January 17, 2024

While we continue to sort through executive budget bills, we wanted to share the Medicaid Scorecard.  The Scorecard is put out by the Division of Budget (DOB).  It tracks Medicaid-related budget proposals, and (for each proposal) shows savings the state would realize with implementation, or spending required to implement the provision.  The Scorecard is a helpful tool for budget analysts who want to dig beyond the language in the budget documents and go to the actual numbers associated with each proposal.  When the Assembly and the Senate issue their one-house budget bills, we will add the cost/savings of their Medicaid proposals and other information to this chart. 

OMH:  Children’s Budget Proposals

The Press Release and Budget Book issued before the Budget came out discuss a total of $45M in new investments for children’s mental health needs.  Our list (below) gets us close to that number.  Here’s what we see (this information is subject to change): 

• $4M set aside for student loans for practitioners working in children’s MH settings
• $9.6M 12 new Youth ACT
• $2M Youth Peer and Mental Health First Aid initiatives
• $2.8M:  Includes 25% increase for children’s Partial Hospital Program (did not get the 25% increase last year as did CFTSS and children’s residential services rec’d last budget cycle) and expands the Program.  It is unclear whether the state is equating the children’s day treatment program with the children’s Partial Hospital Program – we are checking.
• $1.7M for 0-6 mental health initiative
• $24M 15 community residence kids beds 

In case you missed it:  You can view the Governor’s Executive Budget address here:https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1747281579422908418?oref=csny_albanyagenda_nl