Idaho budget hearing emphasizes prevention, more foster parents to curb costly congregate care

The Department of Health and Welfare told the Senate–House budget panel Thursday it is asking for staff and funding to expand prevention services and recruit foster families in order to reduce use of expensive congregate care for children in state custody.

The request, presented by Alex Williamson of Legislative Services and Director Alex Adams, centers on hiring prevention specialists and clinical and licensing staff, plus a fiscal 2025 supplemental to cover higher-than-expected foster care costs.

Williamson, budget and policy analyst, told the committee the division now titled Youth Safety and Permanency is authorized 434.8 full‑time positions and had 45.8 vacancies as of Feb. 10; about 25 vacancies were in the interview stage and 9 were posted. She said the division expended about $117.8 million in fiscal 2024, with foster care and assistance payments making up roughly 60 percent of that total.

Why it matters: Department leaders said a small number of children occupying congregate settings drives large costs and poorer outcomes, and that shifting children into prevention and foster placements yields better results at lower expense.

"If I keep a kid in their home, in a prevention case, it's a dollar eighty a day. If a child is removed from their home and placed in foster care, it's $16 a day. If I don't have a foster bed…