Vulnerable Populations
The County’s safety net protects our most vulnerable neighbors, providing a range of services, from food and healthcare to in-home support and legal protections. This budget prepares the region for the impacts of H.R. 1—federal legislation that changes eligibility and for many support services so families can stabilize and stay connected to opportunity. Meanwhile, data-driven dashboards provide insight into how these investments drive meaningful progress across the region.
Investments include:
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Eligibility and Self-Sufficiency Services — $852 million
Supports CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal and General Relief, including $23.7 million tied to the local revenue impact of federal H.R. 1 CalFresh administrative requirements and related staffing to help residents keep their benefits.
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Child and Family Well-Being — $502 million
Invests in family strengthening, prevention and child protection services, with over $163 million dedicated to foster and adoptive families.
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In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) — $248.7 million
Includes $25.2 million in new funding to support roughly 50,000 vulnerable adults and people with disabilities with home and personal care assistance.
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Health and Medical Care in Jails — $198.9 million (+$17.9
million)**
Supports medical care for adults in custody.
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Health and Medical Care for Youth in Custody — $14.36
million (+$2.38 million)**
Maintains and enhances health and medical care services for youth in custody.
Funds enforcement, sheltering and veterinary care in unincorporated areas and adoption services countywide.
Provides legal representation to detained immigrants and unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings. This represents $5.5 million in one-time funding and $7.7 million in ongoing funding, which is an increase of $2.7 million over last year.
Includes adding 23 full-time employees to support increased jail bookings and related operational needs.
Includes adding 15 full-time employees to expand pretrial and felony supervision and support increased assessment, treatment and housing needs.
Provides free, 24/7 Wi-Fi at County library locations.
Continues the program that helps adults earn their high school diplomas.
Supports financial, emotional and physical wellbeing of nearly 39,900 families across the region.
** Some adjustments shown reflect how we are aligning funding with updated strategies, staffing adjustments and operational efficiencies. These changes represent a realignment to match current program models and available funding sources. In several cases, costs have been recategorized or shifted to alternative funding streams, but underlying services remain prioritized and supported.
CONTACT
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101
