Recovery advocates, clinicians and local officials asked the committee to preserve and expand prevention programs, fund peer‑run respites (7 additional sites requested) and annualize $1.3M for Elm City Compass, a New Haven clinician‑led crisis response integrated with 911.

Nonprofit providers, people with lived experience and local officials urged the Housing Committee to raise the governor's homelessness appropriation and to fund flexible prevention dollars, more rental assistance, and statewide staffing increases to meet a reported 44% rise in homelessness since 2021.

The California Conservation Corps asked the Assembly subcommittee for funding to add supervisory and relief staff so hand crews can meet a seven‑day, year‑round operational tempo with CAL FIRE; LAO and Department of Finance offered lower‑cost alternatives and trade‑offs.

The Child Youth and Family Advocate told the House Human Services committee that DCF’s contract with Abraxas for West River Haven — signed 12/16/2025 — raises accountability and safety questions after Pennsylvania regulators revoked the company’s license for related failures.

During a budget markup session, the Joint Fiscal Committee moved to fund several recovery‑oriented programs from opioid settlement and other sources, directed the Department of Health to use cannabis‑funded prevention dollars for multiple prevention requests, and asked staff to add sustainability language before final appropriation.