Deputy Speaker Williams questions Fair Futures expansion and racial equity pledge
Williams asks whether Fair Futures expansion pledged in the racial equity plan will be affected by funding reductions. Officials confirm the program still expands to 5,400 by FY29, with the budget action slowing growth but achieving the same end number.
Okay, Deputy Speaker?
Yes, I'm back.
So back to the racial equity plans.
So ACS pledged to expand fair futures to provide justice-involved youth with coaches, housing specialists, and educational services.
Given the reduction in funding in fiscal 2026 through 2028 for fair futures that was included as a savings in the exec plan, does ACS still intend to achieve this expansion?
Will any slots that were earmarked for the pledges in the racial equity plan be eliminated due to this reduction in funding?
And how many additional youth does ACS hope to serve if it does expand the program?
When can we expect to see this expansion and how will it be funded?
We are continuing to expand Fair Futures, and it is in both on the juvenile justice side and on child welfare.
The budget action slows the growth, but the growth by fiscal 2029, we achieved the same end number of 5,400, which was the goal.
When we get to fiscal 2029, if we feel that's not sufficient, obviously we can have conversations about where to go from there.
Okay, great.