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March 18, 2026 - In this brief, we analyze and provide background on the primary cost drivers of the In-home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, describe and analyze the Governor’s budget proposals related to IHSS, and provide additional considerations and questions for the Legislature to ask regarding the Governor’s proposals.
March 11, 2026 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
March 6, 2026 - In this brief, we provide background on affordable housing and affordable housing funding programs, describe and analyze the Governor’s budget proposals related to affordable housing funding, and provide recommendations to the Legislature.
March 3, 2026 - For 2026-27, the Governor’s budget proposes $3.6 billion from the General Fund for the state’s share of SSI/SSP—an increase of $94 million (2.7 percent) from the Governor’s revised 2025-26 budget estimate. This increase would bring total program funding to $11.5 billion ($3.6 billion from the General Fund and $7.9 billion federal funds) in 2026-27. We note that while the year-over-year change in General Fund costs for the program is relatively flat, it is increasing slightly despite the fact that caseload is expected to decline and the average state cost for grants is remaining flat. We have been informed by the administration that this is due to a technical adjustment to the current year and we discuss this at a high level in this post.
March 3, 2026 - California’s children and family programs include an array of services to protect children from abuse and neglect and to keep families safely together when possible. This analysis outlines the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget for child welfare and foster care programs under the Department of Social Services (DSS), and raises questions and issues for the Legislature to consider.
February 18, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor's proposed budget for food assistance programs, including CalFresh.
February 18, 2026 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
February 18, 2026 - In this post, we provide an assessment of the Governor's proposed CalWORKs budget for 2026-27.
January 28, 2026 - This report discusses ongoing implementation of California’s Family First Prevention Services program since 2021-22. The report provides background regarding California’s child welfare system and how it is funded, describes the Department of Social Services’ progress in developing and overseeing the state’s new child welfare prevention services program, describes counties’ plans for implementing child welfare prevention services at the local level—as well as some challenges they have faced—and provides some considerations and options for the Legislature moving forward.
November 21, 2025 - The 2025-26 spending plan provides around $38 billion from the General Fund for human services programs across ten state departments, councils, and commissions.
October 16, 2025 - This post discusses features of the state's spending plan that were not covered elsewhere in the 2025-26 Spending Plan series.
August 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
June 16, 2025 - This report is the first of a three-part series focused on trends in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Each part of the series focuses on an area of the program, beginning with this report on participant characteristics. The series provides an overview of the major changes to CalWORKs in recent decades and highlights key issues for Legislators to consider when making CalWORKs policy and budget decisions.
April 29, 2025 - This post discusses a new process introduced by the administration to plan, develop, and implement generative artificial intelligence projects—the Project Delivery Lifecycle—and its potential impacts on legislative oversight of technology projects.