Governor Ron DeSantis Champions Children and Families in Focus on Florida’s Future Budget

FY 2024-25 Investments Support Services and Bolster Resiliency 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla – Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed his Focus on Florida’s Future Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25, allocating more than $4.6 billion to the Department of Children and Families (Department) that will continue to support strong and resilient families across the State of Florida. This funding includes historic investments to promote prevention services, strengthen resiliency resources, increase access and availability of behavioral health services, and increase efficiencies and program effectiveness through technology investments.

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ bold leadership, Florida continues to be the most pro-family state in the country,” said Department Secretary Shevaun Harris. “The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget prioritizes enhanced services for the children and families of Florida and ensures that the individuals and families we serve have every tool available to bolster their resiliency toolbox. With this historic budget, the Department will continue to provide enhanced services and systems to support strong and resilient families.”
The Focus on Florida’s Future Budget includes significant Department investments that serve the needs of children and families in Florida:

• $179.4 million to address opioid addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery through the Nationwide Opioid Settlement Agreement. This includes funding to support on-demand mobile medication assisted treatment, court diversion programs, the distribution of life saving treatments such as naloxone, prevention campaigns, peer supports, recovery housing, and other treatment and recovery support services.
• $13.5 million to support families that have already adopted and an additional $9.3 million to increase and expand access to adoption incentives for families that choose to adopt from foster care.
• $8.1 million in funding to expand independent living services for older youth in foster care ensuring that if they are adopted at an older age, they do not lose out on helpful aftercare benefits.
• $6 million to expand human trafficking prevention supports, including housing and increased services for survivors.

Additional items included in the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget:

• $36.6 million to continue funding the modernization of the newly launched MyACCESS Portal.
• $17.5 million to continue the modernization of the Child Welfare Information System.
• $18 million in additional supports for survivors of domestic violence.
• Over $2.6 million to provide foster parents with a cost-of-living increase.
• $6.7 million to fund local prevention grant programs to improve outcomes for children and families served by the Department. 

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