ANNAPOLIS, Md — Governor Hogan announced Tuesday that his new FY23 budget will include large investments of $9.4 million to public health and a record $75 million to local state health departments.
The new budget would increase local health department funding by 62%, including support for 50,000 low-income children and 27,000 seniors who are in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP),
“Our budget will make record investments in the local health departments on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Hogan. “We are also providing critical relief to support underserved Marylanders and people in need, especially our seniors on fixed incomes and children in low-income families.”
The governor's budget is said to commit $1.96 billion in SNAP benefits for more than 390,000 households, an additional $4.8 million to expand the Summer SNAP program, $6.6 million to increase minimum monthly food supplement benefits for households with seniors, and an additional $3 million to help connect local agencies to senior eligible for service and programs.
The state will also provide $17.8 million to reduce waitlists for home health programs: allocating $10.3 million for senior care, $5.3 million for Senior Assistant Living Subsidy, and $2.2 million for the Congregate Housing Service Program.
Food banks likes the Maryland Food Bank and Moveable Feast are said to be receiving $10 million.
More than $187 million will be allocated to fund provider rates in the fields of behavioral health, developmental disabilities, Medicaid, and other services.
Lastly, the new funding will include $5 million to launch the Nonprofit Business Accelerator Program, a program designed to help organizations across the state increase back-office personnel. The program will be administered by Maryland Nonprofits.
