2025 Annual Meeting: Health and Human Services Policy Committee Recap  

The Health and Human Services (HHS) Policy Committee met on Thursday, December 4 during the CSAC 131^st Annual Meeting in Santa Clara County. The meeting covered a range of topics, including H.R. 1 implementation, county medical indigent care, child care, and homelessness. The Policy Committee also approved the 2026 HHS Advocacy Priorities, which were adopted by the CSAC Board of Directors later that afternoon.  

The HHS Policy Committee was first joined by California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Director Michelle Baass, who presented an overview of how the state is preparing for H.R. 1 implementation and the projected impacts to Medi-Cal and California’s larger health system. The Committee was next joined by a panel of county health experts who discussed the history of indigent medical care, what is required of counties, and how county programs will be impacted with the looming increase in the number of Californians who will soon lose health care coverage. Next, the CSAC Child Care Working Group Chair and Vice Chairs presented an overview of the Working Group’s meetings and findings throughout the year, which is summarized in the recently released report, Child Care: Building Blocks of a Thriving Economy and Strong Community. Concluding the presentations, the Policy Committee was joined by Monterey County’s Homeless Services Director, Roxanne Wilson, who spoke about the challenges counties are facing regarding uncertain homelessness funding and the extensive new requirements proposed for the next round of state homelessness grant funding.      

Finally, the Policy Committee approved advocacy priorities for 2026, including: 

• Protecting Safety Net Programs; 
• Homelessness Funding and Responsibilities; 
• Implementation of Behavioral Health Initiatives; 
• In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Collective Bargaining; and 
• Strengthening Early Childhood Efforts.   

All CSAC Policy Committee agendas, meeting materials, and presentation slides are available on the CSAC website.