Florida’s House and Senate narrowed some behavioral health budget differences but remained divided on proposed funding for waivers, crisis services and more.
Budget talks continue
Florida’s House and Senate are negotiating health care spending for Fiscal Year 2026-27, but they remain divided over proposed investments in the state’s behavioral health system, according to Florida Politics.
Florida Politics reported that the House made changes in its second budget offer, while the Senate continued to hold different positions on several behavioral health items. These are budget proposals under negotiation, not enacted funding decisions.
Medicaid waiver and treatment beds
According to Florida Politics, the House reduced its proposed funding for an Institution for Mental Disease, or IMD, Medicaid waiver from $114.9 million to $57.45 million. The Senate had not offered funding for the waiver, Florida Politics reported.
The proposed IMD waiver remains contingent on federal approval that Florida had not yet received, according to Florida Politics.
Florida Politics also reported that the House reduced its proposed mental health treatment bed funding from nearly $46 million to $16.5 million. That revised House offer matches the Senate’s proposed amount for treatment beds, according to the report.
Crisis-system differences remain
The House increased its proposed funding for central receiving facility grants from $3.2 million to $5.2 million, Florida Politics reported. The Senate’s offer for those grants remained at $10.4 million, according to Florida Politics.
The two chambers also remained apart on proposed oversight funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Florida Politics reported that the House offered $7 million, while the Senate offered $9.6 million.
According to Florida Politics, the Senate proposed a $4.25 million cost-of-living adjustment for contracted mental health agencies. The House had not made a counteroffer on that item, the report said.
Opioid response proposals
For opioid response, the Senate continued to propose more funding than the House in several areas, according to Florida Politics. The Senate offered more than $33 million for treatment, recovery, housing and support services, compared with the House’s $32.8 million.
Florida Politics reported that the Senate also proposed $14.4 million for prevention, compared with $13.4 million from the House. For technology and research, the Senate proposed $1.1 million and the House proposed $500,000, according to Florida Politics.
What this means for Florida patients
These proposed budget differences could affect behavioral health services and systems that help people find treatment locally if lawmakers reach agreement. The directory lists 316 published clinics in Florida.
This is general information, not medical advice.
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This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.