RI Coalition for Children and Families seeks budget boosts in McKee's spending plan

The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families wants to see more money for child safety, behavioral health, homelessness and poverty in Gov. Dan McKee's next budget.

The group, which represents 44 organizations serving children and families, unveiled its Fiscal Year 2025 budget priorities at the State House on Thursday.

Here's what the coalition wants.

More funding for re-procurement of DCYF's community services contract

The coalition warned that McKee's proposed budget has a "significant shortfall" of funds to procure community services for the state's Department of Children, Youth & Families. Those services may include counseling, therapy, parental support, visitation and other resources.

The coalition said wage supports helped providers during the pandemic, but those supports are due to expire soon and more funding will be needed.

"It’s unclear how much money is in the governor’s proposed budget for DCYF contract procurement, but it appears to RICCF like it’s been level funded from last year at $7M," coalition spokesman Ben Smith said in an email. "RICCF anticipates they’ll need at least $20M-$30M more."

Boost family incomes via state child tax credit

Increasing family incomes will require passing a state-level child tax credit, the coalition says. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 15 states already have those credits. That includes Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.

Though Rhode Island isn't among them, McKee's Fiscal Year 2023 budget offered families a tax rebate of $250 per qualifying child. Rebates were capped at $750 total.

Invest to alleviate children's behavioral-health crisis

"Rhode Island children and families are facing increasingly severe mental-health and substance-use challenges," the coalition said. Overall, drug-overdose deaths in the state have increased since 2014, although they declined by more than 20% from 2022 to 2023. (A chunk of the 337 reported overdose deaths for 2023 remain unconfirmed.)

The coalition also raised concerns about the correlation between childhood-poverty and mental-health issues. According to Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, impoverished children are up to three times more likely to face mental-health conditions than others.

To alleviate the crisis, the coalition is urging full funding for Medicaid rate increases recommended last year by the state's Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner. The coalition also wants to see adequate funding for DCYF's behavioral health services and the state's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic initiative.

Otherwise known as CCBHCs, these clinics operate in most states, offering behavioral health and substance abuse help.

In 2023, Rhode Island was one of 15 states to receive a $1-million federal planning grant that may prepare it for a Medicaid demonstration program. This year, 10 states will be selected for that program, which allows clinics to test out care delivery and be reimbursed through Medicaid.

Stop homelessness with rent relief, shelter and support

The coalition said it wants "direct rental assistance, sufficient year-round family and youth shelter placements with targeted support services, and an increase" to McKee's proposed housing bond.

McKee announced the $100-million bond in January. His office said it would boost "affordable and middle-income housing production and infrastructure, supporting community revitalization and promoting home ownership."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI child safety, behavioral health, homelessness, poverty need more money, group says