BUDGET | FROM PAGE 8 bor and economic development programs that provide opportunities for the Commonwealth’s workers and its businesses. The House maintains its support for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Partnership with an investment of $2M – funding which has helped many Massachusetts manufactures retrofit their businesses into the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) market. Other investments include: ● $50M for economic development, including $15M for the local Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), $15M for community development financial institutions, $10M for matching grants for capital investments by small businesses and $6M for small business technical assistance grants ● $46M for Adult Basic Education Services ● $19M for summer jobs for at-risk youths ● $7M for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund ● $2.5M in Urban Agenda Grants ● $1.4M for small business development The House budget continues its ongoing commitment LEWIS | FROM PAGE 5 cludes provisions such as accelerated sales tax collection and a new fee structure for Transportation Network Companies. The budget avoids drastic budget cuts while leaving the Commonwealth in a sound fiscal position moving forward. Additional education investments include: ● $5.283 billion for Chapter 70 education funding ● $345 million (M) for the Special Education Circuit Breaker ● $115M to reimburse public school districts for costs incurred when students leave to attend charter schools ● $82.2M to reimburse school districts for regional school transportation costs ● $560.4M for the University of Massachusetts, $308M for the 15 community colleges, $285.5M for the nine state universities and $2M for grants offered through the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative to support high school students with intellectual disabilities ages 18– 22 with access to higher education opportunities ● $40M for a new reserve to cover parent fees for families receiving subsidized childcare for the remainder of FY 21 ● $25M for a new Early Education and Care Workforce and COVID-19 Supports Reserve to provide classroom stabilizato high-quality Early Education and Care (EEC) and supporting the EEC workforce. The budget invests in those who work with children by increasing rates for early education providers by $20M and supporting continuing education opportunities with community colleges. The House budget also includes the following EEC investments and initiatives: ● $15M for Head Start grants ● $10M for sliding scale fee reserve for childcare subsidies ● $10M for EEC Workforce Higher Education Opportunities ● $2.5M in early childhood mental health grants ● $11M for child care resource and referral agencies ● Establishes the Early Education and Care Economic Review Commission to review childcare funding and make recommendations on policy changes to expand access The House budget continues to dedicate substantial resources toward supporting public higher education and increases scholarship funding for students. These investments include: ● $284M for state universities ● $305M for community colleges tion grants, incentive pay for providers and support for increased operational costs due to COVID-19 ● $15M for grants to the Head Start program to maintain access to early education services for low-income families ● $5M for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative to expand access to preschool in underserved areas ● $6.4M for Youth-At-Risk Matching grants, including support for YWCAs, YMCAs and Boys & Girls Clubs ● $3.0M for Rural School Aid ● $1.5M for the Civics Education Trust Fund Additional health investments include: ● $500.3M for Adult Support Services, including assisted outpatient programming and comprehensive care coordination among health care providers ● $163.6M for a range of substance abuse treatment and intervention services ● $94.5M for children’s mental health services ● $45.2M for domestic violence–prevention services ● $35.4M for early intervention services, to ensure supports are accessible and available to infants and young toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities ● $20M for funding to support expanded access to mental health services, including THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Wednesday, November 25, 2020 ● $560M for the University of Massachusetts system ● $120M in scholarship funding ● $4.8M for the STEM Starter Academy, to support underrepresented students in STEM fields at community colleges MassHealth – this fiscal year funded at $19 billion – is the largest investment the Commonwealth makes in its most vulnerable residents, including the working poor and the homeless. In response to the threats to reproductive rights for women on the national level, House also voted to remove barriers to women’s reproductive health options and protect the concepts enshrined in Roe v. Wade. The budget also invests in critical health and human services agencies and providers, including: ● $307M for the Department of Children and Families for social workers, family support and stabilization, and foster care and adopted fee waivers ● $30M in emergency food assistance ● $13M for the Healthy Incentives Program Keeping in mind those affected by domestic violence, the House budget establishes $10M for the Behavioral Health, Outreach, Access and Support Trust Fund and $10M for a new inpatient mental health acute care beds grant program to expand access to critical mental health services ● $17.5M for Family Resource Centers to meet increased demand for services ● $10M for grants to support local boards of health to combat COVID-19 ● $2.5M for a new matching funds grant program to assist communities making public health–oriented adjustments to their public safety systems, including targeted reforms, such as jail diversion programs, de-escalation training and professionals, and behavioral health staffing and supports ● $1.7M for the State Action for Public Health Excellence (SAPHE) program to support a more effective local and regional public health delivery system ● $1M for a COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan program, focused on equitable vaccine distribution In addition to these health care investments, the Senate’s budget takes meaningful steps to expand access to care. It includes provisions that prohibit insurers from denying coverage for mental health services and primary care services solely because they were delivered on the same day in the same facility. This important meaPage 15 a grant program to provide domestic violence advocate services across the state to connect survivors with essential services. In order to support programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the House budget increases funding for developmental services to $2.1 billion and includes $264M for community day and work programs across the Commonwealth. The House budget also includes the following investments: ● $236M for state-operated residential services ● $78M for family respite services ● $39M for autism omnibus services The budget furthers the House’s ongoing commitment to fight the opioid epidemic. To provide assistance to those who are battling substance addiction, the budget increased funding for the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services to $162M while offering continued support for step-down recovery services, jail diversion programs, and expansion of access to life-saving medication. The House budget includes funding for the judiciary and ongoing criminal justice reform, sure will remove a significant financial barrier to the integration of primary care and mental health. The budget, through the amendment process, also includes provisions that further expand reproductive health care options. The Senate is committed to building an equitable recovery while dismantling the systemic barriers that exist in society. To that end, the Senate’s budget creates and invests in programs to educate, train and prepare Massachusetts workers. Opportunity investments include: ● $46.4M for a new Economic Planning and Response Program, including grants and loans to small businesses, small business technical assistance and capital improvement supports ● $40.6M for adult basic education services to improve access to skills necessary to join the workforce ● $20M for summer jobs and work-readiness training for atrisk youths ● $15M for a Community Empowerment and Reinvestment grant program to provide economic supports to communities disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system ● $10M for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund to connect unemployed and under-employed workers with higher paying jobs including a $761M investment in the trail court and $20M for criminal just reform implementation. The budget also includes: ● $29M for civil legal aid to provide representation for low-income individuals via the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation ● $9.6M for a new, community-based reentry program ● $4M for a pre- and post-release services grant program The House calls for $302M in spending for environmental programs, which aim protect the Commonwealth’s natural resources. These investments include: ● $50M for state parks and recreation ● $40M for the Department of Environmental Protection ● $16M for fisheries and wildlife protection ● $8.1M for agricultural resources ● $2.1M for ecological restoration ● $500,000 for the Commonwealth’s endangered species program On November 12 the House passed the FY21 budget, 14314. On November 18 the Senate passed its version of the budget, 39-0. ● $6M for Regional Economic Development Organizations to support economic growth in all regions of the state ● $5M for Community Foundations to provide emergency economic relief to historically underserved populations across the Commonwealth ● $3M for the Secure Jobs Connect program, providing job placement resources and assistance for homeless individuals ● $2M for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership Access to affordable housing, which has taken on new urgency for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a key Senate priority for recovery. The Senate’s budget recognizes the crucial importance of housing to the Commonwealth’s recovery efforts and invests over $540M in housing stability programs to support many families, tenants and property owners in this time of crisis. Housing investments include: ● $180.7M for Emergency Assistance Family Shelters ● $135M for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) ● $50M for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, as well as emergency changes to the RAFT program to increase the LEWIS | SEE PAGE 16
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