State independent-living council outlines housing, health-care, workforce gaps in statewide needs assessment

Mel Levitan, executive director of the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC), told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that the council’s statewide needs assessment identified housing affordability and accessibility, access to health care, and workforce shortages as the top concerns for Idahoans with disabilities.

"The Idaho State Independent Living Council or SILC actively engages in statewide activities that assist in providing Idahoans with disabilities a greater voice," Levitan said, describing the council’s role in coordinating with centers for independent living and state agencies. He said the council is volunteer-led, with 17 to 24 members and four ex officio agency representatives, and a staff of four, including a financial specialist who oversaw three audits with no findings.

The council collaborates with three centers for independent living: Disability Action Center Northwest, which serves 10 counties in northern Idaho; the Living Independence Network Corporation (LINC), serving 16 southern and southwestern counties; and LIFE, a center for independent living serving eastern Idaho. Levitan said the centers provide peer support, one-on-one assistance, accessibility work such as ramps and curb cuts, and help people access home- and community-based services under various waivers.

The SILC collected input from 871 Idahoans during its 2022–23 assessment, Levitan said, and reported responses from 304 of the state’s 44 counties. The assessment included about 29 listening sessions conducted over four months and in-person visits to roughly 27 communities. Common issues raised were housing affordability, home modifications to remain in place, lack of medical specialists in some areas (Levitan cited Latah County as an example), transportation shortages and reduced volunteer-driver programs, and concerns about Medicaid and Medicaid expansion.

Levitan highlighted a Department of Justice report dated January 16, 2025, that raised concerns about community access and the settings of some certified family homes. He said case management services have been limited and that a planned addition of two hours per month of case management is insufficient for many people trying to transition out of institutional settings. "To only have two hours to help find housing in today's housing market, that's two hours worth of help," he said.

Levitan also cited estimated average costs: under the figures he referenced, average home- and community-based services (HCBS) costs were less than $20,000 per year, while a nursing-home stay averaged about $85,800 annually. He warned that workforce shortages among direct support professionals and potential changes to Medicaid financing (for example, block grants or per-capita caps) could reduce access to HCBS and increase institutionalization.

Committee members asked for clarification and context. Senator Wintrow asked Levitan to explain what the council means by "integration, inclusion, and equity," and Levitan described access basics such as accessible routes, working elevators, and audio accommodations for people with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Levitan said the council also works on emergency-preparedness inclusion, legislative education, and promoting an Idaho ABLE program for tax-advantaged savings for people with disabilities.

Levitan offered to provide the Department of Justice complaint/report electronically; committee staff agreed to distribute it to members.