The Richmond City Education and Human Services Meeting convened on June 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., focusing on key funding reallocations and program continuations aimed at addressing community needs.
The meeting began with a discussion regarding the Literacy Lab, which was awarded funds in the FY 25 budget. However, it was announced that the Literacy Lab would cease operations in Virginia. Consequently, the committee decided to reallocate the funds to the Reserve for Children's Fund, allowing for additional grant contracts to support organizations engaged in similar work. A specific allocation of $30,000 was noted to address a previous accounting error related to late invoice submissions, clarifying that this amount would not fund new programs but rather correct the existing budget.
Following this, the committee moved to discuss an amendment to the opioid funds agreement between the city and the sheriff's office. This amendment aims to continue the medication-assisted treatment pilot program. Jason Alley, a policy adviser for the opioid crisis response, confirmed that the funds from the current fiscal year would carry forward to support the program's ongoing needs.
The committee then voted on both agenda items, with both motions receiving unanimous approval to forward to the city council for final consideration.
The meeting concluded with a brief mention of the Richmond Resilience Initiative, which aims to implement a guaranteed income program. However, further details on this initiative were not discussed during this session.
Overall, the meeting highlighted the city's commitment to reallocating resources effectively to support ongoing community programs while addressing previous financial discrepancies. The next steps will involve the city council's review and approval of the proposed funding measures.