The Massachusetts State Senate debated the Senate Ways and Means Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget proposal during the week of May 18. There were over 1,100 amendments filed; The Arc of Massachusetts prioritized six amendments. We also tracked nearly 30 other amendments.
As the budget has moved through its process from the Governor to the House and finally to the Senate, we have seen the overall theme of caution. Largely due to federal cuts over the next decade, states across the country, including Massachusetts, will be in tough financial positions. This will be an area of continued advocacy in the years to come, to ensure that we are protecting the services that matter most to our community.
There were exciting wins in the Senate budget debate. We are thrilled to share that we were successful in passing our amendment to increase funding for the DESE-DDS Residential Placement Prevention Program! This $1.2 million amendment is a crucial way to support more families who are in need of this program’s substantial supports. Thank you to Senator Robyn Kennedy for filing this amendment and to Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues for prioritizing it!
We were also able to secure $100,000 to provide additional workforce training funds to staff serving adults with autism and complex behavioral needs. This will continue our successful pilot initiative series, to provide the workforce with more tools and tangible training to be able to better support those with complex, challenging behaviors. Thank you to Senator John Keenan for your leadership on this ongoing initiative!
While the budget overall this year is tight, these amendments are important wins that show the state’s commitment to our community. Thank you to our amendment sponsors and cosponsors, our Government Affairs team, and the over 740 people who completed our action alert and wrote to their Senator.
Now that both the House and Senate have completed their budget debates, these two versions of the budget head to a Conference Committee where they will be negotiated. We will need your help to advocate to make sure that our priorities are included in the final budget – so please stay tuned on how to advocate for the programs above, Operation House Call, and more.
As a reminder, the Senate Ways and Means budget also included crucial language from our Turning 22 bill, to create a stakeholder commission to improve the transition process. This will also be a priority in the Conference Committee process.
We look forward to continuing to advocate alongside you!
