TCP Response to Gov. Newsom’s Proposed 2025-26 Budget

TCP Response to Gov. Newsom’s Proposed 2025-26 Budget
Friday, January 10, 2025

Today Gov. Newsom released his 2025-26 California budget proposal. The January budget proposal maintains the commitments outlined in last year’s budget, but misses the chance to further support the well-being of children and families. The Children’s Partnership appreciates the Governor for preserving many critical programs serving California families. We call on our leaders to build up these protections and do more to ensure every California child and family, regardless of income, color or background, can lead a healthy life.

“A state’s budget is a reflection of its values. In a time of great uncertainty for so many, California can show how important state and local action is to help us advance as a nation. California’s children – three out of four are children of color, and half are part of an immigrant family – are direct beneficiaries of the state’s commitment to our diverse, resilient and immigrant-rich communities. By making child health and well-being the priority in our policies and investments, California will support the healthy development of our children – our collective future. Nothing could be more important.”
– Mayra E. Alvarez, President of The Children’s Partnership

With a hostile federal administration, protections for immigrant, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized Californians will be eroded. These threats will come into greater focus in the coming months. The Governor and legislative leaders should be on high alert and prepared to respond rapidly to defend our principles. 

TCP continues to applaud our state’s decisions to expand Medi-Cal, including last year’s eligibility extension to adults regardless of immigration status. However, we must do more to show California’s leadership and commitment to health care for all, putting our money where our mouth is. Policy is toothless without funding behind it.

This is most evident in the lack of funding for continuous Medi-Cal coverage for children ages 0-5. Continuous coverage is a policy passed by the Legislature in 2022 but not funded until 2024 – with the caveat that the funds remained earmarked only if Proposition 35 failed. Since voters approved Prop. 35 this past November, funds for continuous coverage – and other programs and policies, including a thriving wage for community health workers – have now been reabsorbed by the state’s general fund and promised to other areas.

TCP will continue to champion continuous Medi-Cal coverage for children ages 0-5 and other policies, programs and rate increases that support the health and well-being of children of color and their families. Together with our partners, we are committed to advancing health equity for all children.

California should now seize the moment and lead the way in fostering an environment that creates opportunity for all. We can do this by:

• Reinvesting in continuous Medi-Cal coverage for young children, and additional pandemic-era Medi-Cal eligibility flexibilities that are set to expire in June 2025, to safeguard health care access for our youngest Californians
• Funding a thriving wage rate increase for community health workers, promotores and representatives, who serve as crucial connectors to many of our harder-to-reach communities
• Reauthorizing investment in the ACEs Aware program, which is set to expire in March 2025, to make sure children and youth are effectively screened for adverse childhood experiences and provided trauma-responsive, community-based interventions and support
• Allocating resources to support the production and preservation of affordable housing and supports for housing-insecure and unhoused Californians, so that local jurisdictions can deliver on their responsibilities to help low-income tenants and homeowners find and maintain stable housing

The choices we make in our state budget must reflect our vision for healthy children, strong families, and safe, welcoming communities. In the face of looming federal threats, California can lead the way. We will protect our children’s health and expand our work to make sure all families are included in California’s strong and vibrant economy.