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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cuyahoga County Council began reviewing proposed budget cuts this week that could ripple through the county’s social safety net — potentially reducing or constraining programs that house the homeless, support struggling families and protect kids. The county spends about a third of its nearly $2 billion budget on health and human services programs, which Council’s finance Chair Meredith Turner called the “heart and conscience of Cuyahoga County.” But even some of those core programs may not be spared as the county works to close funding gaps and braces for major state and federal policy changes, she warned. “Cuts are painful, especially when they affect programs that serve people who can least afford to lose that support,” Turner said. “Some programs that save lives will face reductions, and some people who rely on us most will feel those cuts the deepest.” Executive Chris Ronayne’s proposed 2026-2027 budget calls for about $24 million in cuts to HHS services next year, to help balance the budget. Council members learned details about half of them during the first round of budget presentations Tuesday, with more to follow next week. While members did not immediately contest the cuts or call for budget adjustments, several did raise concerns about the impact certain reductions could have on already vulnerable residents at a time when looming state and federal policy changes will likely deepen those challenges. David Merriman, director over all county HHS divisions, noted those uncertainties ahead, especially regarding changes to food and healthcare benefits, some of which will start hitting thousands of Cuyahoga County residents next month. He predicts they “will have an impact on every one of our programs,” further straining program budgets. But for now, he’s standing by Ronayne’s proposed reductions, assuring council that, “the hard decisions we’ve made will still ensure that the safety net remains in place.” Here’s how the proposed cuts break down across the first four HHS divisions: Division of Children and Family Services The county’s largest human services agency, which investigates child abuse and coordinates foster care and adoption, is budgeted at $172 million in 2026 and $170 million in 2027, down from $188 million this year. Most of the cuts will come from provider contracts, Director Jacqueline Fletcher said. Some of the highlighted cuts include: $1 million total from the Canopy Child Advocacy Center’s Child Protection Team - The team was created in partnership with law enforcement and healthcare providers to better identify abuse and reduce victim traumatization by sharing resources. Fletcher said the reduction “right-sizes” Canopy’s budget after years of underspending, freeing money to be used elsewhere, but Director Jennifer Johnson says she needs the remaining funding to support operations now that the team is fully staffed. $2.4 million total from Neighborhood Collaboratives - The county currently divvies about $4.9 million in funding across several neighborhood-based centers, like Catholic Charities and Murtis Taylor, that provide residents social services in their home communities, but the new budget proposes cutting that amount by $1.2 million in each year. The programs serve about 1,500 families a year, Fletcher said, but the cuts don’t take effect until March, giving providers time to adjust. “We truly believe nothing will be missed,” she said. “We’ll find a way.” $1 million total from Say Yes college scholarship program - County dollars have paid for in-school support specialist who work with families to address housing, medical, food, mental health or behavioral health needs so students can focus on their education. The reductions would shrink the program’s budget to $1.2 million in 2026 and $1 million in 2027, Fletcher said. $2.3 million total from Tapestry System of Care - The group of 11 providers support kids in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems so that they may be able to remain in their homes. Fletcher said the reductions reflect underspending across the board and should not result in any loss of services. Other internal cuts include $1.5 million for security at the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services office. Fletcher said children are no longer regularly sleeping at the building, so the office doesn’t need to staff deputies full time, though a detective will remain onsite. In a catch-22, though, she noted that the change did increase the county’s board and care costs, because the agency now must pay someone else to house the youths. However, she does expect to trim at least $5 million in board and care costs over the two years by focusing on kinship care and pushing the county’s contracted agencies to accept kids, keeping them closer to home and avoiding unbudgeted expenses. But she warned that some costs remain out of the county’s control, like sending kids to expensive out-of-state facilities if it’s in the child’s best interest. “If that child needs that particular level of care and there’s nothing in the state, we have to make sure that kid’s needs are met,” Fletcher said. Cuyahoga Job & Family Services The division, which administers a variety of federal aid programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, is one of the few recommended for slight budget increases to $104 million in 2026 and $106 million in 2027. That’s after the department eliminates part-time workers, saving about $810,000 in expenses, though workers will have an opportunity to fill full-time positions. But the agency faces some of the greatest budget uncertainty amid major federal changes that could strain its services and saddle the county with another $7 million in SNAP administration fees. Director Kevin Gowan said he’s still hoping that the state will pick up all or a portion of that bill, “but that answer hasn’t come yet.” At the same time, the state could also be required to pay out a portion of SNAP benefits, based on its error rate – or how often recipients receive the correct amount of funds – starting in 2027. If the penalty were in place in 2024, that cost would be about $320 million, Gowan said. It’s unclear if any of that cost could also be passed on to counties. Meanwhile, new federal work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid are expected to affect thousands of county residents, putting more pressure on local services and JFS staff. At the end of the month, roughly 4,200 non-citizens who are living in Cuyahoga County legally will lose SNAP benefits, Gowan said. Medicaid benefits are expected to follow in October 2026. About 25,000 SNAP recipients up to age 64 and parents with dependent children ages 14 and older are also supposed to be subject to new work requirements starting Nov. 1, Gowan said. However, he said implementation is likely to be delayed until February, while the federal government continues to outline the rules. Another 98,000 Medicaid recipients who received coverage under the Affordable Care Act expansion will also eventually be subject to new work requirements and renewal checks every six months. Gowan couldn’t provide an expected start date but said the changes must be in place by the end of 2026. Office of Child Support Services Director Tiffany Dobbins-Brazelton said her office is planning to cut about $1.3 million in contracts under the recommended $38 million annual budget, which relies heavily on federal matching dollars. That includes a proposed $80,000 reduction from the Fatherhood Initiative’s $1.1 million budget, which program Director Al Grimes said will be shared across providers. At the same time, though, Dobbins-Brazelton told council she’s short about $1 million in funding needed to meet the local match requirement that secures some of the federal reimbursements. She did not request a budget increase, however, nor did she account for where it would eventually come from. “It’s not an ask that I have of this body, but it is $1 million dollars that we would have to find,” she said. Division of Senior and Adult Services Senior Services is budgeting about $28 million for 2026 and 2027, a slight reduction from this year that Director Natasha Pietrocola said will largely be absorbed through contracts. That includes eliminating the $150,000 annual budget for the Cleveland Clergy Alliance, which helps connect seniors with social services, and $150,000 in total cuts to the Options for Independent Living program, which provides in-home care, meals and transportation services. Pietrocola warned that the cuts mean programs will only be able to take in new clients when existing clients fall off, and the division may have to eventually scale back some of its meal deliveries to about five per week. In that case, she said the office would try to link impacted residents to senior centers and other meal sites for additional support. Other notable cuts Merriman did not speak to the roughly $1 million in total cuts that will come from his $22 million administration budget each year, impacting subsidies to United Way, College Now and Case Western, but one of the impacted agencies attended the meeting to protest. Michelle Rose, CEO of Greater Cleveland Works, which operates the county’s Ohio Means Jobs center, said having her budget halved in 2026 and eliminated in 2027 would limit opportunities for residents completing degrees or certifications. She asked council to consider restoring at least some of the funding so residents can continue to skill up to fill open jobs. A statement from Ronayne’s Director of Communications, Kelly Woodard, however, suggested the county feels the cut is justified because the nonprofit can “raise funds from other nongovernmental sources.” Additional HHS cuts will be discussed next week, during budget hearings for the ADAMHS Board, Office of Early Childhood, Family and Children First Council, Office of Homeless Services and Office of Re-Entry. Council is expected to propose budget amendments in mid-November and pass a final version in December.
