FY2011 House 2 Budget Recommendation:
Issues in Brief
Deval L. Patrick, Governor
Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor
Throughout each budget cycle Governor Patrick has recommended significant line item consolidations in an effort to provide maximum flexibility for agency leaders to manage with limited resources. Over time, individual line items have been created in an effort to highlight a specific program or service. This structure places limitations on an agency head’s ability to direct resources where they may ultimately be needed.
The fiscal year 2010 General Appropriation Act (GAA) funded 644 separate line items within 144 departments.
A consolidated approach allows for agencies to correct for changes in projected spending by shifting savings from one program to another. Without this ability, this Administration must prepare supplemental budgetary legislation, which then requires the review and approval by the Legislature. Targeted line item consolidation offers a more efficient and effective approach to managing the Commonwealth’s budget.
| FY10 GAA | 644 Line Items |
|---|---|
| FY11 House 2 | 542 Line Items |
| Result: | 102 Fewer Line Items |
It is simply impossible to accurately predict the exact needs of individual programs as economic conditions continue to evolve. The reductions to agency budgets included in the House 2 recommendations will continue to be evaluated over the coming months, and final plans will be developed for individual programs, services and employee levels. In developing their plans to live within these budget constraints, managers will be tasked with evaluating programs and services based on need and priority. The flexibility of a consolidated line-item structure to move funds from one program or service to another will be essential to this effort.
The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health encompasses critical services from substance abuse treatment to domestic violence prevention; from hospital care for inmates to inspections to ensure a clean, livable environment for residents in the Commonwealth’s long-term care facilities. Over time, line items within the Department have become fragmented into over 50 budgetary line items. The Patrick-Murray Administration’s effort to consolidate the DPH line items will allow for efficiencies in programs that reach similar populations, permit the Department to leverage resources, and allow the Department to respond to evolving public health needs.
The proposed Health Promotion, Violence Prevention and Workforce Expansion line item is comprised of 13 individual line items that represent services that impact the wellness of families and their individual members.
| From Account | To Account | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 4510-0110 | Community Health Center Services | 4510-2500 | Health Promotion, Violence Prevention and Workforce Expansion |
| 4510-0715 | Primary Care Center and Loan Forgiveness Program | ||
| 4510-0810 | Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Pediatric SANE Programs | ||
| 4512-0500 | Dental Health Services | ||
| 4513-1024 | Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Program | ||
| 4513-1026 | Suicide Prevention and Intervention Program | ||
| 4513-1111 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (includes Hep C, BEHA, and BLC) | ||
| 4513-1130 | Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention and Treatment | ||
| 4530-9000 | Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Services | ||
| 4590-0250 | School-Based Health Programs | ||
| 4590-1506 | Violence Prevention Grants | ||
| 4513-1000 | Family Health Services | ||
| 4000-0112 | Youth-At-Risk Matching Grants |
Prepared by LeeAnn Pasquini, Executive Office for Administration and Finance ·
www.mass.gov/budget/governor
For more information contact: contactanf@massmail.state.ma.us (617) 727-2040