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DHW outlines opioid, Millennium and 988 spending; seeks fund swaps to meet federal admin limits
Summary
Agency analysts told the committee the substance abuse division’s budget includes ongoing federal opioid‑response funding and Millennium Fund allocations for recovery centers, and the department proposed fund shifts to comply with a SAMHSA 5% administrative cap without reducing services.
The department’s substance‑abuse budget drew questions Wednesday after analysts reported a mix of federal grants, settlement dollars and state indexed funds supporting prevention and recovery programs, and the Department of Health and Welfare requested permission to reallocate fund sources so federal administrative caps do not force program cuts.
Alex Williamson, Legislative Services Office analyst, reviewed recent appropriations: a one‑time $8.3 million COVID relief appropriation for enhanced substance‑abuse activities in 2022; an $8 million state opioid response grant appropriated in 2023 and made ongoing; and a 2025 ongoing enhancement of $1.6 million, $1.3 million of which was Millennium Income Fund support for community‑based recovery centers.
Williamson said the department also received $3,000,000 one‑time community mental‑health funding and $4,400,000 one‑time to stand up the 988 crisis line in earlier fiscal actions.
The department told the committee the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has placed Idaho on a corrective action plan because the state exceeded the 5% cap on administrative/personnel spending for the Substance Use Block Grant. To remain compliant while maintaining current staffing, the department asked to shift $533,900 from liquor control funds to pay personnel costs and move $673,900 of federal funds from personnel to trustee and benefit payments so the federal fund’s administrative share falls under the cap.
Senator Cook asked whether the proposed swaps were merely cosmetic. Williamson and Director Alex Adams said the department had already proposed a net reduction in FTP for the program and planned internal adjustments; Adams said the department sought to avoid program reductions while meeting federal rules.
Members also asked about several pass‑through items the department administers with limited operational oversight, including $100,000 to Boise State University to support a collegiate recovery program and Millennium Fund grants for youth and recovery programs. Adams said DHW is primarily a check‑writing entity for those allocations and offered to provide midyear updates on specific projects.
Committee members requested follow‑up on program effectiveness and measures for prevention and recovery programs; the department said it would supply additional information in writing.
