Committee approves behavioral‑health supplementals, hospital fund shifts and directs review of CANS assessment

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved a series of supplemental appropriations, fund shifts and language affecting the Department of Health and Welfare’s behavioral‑health programs, and asked the department to study alternatives to the CANS (Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) assessment.

Key approvals included re‑appropriations and federal‑fund adjustments to support implementation of the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan, a one‑time general‑fund appropriation for civil‑commitment expenditures, budget shifts to reflect managed‑care accounting at State Hospital West and State Hospital South, and an adjustment moving the Center of Excellence from an ongoing line to a one‑time item while eliminating several FTPs tied to that program.

Why it matters: The package funds the state’s behavioral‑health transition work and responds to accounting changes tied to managed‑care implementation but also directs the department to examine how assessment tools are used with children and families. The committee adopted language asking for alternatives to certain assessment content, reflecting concerns several legislators expressed about questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in the CANS instrument.

Analysts and staff: Alex Williamson, budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services Office, and Jared Tetroult presented the substance of the Health and Welfare items and noted where language or dollar amounts differ from earlier drafts the committee had considered.

Selected fiscal actions (committee descriptions and roll‑call outcomes): - Indirect support services (Department of Health and Welfare): added $851,600 general fund for SQL Server replacement, $1,032,800 for replacement items and $1,834,300 for Office of Information Technology Services hardware — net additions approved as a FY2026 supplemental/enhancement; the committee later accepted language requiring a vehicle‑fleet review and a report on the administrative burden of federal grants to the department. - Mental‑health services: approved a FY2025 reappropriation of $6,743,800 in federal cooperative welfare funds to allow the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan contract implementation to use previously appropriated grants that expired during implementation delays. - Psychiatric hospitalization: approved a one‑time general‑fund addition of $2,663,500 for civil‑commitment expenditures and community hospitalization and approved fund shifts to move accounting between federal and dedicated receipts for State Hospital West and State Hospital South (net‑zero budgetary impact after the shift). The committee also approved a FY2026 adjustment that moved $2,733,100 from federal to dedicated funds for State Hospital West as an ongoing shift. - Center of Excellence: the committee moved $6,319,700 and 51 FTPs from ongoing to one‑time and removed nine vacant FTPs associated with the center; leaders said the change gives the committee time to review program operations. - Substance‑use disorder fund adjustments: the committee approved a net‑zero fund shift between dedicated and federal funds to match trustee and benefit payment accounting.

CANS assessment and DEI language: The committee adopted new language asking the Department of Health and Welfare to report back on alternatives to the CANS instrument and added restrictions and reporting on programs tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, transgender care and related topics within behavioral‑health appropriations. Representative Tanner and others said they wanted the department to explore alternatives because some counselors and parents had raised concerns about SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) questions embedded in the assessment; Senator Wintrow and others cautioned that the CANS is a clinical tool used to determine service needs and warned against changing assessment items without stakeholder input, noting families and parents must be part of any review.

Votes and procedure: Committee roll calls on the major Behavioral Health motions recorded substantial majorities in favor; several supplemental and enhancement items passed on recorded votes with the committee sending the package forward with do‑pass recommendations.

Next steps: The department will comply with reporting requirements included in the adopted language, and the committee’s audit and review directions set deadlines and information requests that staff and agencies must meet as the appropriations move to floor consideration.