Committee reviews funding to expand reentry centers, opioid treatment pilot and parole staffing

The Joint Finance Preparations Committee on Feb. 4 reviewed the Department of Correction’s requests to expand community reentry operations and to add or annualize staff for probation and parole.

Noah Peterson, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee the Community Corrections Division has 511.35 full-time positions allocated and is requesting ongoing support tied to recent center openings and staffing increases.

Peterson said the FY2025 enhancements included a $1.3 million appropriation to expand community reentry programs and 20 full‑time positions tied to new and existing community reentry centers; 17 of those positions were initially appropriated at six months of funding under Management Services and the FY2026 request would annualize the personnel costs. Peterson identified the annualization amount for the Pocatello Community Reentry Center as $680,700, which would bring the center’s ongoing budget to about $2.4 million if approved.

The division also requested $212,300 for general inflation across operating lines and $1,574,100 for replacement items including vehicles, radios and kitchen equipment; the governor recommended those items.

The committee heard about treatment-oriented items in the division budget. Peterson said the agency added two FTP to create a pilot program providing medication for opioid use disorder while people are incarcerated; those positions would serve as case managers to coordinate community treatment following release. The community-based substance use disorder program had a $1 million transfer to community corrections that netted to zero across the agency, Peterson said, reflecting an internal reallocation.

Parole-officer compensation and staffing were also discussed. Peterson said starting pay for parole officers was raised by $0.85 per hour as part of an earlier appropriation, and the FY2025 budget included six FTP and $616,500 ongoing for parole officers in Districts 3 and 4.

Senator Wintrow asked whether the department’s gap analysis on substance-use and mental-health services could be discussed in this budget review; Director Tewalt said the analysis showed progress and cited thousands receiving treatment in recent reporting. The committee did not vote on any items during the presentation; staff will provide requested follow-up information.