Senate Finance: Article II – Health and Human Services Commission

Senate Finance Committee met to consider SB 1 (Huffman) General Appropriations Bill; Article II - Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services Commission, Office of Inspector General, Texas Civil Commitment Office, Department of Family and Protective Services, Department of State Health Services, Special Provisions Relating to All Health and Human Services Agencies. This report addresses only HHSC. Health and Human Services Commission Legislative Budget Board Presentation Selected Fiscal and Policy Issues 1) Employee Vacancies and Salary Increases. According to HHSC, the agency has experienced significant challenges recruiting and retaining staff in key agency areas. In fiscal year 2022, the agency had 32,526.9 filled full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, representing 84.7 percent of the agency’s FTE cap of 38,403.2. To address workforce shortages impacting service provisions, HHSC utilized available funding to provide salary increases in the 2022-23 bienn