The Senate Finance Committee heard a request from the Department of Children, Youth and Families for additional funding tied to an ongoing remedial order known as Keviness. CYFD asked the Legislature for $72.5 million in further funding: $40.2 million recurring and $32.3 million nonrecurring. The nonrecurring portion includes a $20 million supplemental for the current fiscal year and $12.3 million to cover prior-year deficits.

What the request covers: Secretary Teresa and LFC analyst Rachel Garcia told senators the new funds would be used primarily to recruit and retain frontline staff, expand foster-family recruitment and increase data and reporting capacity required by the remedial order.

Key line items discussed

- Workforce: CYFD seeks funding for 50 case aids (support staff who handle administrative work and transportation), five regional emergency-response teams (25 new FTEs) and 13 new training FTEs to expand the child-welfare academy and regional trainers. The agency said those items relate directly to remedies ordered for staffing and response-time shortfalls.

- Foster care supports: CYFD requested funding for five placement-worker FTEs in high-need counties and additional supervisor capacity. The department proposed increasing foster-parent maintenance payments — in testimony the agency described plans to double certain monthly stipend amounts up to a cap — to improve recruitment and retention. Officials estimated a recurring budget effect in the $9.8–10.6 million range for stipend increases and accompanying FTE support.

- Data and reporting: The agency asked for additional staff and technical work to consolidate multiple legacy information systems, build dashboards, and provide performance-and-accountability monitoring tied to the remedial order. CYFD requested funding to hire data staff and contract support (RS21 was named in testimony) so the department can produce more timely compliance metrics.

Budget mechanics and federal funding: Committee members repeatedly pressed CYFD to explain the role federal draws and budget timing play in the shortfalls. CYFD officials said the agency previously budgeted and drew federal funds at higher levels and that the current gap between budgeted federal revenues and actual draws has contributed to the deficit. CYFD staff and LFC said the house budget funded some Kevin s-related items through the “GROW” (one-time/growth) process rather than in the base recurring budget, and the department wants some items moved to recurring funding.

Committee reaction and next steps: Senators asked for more granular figures and cross-agency impacts. Senator Padilla noted multiple CYFD bills under consideration in the session and asked whether the legislation’s costs are on top of the budget request; LFC said the bill-related impacts vary and some costs could be borne by other agencies. Senator Woods asked the agency for a clear estimate of outstanding legal liabilities; CYFD said some cases are settled while others are pending and that GSD typically manages settlements. Committee members asked for comparative foster-care-rate data and suggested the oversight office consider staged approaches before making a permanent rate change.

Ending: CYFD said it will continue working with LFC and the committee to refine requests and to provide more detailed analysis of federal funding draws, legal liabilities, and the impact of proposed foster-parent stipend changes. The request is subject to continued hearings and appropriations decisions later in the session.