Photos of the event are available for download.

New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden today presented an overview of the New York State 2025-26 Enacted Budget to a gathering of community leaders at an event hosted by BestSelf Behavioral Health. The budget represents a significant commitment by Governor Kathy Hochul, who has vowed to fight for New Yorkers who can’t afford the consequences of federal funding cuts. The 2025-26 Enacted Budget strengthens supports and services for New York State’s children, families and communities – including child care services, child advocacy centers and youth development programing. 

Federal funding cuts under the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” will have a devastating impact on New Yorkers by removing safety nets. New York State projects a staggering $3 billion hit next state fiscal year. These reductions will increase the needs of children and families relying on OCFS-funded initiatives.  

“The state fiscal year 2025-2026 Enacted Budget underscores Governor Hochul’s commitment to the most vulnerable, making our great state more affordable for children and families to live and thrive, and supports the educational, social, emotional, physical, and mental health and well-being of children, youth and families,” Dr. Harris-Madden said.  

The Commissioner pointed to the ongoing initiatives to support child care services as particular highlights in the budget plan. “Governor Hochul has been unwavering in her dedication to expanding access to high-quality child care for New York’s families, investing more than $7 billion over four years upon taking office,” Dr. Harris-Madden said. “This historic commitment has resulted in the largest expansion of the Child Care Assistance Program in New York State’s history.” 

Since last year, there has been a 34% increase in the number of children statewide served by the Child Care Assistance Program. There are more than 5,550 children in Erie County currently accessing child care assistance.   

“As a New Yorker, I am proud that the State Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget embodies synergy and innovation across multiple disciplines and systems, making transformational investments that will change the trajectory for many children and families,” she added. 

The budget presentation was held at BestSelf Behavioral Health, 899 Main St., in Buffalo. BestSelf is the largest community-based behavioral health organization serving children and adults in Western New York, with support services focused on education, employment, mental health, substance use disorder and housing. BestSelf also runs the Erie County child advocacy center. 

Highlights in the Enacted Budget include: 

• A $400 million increase in funding to preserve access to child care assistance for eligible families. 

• $3 million to create new child care substitute worker pools that will help prevent closures of licensed and registered child care programs when there are staffing shortages. 

• $1 million for continued support of the Business Navigator program, which offers resources to employers who want to help their employees find child care services. 

• $112.2 million for grants supporting eligible after-school programs. 

• $1 million to support the creation of the New York Coalition for Child Care, which will bring together business leaders, labor unions, service providers and tax experts to identify a sustainable path forward for achieving universal child care.  

• $110 million to build or renovate child care facilities, particularly in areas with a shortage of child care services. 

• Doubling funding for child advocacy centers from $7.2 million to $14.4 million. Child advocacy centers provide a child-friendly, safe, supportive environment and services for child victims of abuse or neglect and their non-offending caretakers.   

• $14.2 million to fund a 2.6% cost of living wage increase for certain human services employees at some of the not-for-profit agencies that receive funding from OCFS. The increases are intended to support recruitment and retention of human services workers. 

• A $7.5 million increase in base Youth Development Program funding to $21.6 million, which supports a variety of locally approved programs including youth bureaus, after-school programs and various other services that help prevent juvenile delinquency and foster positive youth development. 

• An increase of $7.5 million to $12.5 million for the Youth Sports and Education Opportunity funding, and $10 million for the Youth Team Sports Program, which provide funding to municipal youth bureaus to make grants available to not-for-profit or local community-based organizations that provide sports programming to youth under the age of 18.  

Erie County Department of Social Services Commissioner Karen Rybicki said, “Governor Hochul's focus on the needs of all communities in Erie County is ensuring that County government has the resources we need to respond when families are in crisis, and that working families have the supports that they need to build a better future for themselves and their children.” 

BestSelf Behavioral Health President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Woike said, “We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to strengthening these essential programs for our community. New York State's increased investment in child advocacy centers is life-changing for the children and families we serve. Every day at our Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf, we see firsthand just how essential these services are in helping children heal from sexual abuse and trauma.” 

About the New York State Office of Children and Family Services 
The Office of Children and Family Services serves New York's public by promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of children, families and communities. The agency provides a system of family support, juvenile justice, youth development, child care and child welfare services and is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, and protective programs for vulnerable adults.