TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Focus on Fiscal Responsibility Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, providing $4.8 billion in funding for the Department of Children and Families (Department) to support and expand resources and services needed to best serve Florida’s children and families. This year’s budget continues to champion the Governor’s steadfast commitment to strong and resilient families by making major investments to bolster prevention services, increase access and availability of behavioral health resources, and enhanced technology advancements to further innovate the Department’s programs and systems.
“Governor Ron DeSantis’ Focus on Fiscal Responsibility Budget continues our commitment to supporting families,” said Secretary Shevaun Harris. “This funding will also further our efforts to serve more individuals contending with mental health and substance use disorders, harden our security efforts, support foster and adoptive initiatives, and invest in programs to improve our child welfare services.”
Governor DeSantis is supporting the Department with key investments, including:
- $151.4 million to State Mental Health Facilities, including funding to increase mental health treatment bed capacity to protect the vulnerable and promote personal recovery and resiliency.
- $90 million to address opioid addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery through the State Opioid Settlement. Specifically, the funding will support on-demand mobile medication assisted treatment, court diversion programs, the distribution of life saving treatments, prevention campaigns, peer supports, recovery housing, and other treatment and recovery support services.
- $68.1 million to improve Department systems and increase efficiencies, which includes:
- $36.6 million to further enhance the modernization of the MyACCESS Portal.
- $28 million in additional improvements to the Child Welfare Information System.
- $3.5 million to upgrade electronic health records ensuring increased accessibility and security.
- $38 million in additional funding to improve services to the child welfare system.
- $17 million to support families that have already adopted.
- $1 million to expand human trafficking prevention supports for children at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.
