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Senate advances bill to tighten reviews of congregate care placements; supporters say language protects treatment time
Summary
Senate Bill 1035, which would require the Department of Health and Welfare director to review unlicensed congregate placements every 14 days and assess safety, treatment needs and discharge planning, was sent to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation after committee testimony from providers and advocates.
Senator Melissa Wintrow presented Senate Bill 1035 to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and the committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation.
Wintrow said the bill builds on 2024 reforms (Senate Bill 1379) that restricted foster placements in unregulated congregate settings after reports that children had been placed in short‑term rentals, hotels and other unregulated locations. She said the 2024 law reduced placements in Airbnbs and other short‑term rentals but that stakeholders asked the Legislature to clarify the director’s role in reviewing and approving congregate placements so licensed facilities can better meet children’s treatment needs.
Key provisions in the proposed bill require the director to review any child placed in an unlicensed group care setting, including Airbnbs, every 14 days. The director’s review must assess the child’s safety, treatment needs, facility services, the treatment plan, overall progress, discharge plan and progress toward discharge. If the director finds a placement inappropriate, the bill requires the director to find a new, appropriate placement.
Wintrow said providers, the Department of Health and Welfare and child advocates, including Idaho Voices for Children, supported the language. She noted the bill is intended to keep guardrails that prohibit unregulated group care while ensuring appropriate placements for children who need treatment. Wintrow cited data from 2024 showing that about 75 foster children had been placed in short‑term rentals and that some were younger than age 2.
Craig Anderson, owner and operator of Hinge Point Youth Homes, testified that he helped draft the revised language and described the bill as a collaborative product of providers and the department. "The burden of being able to meet these requirements was just overwhelming that really took away from the resources and the time to meet the treatment needs of the kiddos that we are serving," Anderson said, describing conversations he and providers held with Health and Welfare staff. He said the current draft was unanimously agreed to by providers involved and the department.
Bridal Shipley of Hailey testified in support, urging timely assessments and community‑based supports for youth without caregivers.
Committee members raised implementation questions. Senator Zieterfeld asked whether the 14‑day review requirement could impose additional hiring or workload burdens on Health and Welfare staff; Wintrow replied that the previous 2024 law had already increased workload at the director level but that the department's current administration prioritized expanding foster‑home capacity to reduce unregulated placements. Wintrow and a provider representative cautioned that overly prescriptive reporting could pull staff away from direct treatment of children in licensed residential programs; the bill's language was intended to strike a balance.
Senator Blaylock moved that the committee send Senate Bill 1035 to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation; Senator Burkey seconded. The motion carried by voice vote.
If the bill advances, the sponsor and department will provide additional implementation details and any needed data at subsequent hearings.
