Trying to work its way out of the red, Santa Barbara County is considering almost $71 million in reductions for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Multiple departments are facing layoffs and program reductions if the board approves the budget in June.
On April 13, the Public Health and Social Services departments presented financial plans to the Board of Supervisors during the first of three days’ worth of budget workshops. Both departments fell into structural deficits over the past few years, and recent state and federal changes exacerbated funding concerns.
Operations under the Public Health Department include animal services, emergency preparedness, public health, and the management of five health care clinics. Dr. Mouhanad Hammami, the director of Public Health, and his team scraped together $24 million to cut but are asking the board for a $2 million restoration.
Public Health will soon see “major” revenue reductions because of changes to who qualifies for Medi-Cal, Hammami said.
One of the biggest impacts on patients would be the loss of 97.5 full-time equivalent positions at the county’s health care clinics, 72 of which are currently filled. The department is asking for 16 medical assistant positions to be restored.
In addition, three county pharmacies in Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Santa Barbara would consolidate into one. Hammami said his department will save nearly $8.5 million by consolidating into the Lompoc site. Patients could visit other pharmacies for the same discounted drugs if Lompoc isn’t accessible.
“The impact of reductions and the consolidation of the pharmacy is going to mean that those that currently can get their prescriptions filled from our pharmacies, from our clinics, are no longer able to do so,” Hammami told the board. “However, we do have contracts with retail pharmacies.”
Laura Robinson, the executive director of SEIU Local 620, believes the cuts to social safety net programs will have “profound and lasting consequences” on the community.
“The proposal to eliminate public pharmacies and laboratories is especially concerning,” Robinson said. “These facilities serve residents who cannot simply go somewhere else. If they close, people will lose access to medication, testing, and treatment.”
On the Social Services side, an average of 179,000 people use the department’s resources every month and will likely experience rebudgeting impacts. The department will trim around $30 million, Director Daniel Nielson said, but hopes for $5.3 million from the general fund to restore the most-needed services.
“The Department of Social Services serves the poorest and most vulnerable among us with life-saving services in the form of food assistance, medical insurance coverage, and protective services,” Nielson said. “Our work allows children the food they need to grow healthy bodies and focus on learning while in school.”
The implementation of H.R.1, known as the Big Beautiful Bill, passed more costs onto the county for CalFresh, he explained. CalFresh falls into the department’s economic assistance category, which would see a reduction of 91 positions with 82 currently filled. Nielson requested the board reinstate 78 of those positions to support food benefits applications and renewals at the current level.
Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson said he was “pretty disturbed” by the cuts to child welfare services. Social Services already got rid of 100 positions within the past year, unable to afford filling them when employees left. Nelson clarified with staff that without restorations, these services would only be able to operate on an emergency basis.
While Nelson said he would rather see more support from the state instead of lending dollars from the county’s general fund, he views child welfare as a “huge priority area.”
“I’m not blaming the county for this. Again, this is a state issue,” Nelson said. “They should be funding this in a greater amount.”
Steve Hernandez of SEIU Local 721 said he understands the county’s fiscal pressures but believes layoffs will increase wait times for crisis calls and other services.
“We urge you to consider these layoffs because what may look like a financial decision today will become a human crisis tomorrow, and our community is ultimately judged by how we treat those with the least power and the greatest need,” Hernandez said.
The county’s recommended budget will be released by the end of May, and the board’s final hearings will take place on June 16 and 18, if necessary. To view budget materials from all departments, visit countyofsb.org/4874/FY-2026-2027.
This article appears in April 16 – April 23, 2026.