Committee hears funding requests, transfer exemptions tied to Idaho Behavioral Health Plan delays

Alex Williamson, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24 that the Division of Mental Health Services is seeking federal authority to spend grants related to the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan (IBHP) and requested transfer exemptions to move funds across program categories.

The IBHP, Williamson said, was originally scheduled to go live in 2022 but did not go live until July 2024; federal grants tied to the earlier appropriation year remain available but require new state authority to access. "They are asking for an appropriation now in order to give them the authority to access those federal funds that are still sitting there, available to them," Williamson said. The department's request includes a $6.7 million one-time federal supplemental and a $261,400 ongoing federal operating request tied…