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Senate passes bill tightening review of congregate care placements for children
Summary
Senate Bill 10‑35 passed the Idaho Senate Feb. 10, 2025. The bill revises placement rules for children in congregate care and adjusts review timing for residential treatment facilities; sponsors said the measure strengthens oversight and reduces inappropriate placements in short-term rentals or hotels.
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Senate on Feb. 10, 2025 passed Senate Bill 10‑35, a measure that revises the state’s rules for placing children in congregate care and changes review timing for residential treatment facilities.
Senator Wintrow, speaking as sponsor on the floor, said the bill builds on 2024 legislation that required the Department of Health and Welfare to place “eyes on” certain cases and to reduce the use of short-term rentals for foster placements. Wintrow told the Senate that in 2024, 175 foster children were placed in short-term rentals and hotels and said the new language keeps those oversight guardrails while amending review frequency for licensed residential treatment facilities where children with complex needs typically stay longer.
Under the amendment described on the floor, health‑department directors must assess residential treatment placements at defined intervals and verify treatment plans, progress toward discharge, and safety considerations. Supporters said the change reduces unnecessary paperwork and bureaucratic burdens on treatment providers while preserving accountability.
After brief debate and closing remarks from the sponsor, the Senate recorded a roll-call vote. The clerk announced a final count of 33 in favor with 2 absent; Senate Bill 10‑35 passed and will be transmitted to the House of Representatives.
The bill’s floor sponsor emphasized that the measure preserves protections against children being housed in unlicensed or short‑term facilities while tailoring oversight to the operational realities of residential treatment programs.
