Local leaders have said Human Service levy dollars — which total $138 million — are used to leverage other state and federal grants. But it’s unclear how much funding will exist for local governments seeking support for needs ranging from public health to housing.
“We’re in a space of not knowing what’s coming down the pipe,” said Geraldine Pegues, assistant county administrator for human services. “It really shows the importance of local dollars and the strength of the shared levy. It creates stability.”
Agencies like Montgomery County Children Services, Montgomery County Developmental Disabilities Services, Montgomery County Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, and Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County all receive Human Services levy funding.
The Montgomery County commission in January approved the allocation recommendations of the Human Services Levy Council, and these four agencies saw identical allocations compared to 2025 funding levels.
Human Services Levy allocations
| Agency | 2025 allocation | 2026 allocation |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services | $19,735,510 | $19,735,510 |
| Montgomery County Children Services | $30,541,026 | $30,541,026 |
| Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County | $17,032,500 | $17,032,500 |
| Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services | $28,949,349 | $28,949,349 |
| Frail and Elderly Services | $9,930,137 | $9,572,891 |
| New Hope Villa | $525,000 | $525,000 |
| Human Service Planning and Development | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 |
| New Hope Villa | $525,000 | $525,000 |
| Community Education | $100,000 | $75,000 |
| Oakwood Public Health Services | $116,289 | $116,289 |
| Complex Medical Help Program | $1,200,000 | $1,440,283 |
| Juvenile Court | $2,325,000 | $1,500,000 |
| Mandated Share/Welfare Reform | 1,412,500 | 1,412,500 |
| Supported Services Fund | $2,500,000 | $2,136,109 |
| Family and Children First Council community initiatives | $500,000 | $250,000 |
| Indigent Ill Program | $5,275,000 | $5,255,000 |
| Homeless Supported Services | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 |
| Sinclair Fast Forward Center/Mentoring Collaborative | $600,000 | $300,000 |
Source: Montgomery County Human Services
Other programs also receive Human Services levy dollars. Indigent Ill programs, for example, focus on financial assistance that can help eligible people afford their hospital bills. These mandated programs that discount the cost of care are federally required. It, as well as other programs, saw a slight decrease compared to 2025 funds.
And some programs that were levy-funded in 2025 are now not relying on levy dollars to function. Stillwater Center received a $1.5 million allocation for 2025, but it did not receive an allocation in 2026. This is because other revenue sources — ventilator services and the daily Medicaid reimbursement rate — increased.
Montgomery County is among only a few counties that have combined human services levies — Medina and Cuyahoga counties are the only other two Ohio communities to approach human services this way.
According to Montgomery County Human Services, nearly half of levy-funded services in 2023 were located in the county’s core — Dayton. The 51% of services touching Dayton is influenced in part by Montgomery County Children Services, as children in its care are typically connected to the agency’s Dayton location. The other 49% of services were spread across suburban Montgomery County.
Human Services Planning and Development Director Jessica Jenkins said the Human Services levy aims to serve Montgomery County residents of any age.
“This is designed to be comprehensive,” she said. “And it really covers things from child welfare to older adults.”
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