.3 $1,236.5 12.5% SSI/SSP 3,706.1 3,531.4 174.6 4.7 Child Care 3,422.6 4,710.8 1,288.1 37.6 County Administration/Automation 1,461.6 1,664.7 203.0 13.9 Child Welfare Services 933.9 1,140.4 206.5 22.1 CalWORKs 665.7 1,340.8 675.1 101.4 All other funding under DSS (including state support) 2,555.9 1,292.5 1,263.4 49.4 Subtotals $22,614.6 $24,785.8 $2,171.2 9.6% Other Human Services Department of Developmental Services $10,149.3 $12,165.1 $2,015.7 19.9% Department of Child Support Services 371.4 371.4 — — Department of Aging 166.1 163.1 2.9 1.8 Department of Rehabilitation 87.3 83.6 3.7 4.3 All other human services 6.3 0.3 6.0 94.5 Subtotals $10,780.4 $12,783.5 $2,003.2 18.6% Totals $33,395.0 $37,569.3 $4,174.3 12.5% Note: DSS 2025 26 total is adjusted for post June budget and trailer bills, including AB 104, SB 105, SB 146, and SB 150. SSI/SSP = Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment and CalWORKs = California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids. Figure 2 Major Actions—Human Services Programs 2025 26 General Fund Effect (In Millions) Spending Plan Action Amount CalWORKs Work Participation Rate Penalty Backfill $21.1 Net Savings from Streamlining CalWORKs Participant Experience 18.0 IHSS Reinstates MediCal asset test limit $16.0 Shifts CFCO late penalty costs to counties 40.5 Funds for statewide collective bargaining 3.3 Child Welfare Emergency Child Care Bridge program reduction $30.0 FURS reduction 9.0 CWS CARES project increase 29.0 BH CONNECT implementation 13.0 Tiered Rate Structure automation and CANS support 11.0 One time augmentation for Bringing Families Home 81.0 One time augmentation for foster family agencies 23.0 Developing standardized mandated reporter curriculum 1.0 Food Assistance One time augmentation for CalFood $72.0 Strategies to reduce CalFresh error rate 27.6 Set asides for state and counties to implement upcoming federal CalFresh changes 35.0 Automation funding to enable upcoming federal CalFresh changes 3.2 CalFood diaper distribution 7.4 Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program extension 36.0 YMCA of Los Angeles food assistance and legal services 7.5 Other DSS One time augmentation for Holocaust survivors assistance program $14.5 One time augmentation for Home Safe 83.8 One time augmentation for HDAP 44.6 One time augmentation for CHIRP 10.0 One time augmentation for One California 15.0 Operational improvements a 75.0 Developmental Services Eliminate funding for regional centers to conduct internal implicit bias training $5.6 Eliminate funding for regional centers to assist consumers with Health and Safety Waiver applications 3.0 New requirements for spending in the Self Determination Program 22.5 Accelerate end of “hold harmless” in rate reform implementation 75.0 Porterville Developmental Center funding reduction 15.0 a As of this writing, whether these savings will be achieved is unclear as the administration’s recently signed contract with a consultant to achieve operational improvements does not appear to include DSS. Note: Child care programs are not included in this table. For more details regarding child care budget actions, please refer to the K12 Education Spending Plan section. CalWORKs = California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program; IHSS = In Home Supportive Services program; CFCO = Community First Choice Option; FURS = Family Urgent Response System; CWS CARES = Child Welfare Services California Automated Response and Engagement System; BH CONNECT = Behavioral Health Community Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment; CANS = Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths; DSS = Department of Social Services; HDAP = Housing and Disability Advocacy program; and CHIRP = Children’s Holistic Immigration Representation Project. 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