Board Backs $19.3M to Avert Healthcare Layoffs in $6.7B Budget

Alameda County supervisors unanimously set the framework for a $6.7 billion spending plan that closes a $185 million funding gap — and made their biggest policy bet by directing up to $19.3 million in one-time funds to prevent 92 layoffs at the county's safety-net hospital system. Final adoption is scheduled for Thursday.

• Up to $19.3M in one-time funds directed to Alameda Health System to eliminate 92 planned layoffs, fund a performance audit, and extend a behavioral health program

• $6.7 billion FY 2026-27 budget advances 5-0, closing a $185M gap without major service cuts or forced layoffs across the county's 10,400-employee workforce

• SEIU members demand fair wages as contract negotiations with 4,000+ county workers continue behind closed doors

• $37M in bridge funding shields behavioral health providers navigating the Proposition 1 transition from prevention to early intervention

• Haubert pushes for cross-agency efficiency reviews beyond AHS, but colleagues insist the broader study wait

• Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs secures $3.3M contract extension and a dedicated director position

The most consequential action of the meeting was the board's unanimous decision to include up to $19.3 million in one-time funding for Alameda Health System in the final budget — a move co-authored by Supervisor Nate Miley and Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas that effectively prevents 92 healthcare workers from losing their jobs.