Staff
Mark Newton
(916) 319-8323
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Health, Developmental Services, and Technology
Jason Constantouros
(916) 319-8322
Medi-Cal/Managed Care/Family Health/Health Care Affordability and Workforce Development
Brian Metzker
(916) 319-8354
Privacy, Security, and Technology
Ryan Miller
(916) 319-8356
Medi-Cal/Behavioral Health/Covered California/CalHHS Agency Issues
Angela Short
(916) 319-8309
Child Welfare, Child Support, Community Services and Development, Community Care Licensing, CalSTRS
Karina Hendren
(916) 319-8352
Medi-Cal/Long-Term Care/Developmental Services
Will Owens
(916) 319-8341
Public Health/Behavioral Health/State Hospitals
Sonia Schrager Russo
(916) 319-8361
CalWORKs/CalFresh
Juwan Trotter
(916) 319-8358
In-Home Supportive Services/Aging Programs
Ginni Bella Navarre
(916) 319-8342
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Human Services and Governance


Publications

Health and Human Services

To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.



Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: Child Care

April 15, 2024 - This brief analyzes key 2024-25 Governor’s budget proposals related to various child care and development programs administered by the Department of Social Services.


Handout

Update: Racial and Ethnic Disproportionalities and Disparities in California’s Child Welfare System

April 3, 2024 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Department of Social Services Immigration and Equity Programs

March 15, 2024 - In this post, we provide an overview of the Governor's 2024-25 budget proposals for certain immigration and equity programs at the Department of Social Services.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Overview of the Federal Fiscal Responsibility Act's Impacts on CalWORKs

March 5, 2024 - In this post, we provide background on the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, information on the upcoming federal changes and how they are likely to impact the CalWORKs program, and comments and questions for the Legislature to consider as it determines if and how to respond to the federal changes.


Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: CalWORKs

March 4, 2024 - In this brief, we provide background on the CalWORKs program followed by an overview and assessment of the Governor’s California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) budget proposals, which include a number of budget solutions. In addition, the brief provides issues for consideration to help the Legislature evaluate the administration’s proposals in the current year, budget year, and beyond.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

February 29, 2024 - In this post, we provide some background on the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, an overview of the Governor's 2024-25 budget proposals and assumptions for IHSS, and offer relevant issues for legislative consideration.


Handout

Overview of Major Federal and State Broadband Programs and Projects

February 28, 2024 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Child Support

February 27, 2024 - This post provides a general overview of the Governor’s budget for the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), then turns to focus on a few key DCSS budget areas, providing background, implementation updates, and some comments for the Legislature to consider. Specifically, the budget areas we focus on in this post are: (1) the passthrough of child support collections to former California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids families, (2) foster care referrals and enforcement, (3) local child support agency funding methodology, and (4) proposed budget language related to overpayments disbursed from the Child Support Trust Fund.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Department of Health Care Access and Information

February 27, 2024 - This post provides an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for the Department of Health Care Access and Information, analyzes proposals around health care workforce programs, and provides an implementation update to two recently enacted hospital relief programs.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Child Welfare

February 26, 2024 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposals relating to child welfare and foster care programs, which include a number of budget solutions. In addition, the post provides comments and questions to help the Legislature weigh in regarding the administration’s proposal for the statutorily required new foster care rates structure.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

February 16, 2024 - This post provides background and caseload trend updates for the state’s major food assistance programs--CalFresh and the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)--and analyzes the Governor’s proposed food assistance budget, which includes no major new proposals.


Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

February 14, 2024 - This brief provides an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for Medi-Cal; describes key trends in Medi-Cal caseload; and analyzes proposals around the managed care organization tax, provider payment increases, and other budget solutions.


Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

February 13, 2024 - This brief provides an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for the Department of Developmental Services and analyzes proposals to delay service provider rate reform and create a new Master Plan for Developmental Services. We then raise oversight issues for legislative consideration.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

February 8, 2024 - In this post, we provide some background on the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program, followed by an overview of the Governor's 2024-25 budget proposals and assumptions for SSI/SSP.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

December 7, 2023 - This post provides our annual fiscal outlook for General Fund spending in Medi-Cal. It summarizes our projections, describes the major factors driving our projections, and highlights key uncertainties.