Health and Human Services

Impact of H.R. 1 on Access to Medical School and Student Debt

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February 23, 2026 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health

Overview of California’s Physician Residency Grant Programs

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February 23, 2026 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health

The 2026-27 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

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February 18, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor's proposed budget for food assistance programs, including CalFresh.

Overview of Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program Funding and Accountability

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February 18, 2026 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight

The 2026-27 Budget: CalWORKs

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February 18, 2026 - In this post, we provide an assessment of the Governor's proposed CalWORKs budget for 2026-27.

Key Impacts of H.R. 1 on Medi-Cal and CalFresh

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February 11, 2026 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review

Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

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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.

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services

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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.

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

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November 19, 2025 - This brief summarizes our annual outlook for General Fund spending on Medi-Cal.

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1—One Big Beautiful Bill Act on CalFresh

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November 13, 2025 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Human Services

Considering Medi-Cal in the Midst of a Changing Fiscal and Policy Landscape

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October 24, 2025 - We describe the changing fiscal and policy landscape for Medi-Cal resulting from Congressional enactment of H.R. 1 and the key issues facing the Legislature.

 See our companion infographic

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

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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.

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

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October 16, 2025 - This post summarizes spending on health programs in the 2025-26 spending plan.

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

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August 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight

Trends in CalWORKs: Participant Characteristics

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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.