DSHS submitted its 2010 Supplemental Budget Request to the Office of Financial Management on Friday October 23. The proposed budget is the result of the Department's work to identify ways to reduce our costs and also identify what resources we need to assist the increasing number of people who are coming to us for help.
The proposed budget includes funds to cover increasing caseloads as well as options for saving 2 percent of our original appropriation amount. The reductions come from both changes to our administrative practices as well as some difficult changes in our service levels.
In the next few weeks, the Governor will review the proposals that we and other state agencies have submitted. In early December the Governor will submit her proposed 2010 Supplemental Budget to the Legislature. After enactment by the Legislature in the spring of 2010, we will know the amount of resources that we will have for services to families, children, elders and people with disabilities in Washington.
The 2010 Supplemental Budget request reflects the size and makeup of DSHS. The Health and Recovery Services Administration continues to be the largest portion of the DSHS budget with $11.3 billion and 55 percent of the Department's total biennial budget. Included in HRSA is the Medical Assistance Program, Mental Health Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment, State Hospitals, and Disability Determination Services.
The next largest portion of the DSHS budget is the Aging and Disabilities Services Administration with $5.0 billion and 24 percent of the DSHS biennial budget. ADSA services include Residential Habilitation Centers for developmentally disabled clients, Nursing Home Services, Residential, Employment, and Home and Community Services for elderly and disabled people.
Economic Services Administration is the third largest part of DSHS with $2.4 billion and 12 percent of the Department's budget. ESA provides cash assistance, work training, child care, and child support collections to needy children and disabled adults.
Children's Administration is 6 percent of the DSHS budget with $1.1 billion and Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration is 1.1 percent with $223 million. The Children's Administration provides services to abused and neglected children and their families with the goal of achieving safety, permanency and well-being for the children as quickly as possible. The Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration provides institutional care and parole programs for youth who have been convicted of crimes with the goal of rehabilitation and safe and constructive re-integration into their communities.
Of the $303.9 million DSHS will spend on administration, $187.2 million, or 62 percent, of it is spent for professional services provided by other state agencies, such as the Department of Personnel, the Attorney General and the State Auditor. The remaining $116.7 million spent for departmental administrative functions is less than one half of one percent of the DSHS biennial budget. The functions supported by this amount include contracts management, internal audit, accounting, federal funds claiming and cost allocation, personnel, back ground checks, budget, legislative relations and other management services.
Most DSHS funds go directly to clients or to local vendors serving clients
Four of five DSHS dollars go directly to clients (e.g. grants or short-term cash assistance for utilities, food, or clothing) or to community-based businesses, vendors and partners who are serving those clients. Vendor services funded by DSHS include hospitals, medical networks, mental health specialists, dentists, residential treatment centers, alcohol-drug treatment providers, employment counselors, and others.
The remaining fifth of the DSHS budget is divided between staff costs - direct service, institutional, administrative - (13%) and all other costs (6%).
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