Cook County balances discretionary PHHS funding with rising mandated costs

As the Cook County Board of Commissioners considers the 2027 levy and budget, officials are weighing investments in discretionary programs against rising costs for state- and federally mandated services.

One of the largest nonmandated expenses in the county budget is the child care worker wage enhancement program. The pilot program, launched in 2023, increased child care workers’ hourly wages by $7.29 to bring pay in Cook County in line with Minnesota’s recommended rate.

The proposed 2027 budget includes $175,000 for the program, a 40% reduction from the 2026 budget.

“The amount of wage enhancement was really designed to bridge that gap for providers, so that we were at the recommended hourly rate for childcare providers based on what the state had studied,” Public Health and Human Services Director Grace Grinager told WTIP.

Parents have spoken at listening sessions and Public Health and Human Services Board meetings about the importance of maintaining the wage enhancement program to prevent further disruptions to child care services, particularly following the announcement that the Cook County YMCA’s child care program will close at the end of the year.

Another nonmandated expense is the county’s public health grant funding, which includes allocations for the Birch Grove Seedlings and Cooperation Station child care programs in the proposed 2027 budget.

“So there are some financial supports that we have through public health and human services that are at board discretion that we’re providing to childcare,” Grinager said.

A total of $150,000 is currently allocated for public health grants.

“Both the public health funds and the childcare wage enhancement are some of those non-mandated services. Doesn’t mean that they’re not important,” Grinager said. “It just means that it’s something that the county board is choosing to invest in using levy dollars, and at this point, like I said, it’s up for vote by the board.”

The department is expected to provide an update on child care and the wage enhancement program at its November board meeting.

Meanwhile, the county faces additional expenses for federally mandated programs as changes in federal funding shift more costs to state and local governments.

Under H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the federal government’s share of administrative costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) decreased from 50% to 25% on Oct. 1, leaving state and local governments responsible for the remaining 75%.

“That’s an example of kind of big picture why we’re seeing our levy request increase. It’s because we’re receiving less federal reimbursement to assess for eligibility for these programs, and then in 2027, we’re also going to be responsible at the county level, starting in October of 2027, to cover a portion of the benefit costs for people. Where in the past that was something that the federal government covered,” Grinager said.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2027, the law also requires states to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs based on their payment error rates. Under Minnesota law, counties will be responsible for a share of those additional costs.

Unlike discretionary child care programs, counties are required to administer programs such as SNAP and Medical Assistance, Minnesota’s Medicaid program.

“From a director standpoint, and from a board standpoint, we also have to be looking at what are the impacts to our budget when we see these programs financed differently and putting more strain on our internal budget going into the future,” Grinager said.

WTIP spoke with Grinager about the latest developments from the Public Health and Human Services Board. Audio of that conversation is available below.

Josh Hinke October 30, 2026