The chart below shows how the maintenance level (the cost of continuing current services, adjusted for enrollment and inflation) and new policy changes are distributed among the budget areas. As I wrote yesterday, compensation and service provider rate increases make up a significant share of new policy spending in the 2023–25 operating budget. In this chart, these compensation changes appear in the relevant budget area.

Following are descriptions of some of the major appropriations, in terms of funds subject to the outlook (NGFO). (I’ll write about the appropriations for public schools in a separate post.)

Department of Commerce: Policy level changes total $476.9 million. That includes $60.0 million for encampment response, $55.5 million for emergency housing and shelter capacity, $25.0 million for permanent supportive housing operations and maintenance, $26.5 million for the housing and essential needs program, $45.6 million to increase homeless services contracts, $41.3 million for victims services, and $30.0 million for the digital navigator program.

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS): Maintenance level changes of $341.9 million include $172.2 million for mandatory caseload adjustments. Policy level changes of $1.224 billion include $257.2 million for consumer-directed employer (individual provider) rates, $61.9 million for agency provider parity, $151.7 million for the adult family home collective bargaining agreement, $104.7 million to increase nursing home rates, $56.4 million to increase assisted living facility rates, and $40.7 million for the Transitional Care Center of Seattle.

Health Care Authority (HCA): Policy changes of $281.7 million include $96.4 million for a Medicaid behavioral health rate increase, $55.7 million for a non-Medicaid behavioral health rate increase, and $49.9 million for health care for uninsured adults (for residents, regardless of immigration status, with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level).

Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF): Maintenance level changes of $333.9 million include $216.4 million for Working Connections Child Care rates. Policy level changes of $600.9 million include $199.8 million for the family child care collective bargaining agreement, $50.1 million to increase Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) rates, and $29.6 million to expand ECEAP.

Other Human Services: At the policy level, this includes $196.1 million in compensation changes for the Department of Corrections and $109.8 million in various items for the Department of Health.

Higher Education: Policy level changes total $486.1 million. That includes $85.6 million for employee compensation (across the institutions) that had previously been funded by operating fees, $80.0 million for the University of Washington hospitals, and $145.4 million to fund the collective bargaining agreements and other compensation items.

Special Appropriations: This includes $59.7 million for bond retirement and $51.2 million for foundational public health.