Human Services

The 2026-27 spending plan provides around $41 billion from the General Fund for human services programs across ten state departments, councils, and commissions. This represents a net increase of more than $4 billion, or around 11.5 percent, compared to the revised prior-year spending level, as shown in Figure 1. More than $3 billion of the net increase is due to rate and caseload-driven spending increases for a few programs—most notably developmental services, In-Home Supportive Services, and child care. In addition, the significant increase (35 percent) for social services administration and automation reflects impacts of H.R. 1, which has resulted in the shift of some food assistance program costs from the federal government onto the state. The significant increase (29 percent) for California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids largely is due to technical adjustments and a decrease in the availability of federal funds from prior years.

Figure 2 shows some major human services policy changes adopted by the Legislature as part of the 2026-27 spending plan. These changes are discussed in more detail in the issue-specific links provided on this page.

Figure 1

Human Services Programs and Departments—Spending Trends

General Fund (Dollars in Millions)

	2025‑26	2026‑27	Change from 2025‑26 to 2026‑27
	2025‑26	2026‑27	Amount	Percent
Department of Social Services (DSS)
In‑Home Supportive Services	$11,436.3	$12,886.6	$1,450.3	12.7%
SSI/SSP	3,612.2	3,612.3	0.1	—
Child Care	4,566.6	5,082.6	516.0	11.3
County Administration/Automation	1,311.0	1,770.7	459.8	35.1
Child Welfare Services	1,132.9	1,175.1	42.2	3.7
CalWORKs	1,061.7	1,370.0	308.3	29.0
All other funding under DSS (including state support)	1,414.7	1,363.4	51.3	‑3.6
Subtotals	($24,535.4)	($27,260.7)	($2,725.3)	(11.1%)
Other Human Services
Department of Developmental Services	$11,921.0	$13,484.2	$1,563.2	13.1%
Department of Child Support Services	372.0	378.0	6.1	1.6
Department of Aging	197.6	183.4	14.2	‑7.2
Department of Rehabilitation	84.6	84.7	0.1	0.1
All other human services	1.8	2.7	1.0	56.2
Subtotals	($12,576.9)	($14,133.1)	($1,556.2)	(12.4%)
Totals	$37,112.3	$41,393.7	$4,281.4	11.5%
Note: DSS 2026‑27 total is adjusted for post‑June actions, including SB 113.
CalWORKs = California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids.

Figure 2

Major Actions—Human Services Programs

2026‑27 General Fund Effect (In Millions)

Spending Plan Action	Amount	One‑Time/ Temporary?	Ongoing?
Food Assistance
CalFresh county administration augmentation	$223.0	X
CalFood augmentation	110.0	X
Fruit and Vegetable Electronic Benefit Transfer Pilot extension	20.0	X
Diaper and wipe distribution augmentation	16.5	X
CalFresh outreach augmentation	14.0	X
Feeding San Diego	4.5	X
California Food Bank Delivery Alliance	3.0	X
Our Big Kitchen L.A.	2.5	X
Sova Community Food and Resource Program	1.9	X
CalFresh administration performance monitoring funding	1.7		X
Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission Food Distribution Program	1.5	X
Every Day Action	1.5	X
San Diego Food Bank	1.3	X
Food for Thought Food Bank	0.6	X
Child Welfare
Child protective services emergency response augmentation	$20.0	X
Bringing Families Home augmentation	15.0	X
Tribal foster care prevention initiative	2.2		X
Fostering the Future Accounts automation	1.1	X
Federal children’s savings accounts automation	1.0	X
Title IV‑E stipend program for social work students^a	0.0	X
IHSS
H.R. 1 Impacts to IHSS—Qualified Non‑Citizens	$ 25.5	X
CalWORKs
Housing Support Program augmentation	$10.0	X
Other DSS
Home Safe augmentation	$ 50.0	X
One California immigration services funding	39.5	X
Stop the Hate Program	30.0	X
Housing and Disabilities Advocacy Program augmentation	25.0	X
Children’s Holistic Immigration Representation Project (CHIRP)	15.0	X
Enhanced Services for Asylees and Vulnerable Noncitizens (ESAVN)	12.0	X
Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program^b	12.0	X
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)	12.0	X
Mixteco/Indigena Community Organization Project	10.0	X
Immigration legal fellowship	7.5	X
Outreach for immigration‑related services to underserved populations	5.0	X
Access to Counsel Pilot Project	5.0	X
Centro La Familia for immigrant support services	3.0	X
Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice	3.0	X
Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey	2.0	X
Catholic Charities of San Diego	1.0	X
Immigrant Action Network	0.8	X
Ashes to Beauty	0.8	X
San Bernardino Community Service Center	0.6	X
Immigrant Rights & Education Network	0.5	X
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation	0.5	X
Developmental Services
Life Outcomes Improvement System (LOIS) IT project planning	$5.7	X
Federal Access Rule implementation resources (headquarters and regional centers)	2.9		X
Rate increase for center‑based Early Start services	12.4		X
^aTitle IV‑E stipend program for social work students received $22.9 million in workforce development funding via the Department of Health Care Access and Information. ^bThe 2026‑27 spending plan includes $12 million in 2026‑27, $12 million in 2027‑28, and $12 million in 2028‑29 for the Holocaust Survivors Assistance Program
Notes: Budget includes a stricter Medi‑Cal asset limit for seniors and disabled adults resulting in a reduction of estimated IHSS costs of $113 million in 2027‑28 increasing to $153 million in 2029‑30 and ongoing. Child care programs are not included in this table. For more details regarding child care budget actions, please refer to the K12 Education Spending Plan section.
DSS = Department of Social Services; CalWORKs = California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program; and I_HSS = In‑Home Supportive Services program.

Department of Developmental Services »