Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Human Services Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
JFAC funds vocational rehabilitation supplement to cover federal match and obligates position funding; ombudsman office held to current appropriation with a one
Summary
The committee approved $4.4 million one‑time for Vocational Rehabilitation to cover prior ineligible charges and to match available federal funds; it also approved limited additional salary support for the newly created Office of the Health and Social Services Ombudsman after debate over staffing and accountability.
JFAC approved a FY2025 supplemental for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation totaling $4.4 million one‑time from the general fund. Committee members said the supplemental was required to pay provider invoices and to match $10 million in non‑cognizable federal funds that became available; the division must provide a state match to draw down those federal dollars, analysts said. The division is also subject to a federal forensic audit that reaches back to 2019, staff told the committee.
Madam Co‑Chair moved the supplemental and described the payments as obligations the state must satisfy to avoid defaulting on costs already incurred and owed to providers that serve Idahoans with disabilities. Committee members characterized this as paying bills the state has already incurred; the motion carried with the committee voting 19 ayes, 1 nay on the record.
Separately, the committee considered funding for the newly established Office of the Health and Social Services Ombudsman (created by Senate Bill 1380 last session). An initial motion proposed no additional appropriation; a substitute motion added $25,000 to salary lines to help fund personal services and to move a temporary employee to permanent status. Supporters noted the office was created recently and already has a caseload; opponents said the office is new and should be held to the budget it was originally given while it establishes operations. After debate, the substitute motion that provided $25,000 for salaries passed with a tied and then resolved committee roll call yielding a due‑pass recommendation.
Ending: Committee chairs asked both the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Ombudsman office to provide follow‑up reporting. Analysts warned the vocational rehabilitation forensic audit could produce additional supplemental requests depending on federal findings and encouraged monitoring of contract and provider payments.
