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Mission Statement

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) assures delivery of a full array of services to address the somatic and behavioral health, economic and housing security, and other emergent needs of Montgomery County residents. To achieve this, the Department (directly and/or via a network of community partners) develops and implements policies, procedures, programs, and services that: 1) offer customer-focused direct care and supports; 2) maximize financial and staffing resources to deliver services through effective management, coordination, and pursuit of strategic funding opportunities; 3) pilot and evaluate innovative approaches to service delivery and systems integration; and 4) develop, enhance, and maintain a broad network of community-based organizations, public agencies, and private entities to promote and sustain partnerships which increase the availability of needed services.

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Budget Overview

The total approved FY24 Operating Budget for the Department of Health and Human Services is $476,410,072, an increase of $41,284,406 or 9.49 percent from the FY23 Approved Budget of $435,125,666. Personnel Costs comprise 46.89 percent of the budget for 1,722 full-time position(s) and 319 part-time position(s), and a total of 1,948.48 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 53.11 percent of the FY24 budget.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

  • Thriving Youth and Families
  • A Greener County
  • An Affordable, Welcoming County for a Lifetime
  • Safe Neighborhoods
  • Effective, Sustainable Government

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Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY23 estimates reflect funding based on the FY23 approved budget. The FY24 and FY25 figures are performance targets based on the FY24 approved budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY25.

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Initiatives

  • Provide American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding of $6,450,000 to continue the Food Staples Program, as needed, in FY24.
  • Provide one-time funding of $1,730,000 for COVID response readiness and $770,000 for COVID sheltering in hotels for isolation of COVID positive or exposed people who are experiencing homelessness.
  • Increase support for the minority health programs that provide effective, culturally and linguistically appropriate services to improve health outcomes and alleviate health disparities. Increases are $800,000 for the African American Health Program, $1,000,000 for the Black Physicians Health Network, $952,545 for the Latino Health Initiative, and $775,000 for the Asian American Health Initiative.
  • Provide $570,575 in funding to expand the State's Autism Waiver Program in the County and to meet increased demands for the program.
  • Add $595,069 in funding for a Linkages to Learning and School Based Health Center at Southlake Elementary School.
  • Add $1,700,000 to the Housing Initiative Program and $300,000 to the Permanent Supportive Housing Program to avoid reduction in service due to increasing rental prices throughout the County.
  • Continue services previously funded by Federal funds, including $3,000,000 for the Service Consolidation Hubs, $1,719,438 in Eviction Prevention, and $711,891 for a Mobile Health Clinic.
  • Commit $2,000,000 to enhance the Montgomery Cares clinic reimbursement rate. This enhancement is expected to cover a greater share of the cost of care than in recent years. Upon Council approval of this enhanced funding amount, DHHS will analyze post-pandemic encounter projections to identify a sustainable per-encounter reimbursement rate within fiscal constraints.
  • Support individuals with developmental disabilities by creating a Developmental Disability Advisory Council and increasing the Developmental Disability Supplement Program by 4%.

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Innovations and Productivity Improvements

  • The Services to End and Prevent Homelessness (SEPH) Service Area utiliized an online application system for its COVID Rental Relief and emergency Rental Assistance Program (CRR/eRAP). Subsequent to retiring the existing UNQORK application, which was being used for the Rental Assistance Program, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) adopted the Prince Georges County application, modified it to suit Montgomery County's business flow, and integrated it into existing DHHS and County Information Technology (IT) systems. Supplemental processes were also developed to facilitate:

    • Funds being provided to WSSC Water for the delinquent accounts of County residents based on information provided from WSSC; and
    • Batch e-mail notification of County residents about the status of their applications, and/or the need to complete and submit their applications before the deadline expires.

  • In response to stakeholder requests, DHHS' IT team entered into a contract to provide electronic Fax (eFax) services. Now that Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) has completed the transition of County phone service to Verizon, DHHS is planning the next step of implementing the service throughout the Department.
  • DHHS' Behavioral Health Crisis Center's antiquated phone system was negatively impacting its ability to handle community calls. DHHS' IT is working closely with TEBS and the County Executive's Office to transition the Crisis Center and other DHHS Call Centers to the new Avaya Cloud Hosted phone system.
  • QLESS is a lobby management system that was implemented in DHHS' heavily trafficked locations in 2017. The initial implementation focused on only serving some programs at some locations. Based on the success of this system in helping programs manage their lobbies, the Department has been expanding to additional locations and programs with the Takoma-East Silver Spring (TESS) Community Action Center being DHHS' recent implementation in FY23. The Department also implemented the virtual queuing feature of the system to expand the way the Department triages clients since the COVID pandemic where customers are no longer physically entering DHHS' space but still need the Department's services. The Department is looking to expand to other locations in FY24 as learning from product implementation has revolutionized how it serves customers, including: tracking service request volumes; helping supervisors manage resources to meet demand; enabling individuals to view their place in a queue for services; and working with MC311 to queue individuals requesting Office of Eligibility and Support Services (OESS) assistance.

  • The DHHS Community Connect Application works to improve the client experience and increase Case Worker efficiency. The Community Connect Application reduces the number of clients that need to physically enter DHHS offices by moving many client transactions to a digital portal. The Community Connect Application allows a client to access the portal 24/7; electronically update their records; track the status of their applications; and easily apply and screen for DHHS services they may be eligible for. With the Community Connect Application, Case Workers can upload documents directly from a client's application to the case management portal. Case Workers will be able to spend less time gathering application data through back-and-forth communication and manually entering information into the application.

    In the second phase of this project, DHHS is implementing additional features that will allow residents to apply for major County programs, including Working Parents Assistance, County Health Programs such as Montgomery Cares, Care for Kids, Senior Dental, and the Rental Assistance Program. Phase II will also provide Bilingual Spanish access, visible status updates to customers on their application processing, and virtual assistance while the customer is using the portal.

Budget Trends
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Program Contacts

Contact Jason Rundell of the Department of Health and Human Services at 240.777.1685 or Deborah Lambert of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2794 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY22
Budget
FY23
Estimate
FY23
Approved
FY24
%Chg
Bud/App
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages101702705.00119114512.00 109230887.00 127560972.007.1
Employee Benefits31440721.0034440739.00 31894295.00 38029293.0010.4
County General Fund Personnel Costs133143426.00153555251.00 141125182.00 165590265.007.8
Operating Expenses217601938.00178552199.00 216748409.00 191492843.007.3
County General Fund Expenditures350745364.00332107450.00 357873591.00 357083108.007.5
PERSONNEL
Full-Time977.001043.00 1043.00 1108.006.2
Part-Time303.00305.00 305.00 289.00-5.3
FTEs1305.531390.25 1390.25 1449.944.3
REVENUES
Health Inspection: Restaurants1856650.001870520.00 1870520.00 1870520.000.0
Health Inspections: Living Facilities267831.00236815.00 236815.00 236815.000.0
Health Inspections: Swimming Pools582845.00577400.00 577400.00 577400.000.0
Marriage Licenses228915.00246960.00 246960.00 246960.000.0
Other Licenses/Permits117783.00111360.00 111360.00 111360.000.0
Health and Human Services Fees1521232.001265497.00 1327628.00 1647119.0030.2
Core Health Services Funding2850513.004842257.00 5171831.00 5171831.006.8
Federal Financial Participation Reimbursements17614935.0016188044.00 16744288.00 16727916.003.3
Medicaid/Medicare Reimbursement1393286.001296401.00 1310723.00 2336505.0080.2
Other Intergovernmental5360334.005205004.00 5677080.00 5752410.0010.5
Nursing Home Reimbursement55236.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Other Charges/Fees1528999.002377100.00 2377100.00 2377100.000.0
Other Fines/Forfeitures14625.0010450.00 10450.00 10450.000.0
County General Fund Revenues33393184.0034227808.00 35662155.00 37066386.008.3
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages40108534.0039667328.00 39667328.00 43512004.009.7
Employee Benefits12448865.0012675122.00 12675122.00 14295317.0012.8
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs52557399.0052342450.00 52342450.00 57807321.0010.4
Operating Expenses120809085.0050675766.00 50675766.00 61519643.0021.4
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures173366484.00103018216.00 103018216.00 119326964.0015.8
PERSONNEL
Full-Time570.00580.00 580.00 614.005.9
Part-Time30.0030.00 30.00 30.000.0
FTEs465.09466.41 466.41 498.546.9
REVENUES
Other Charges/Fees434952.00462574.00 462574.00 0.00-100.0
Federal Grants110802692.0032942382.00 32942382.00 34153544.003.7
HB669 Social Services State Reimbursement41297564.0041271837.00 41271837.00 42188713.002.2
State Grants21390403.0021102548.00 21102548.00 22517875.006.7
Miscellaneous Revenues835910.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
American Rescue Plan Act0.007238875.00 7238875.00 20466832.00182.7
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues174761521.00103018216.00 103018216.00 119326964.0015.8
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures524111848.00435125666.00 460891807.00 476410072.009.5
Total Full-Time Positions1547.001623.00 1623.00 1722.006.1
Total Part-Time Positions333.00335.00 335.00 319.00-4.8
Total FTEs1770.621856.66 1856.66 1948.484.9
Total Revenues208154705.00137246024.00 138680371.00 156393350.0014.0
FY24 Approved Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
FY23 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION3321074501390.25
Changes (with service impacts)
Add: One-Time Funding for COVID Response Readiness [Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response Program]17300000.00
Enhance: Black Physicians Health Network [Minority Programs]10000000.00
Enhance: Latino Health Initiative Steering Committee Request for Non-clinical Emotional Support Groups and Additional Community Health Promotion Services [Minority Programs]9525450.00
Enhance: African American Health Program to Increase Community Outreach, Support Maternal and Child Health, and Seniors [Minority Programs]8000000.00
Enhance: Asian American Health Initiative Request for Increased Healthy Community Grants and Center of Excellence Micro-grants [Minority Programs]7750000.00
Add: COVID Sheltering in Hotels for Isolation of COVID Positive or Exposed People who are Experiencing Homelessness (one-time) [Homeless Services for Families]7700000.00
Add: Youth Harm Initiative [Admin - Children, Youth & Families]6736990.00
Enhance: Operating Expenses for New Linkages to Learning and School Based Health Center at Southlake Elementary School4097130.00
Enhance: Security Funding for Interfaith Works Emergency Shelters [Homeless Services for Single Adults]3887020.00
Enhance: Office of the Chief Administrative Officer Administrative Staff Including Coding Unit (Revenue Offset) [Admin - Office of the Chief Operating Officer]3755077.00
Enhance: New Team of Adult Evaluation and Review Services to Accommodate Increased Demand and State Legislation Chapter 738 of 2022 (Revenue Offset) [Medicaid Funded Long-Term Care Services]3745916.00
Enhance: Community First Choice Nurse Monitoring Program Funding Due to Increased Demand (Revenue Offset) [Medicaid Funded Long-Term Care Services]2970710.00
Enhance: Operating Budget Impact for Nurses to Staff New Linkages to Learning and School Based Health Center at Southlake Elementary School1853561.88
Enhance: Continue the Farm to Food Bank Program as Needed in FY24 (one-time) [Admin - Public Health]1500000.00
Enhance: Add Staff to Meet Increased Demand for the Autism Waiver Program (Revenue Offset) [Medicaid Funded Long-Term Care Services]1125262.00
Add: Implement a Developmental Disability Advisory Council [Community Support Network for People with Disabilities]368660.50
Eliminate: Remove long term vacant position [Admin - Public Health]-53729-0.50
Reduce: One-time Budget Adjustment to Reflect Higher Than Expected Vacant Positions-38014370.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY23 Compensation Increases70757810.00
Increase Cost: FY24 Compensation Adjustment68358320.00
Increase Cost: Newcomer's Enhancements and Assistance643612214.00
Increase Cost: Three Percent Inflationary Adjustment to Non-Profit Service Provider Contracts30744360.00
Replace: Service Consolidation Hubs Previously Funded by ARPA with General Funds [Admin - Office of the Director]30000001.00
Increase Cost: Support an Increased Montgomery Cares Clinic Reimbursement Rate [Health Care for the Uninsured]20000000.00
Replace: Eviction Prevention Previously Funded by ARPA Continued with General Funds [Prevention]17194380.00
Increase Cost: Rent Subsidy Funding to Keep Up with Rent Increases for Housing Initiative Program [Housing Initiative Program]17000000.00
Increase Cost: Overflow Sheltering in Hotels [Homeless Services for Families]15116060.00
Increase Cost: Four Percent Increase to the Developmental Disability Supplement Program [Community Provider Support]8100840.00
Replace: Funding for Mobile Health Clinic from ARPA to DHHS General Fund [Admin - Public Health]7118915.00
Increase Cost: Upgrade Existing Enterprise Integrated Case Management System That is Past End of Technical Support [Admin - Office of the Chief Operating Officer]6000000.00
Increase Cost: Risk Management Adjustment5211130.00
Increase Cost: Add Positions to Facilitate the Expansion of the Autism Waiver Program, per State Legislation Chapter 464 of 2022 (Partial Revenue Offset) [Medicaid Funded Long-Term Care Services]4580498.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY23 Lapsed Positions4575410.00
Shift: Community Grants Moved From the Community Grants Non-Departmental Account to Health and Human Services' Base Budget3262840.00
Increase Cost: Rent Subsidy Funding to Keep Up with Rent Increases for Permanent Supportive Housing Program [Permanent Supportive Housing]3000000.00
Increase Cost: Convert Contractual Dental Hygienist and Dental Assistant Positions to Merit Staff Positions [Dental Services]1819829.00
Increase Cost: Care for Kids Medical Services [Health Care for the Uninsured]1006820.00
Increase Cost: Printing and Mail810210.00
Increase Cost: Two Percent Increase to the Adult Medical Day Care Supplement [Assessment & Continuing Care Management Services]423150.00
Increase Cost: Anticipated Rate Increase for the Behavioral Health Psychiatric Consultation Vendor [Health Care for the Uninsured]300000.00
Increase Cost: Kronos Annual Maintenance and License Contractual Obligations [Admin - Office of the Director]39380.00
Technical Adj: Technical Adjustment for Various FTE Changes [Admin - Office of the Director]012.81
Shift: Transfer One Position from DHHS to OHR [Admin - Office of the Director]-105892-1.00
Decrease Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment-1176560.00
Shift: Partial Reduction from Prior Year to Recognize Manna Food Center's Reduced Participation in Community Service Hubs from Pandemic Levels [Admin - Public Health]-1500000.00
Re-align: Rightsize the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy Contract With the Number of Students Served [Child & Adolescent School & Community Based Services]-2603370.00
Decrease Cost: Retirement Adjustment-2744370.00
Shift: Cost from DHHS Children's Opportunity Fund Program to Children's Opportunity Alliance NDA [Children's Opportunity Fund]-2908370.00
Re-align: Adult Substance Use Disorder Services to Match Actual Expenditures [Local Behavioral Health Authority]-4099100.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY23 Personnel Costs-11172600.00
Replace: Rapid Rehousing Program General Funds with Housing Initiative Funds [Rapid Rehousing]-12383960.00
Re-align: Shift of Working Parents Assistance and State Supplement for Children Ages 0 to 5 From DHHS General Fund to be Funded by the Early Care and Education NDA [Child Care Subsidies]-14355830.00
Replace: Rental Assistance Program General Funds with Housing Initiative Funds [Rental Assistance Program]-37616040.00
Decrease Cost: Elimination of One-Time Items Approved in FY23-9016955-6.00
FY24 APPROVED3570831081449.94
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
FY23 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION103018216466.41
Federal/State Programs
Enhance: Emergency Rental Assistance Grant 1401683228.00
Enhance: Continue the Food Staples Program in FY24 Using ARPA Funding64500000.00
Enhance: Substance and Mental Health Services Administration Coverage to Care Grant183279412.00
Add: Strengthen Local Health Department Infrastructure Grant1945040.00
Eliminate: Early Detect and Control Breast and Cervical Cancer-3509870.00
Eliminate: State Opioid Response (SOR) II Grant-6784710.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: Housebill 669 Grant916876-7.21
Increase Cost: Miscellaneous Grant Changes8110875.84
Re-align: Implement Ending the HIV Epidemic Grant [Communicable Disease & Epidemiology]5989851.00
Re-align: Ending the HIV Epidemic in STD Clinics [Communicable Disease & Epidemiology]4500000.65
Increase Cost: Senior Care Grant [Assessment & Continuing Care Management Services]2735530.00
Decrease Cost: DHHS Preschool Development Birth to 5 Grant [Early Childhood Services]-250000.00
Re-align: HIV Positive Women Grant [Communicable Disease & Epidemiology]-126538-0.65
Re-align: Ryan White Part A Charges for Services [Communicable Disease & Epidemiology]-462574-1.50
Re-align: Mobile Health Clinic (ARPA) to DHHS General Fund [Admin - Public Health]-500000-5.00
Re-align: CDC Ending the HIV Epidemic Grant [Communicable Disease & Epidemiology]-6534380.00
Replace: Funding for Service Consolidation Hubs from ARPA to General Fund [Admin - Office of the Director]-3000000-1.00
Replace: Funding for Rental Assistance Program from ARPA to DHHS General Fund [Rental Assistance Program]-34388750.00
FY24 APPROVED119326964498.54
Function Summary
Program NameFY23 APPR
Expenditures
FY23 APPR
FTEs
FY24 APPR
Expenditures
FY24 APPR
FTEs
Aging and Disability Services62473715184.5966882925202.25
Behavioral Health and Crisis Services50828662236.2053321125249.35
Children, Youth and Family Services115473738610.53120724974618.57
Public Health Services94468891570.84105214148581.72
Services to End and Prevent Homelessness4530881087.5059372899119.40
Administration and Support66571850167.0070894001177.19
Total4351256661856.664764100721948.48
Charges to Other Departments
Charged DepartmentCharged FundFY23
Total$
FY23
FTES
FY24
Total$
FY24
FTES
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
NDA - Early Care and EducationGeneral Fund6922738.00117961612.00
NDA - Guaranteed IncomeGeneral Fund1120301.001120301.00
Correction and RehabilitationGeneral Fund1086050.751106530.75
Housing and Community AffairsMontgomery Housing Initiative195669500.00195669500.00
PoliceGeneral Fund1362171.001143971.00
RecreationRecreation528530.50528530.50
Total2066892811.252113649915.25
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY24FY25FY26FY27FY28FY29
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
FY24 Approved357083.000000357083.000000357083.000000357083.000000357083.000000357083.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Annualization of Positions Approved in FY240.0000001618.0000001618.0000001618.0000001618.0000001618.000000
New positions in the FY24 budget are generally assumed to be filled at least two months after the fiscal year begins. Therefore, the above amounts reflect annualization of these positions in the outyears.
Elimination of One-Time Items Approved in FY240.000000-11459.000000-11459.000000-11459.000000-11459.000000-11459.000000
Items recommended for one-time funding in FY24, including Newcomer's Enhancements and Assistance, COVID response readiness, and overflow sheltering in hotels will be eliminated from the base in the outyears.
Restore One-Time Lapse Increase0.0000003801.0000003801.0000003801.0000003801.0000003801.000000
Restores in FY25 the one-time lapse increase made in the FY24 budget.
Labor Contracts0.0000009852.0000009852.0000009852.0000009852.0000009852.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Convert Greencastle Elementary School to a Full Linkages to Learning Site0.0000000.000000151.000000151.000000151.000000151.000000
Converts a partial Linkages to Learning site at Greencastle Elementary School to a full Linkages to Learning site.
High School Wellness Centers0.0000004531.0000004531.0000006827.0000008320.0000008320.000000
Recognizes personnel costs and operating expenditures for new high school wellness centers in six new high schools. County Council will determine the number and location of new High School Wellness Center sites in September 2023, following revised recommendations from the School Based Health Center Planning Group. Each high school wellness center is staffed with 1.875 FTE. In addition, three infrastructure positions must be added for each additional six high school wellness centers; these positions are expected to be added in FY28.
Subtotal Expenditures357083.000000365427.000000365578.000000367874.000000369367.000000369367.000000