Legislation & Budget Overview

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FY 2022 Budget Accomplishments: More Than $725 Million Legislative Priorities Funded!

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Healthcare

$365,870,000 in capital funding for health care system development, including two urgent care centers (in Ward 7 and Ward 8), an ambulatory care center, and the new community hospital.

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■ The Ward 8 urgent care center will open in 2021.

■ The Ward 7 urgent care center will open in 2022.

■  The ambulatory care center and new hospital will open in 2024.

$143,984 to support the hiring of school nurses, with the eventual goal of having a full-time 40-hour- per-week nurse in every DCPS and Public Charter School.

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Birth-to-Three

$273 million to fully fund pay equity for child care workers, which completes the second major stage of the Birth-to-Three-for-All DC Act. $53.9 million beginning in FY 2022, and $72.9 million in FYs 2023, ‘24 and ’25.

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$300,000 for the Birth-to-Three Healthy Steps Program to expand services to an additional site. Healthy Steps is an evidence-based, pediatric primary care program that promotes the health, well-being and school readiness of babies and toddlers.

$416,134 in increased funding for Birth-to-Three Healthy Futures Program, which offers child and family-centered care to promote social emotional development, prevent escalation of challenging behaviors, and to increase appropriate referrals for additional assessments and services.

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Behavioral Health

An additional $1,872,800 to fully fund the School Based Mental Health Program expansion to ensure that existing School-Based Mental Health Providers remain financially stable during the COVID-19 pandemic with an $8,000 add-on, and to fully expand to all DCPS and Charter Schools in the 2021-2022 school year.

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Ward 7 Priorities

■  $23.6 million to bring a grocery store to the   Capitol Gateway site. Coupled with the new grocery stores that are planned for Skyland and Northeast Heights, we are making significant progress toward eliminating food deserts in the District, of which 75% are located in Wards 7 and 8.

■  $24 million to modernize and replace the 7,300 square foot Deanwood Library with a 20,000 square foot, full-service library.

■  $40 million for construction of the Joy Evans Therapeutic  Recreation  Center.

■  $2.3 million investment in Jackie Robinson Field, the sports field between Kimball Elementary  School and the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

■ $200,000 to restore the water connection for the Kingman Park-Rosedale Community Garden.

■  $250,000 for the Deanwood Small Area Plan that will help implement the community’s vision and priorities that have changed since the last smallplan was produced in 2008.

■  $25 million to quickly replacethe Kenilworth Avenue pedestrian bridge near Polk StreetNE that was destroyed by a heavy truck earlierthis year. The bridgewill be rebuiltsoon, once again connecting neighborhoods that are separatedby I-295.

■  The FY 22 budget also makes significant investments in transportation equity. Funding is maintained for the Benning Road streetcar project. Lack of equal transportation access for residents of predominately African American neighborhoods means that every aspect of life is made more difficult. The streetcar extension will serve as a direct connection to the H Street corridor for Ward 7 neighborhoods and a critical economic development driver to bring more businesses, amenities, and job opportunities to Ward 7.

■ $103 million to rebuild and modernize the Benning Road Waste Transfer Station.

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Current Committee Memberships

Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery, Chair

Committee on Health, Chair

Committee on Judiciary Public Safety

Committee on Business & Economic Development

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