Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Developmental Disability Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lawmakers question SWITC costs, START certification and a new walk‑in cooler as developmental‑disability budget discussed
Summary
Officials discussed the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC), funding for crisis patient treatment, the multi‑year START certification and a nearly $1 million permanent‑building‑fund request for a walk‑in cooler; department said facility improvements were state-funded and partners also contributed.
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee heard Feb. 20 about the services-for-the-developmentally-disabled budget, the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC) operations, and rollout of the START clinical model.
Budget analyst Alex Williamson said services historically under this heading are being reorganized into an Early Learning and Development division and that a number of items previously funded as one‑time supplementals have become ongoing base costs. Williamson noted recent supplementals for SWITC crisis patient treatment and for infant‑toddler service coordination were made ongoing in FY2025.
Committee members asked for detail about several items. Senator Cook questioned a near‑$1 million request from the permanent building fund for a walk‑in cooler at SWITC; Lisonbee Tate, who oversees the facility, said bulk purchasing and shared food‑preparation capacity reduce overall food costs for State Hospital West and SWITC and that buying in bulk could “cut their food costs close to half by buying in bulk.” Tate said state funds were used to improve the leased facility and nonprofit partners also contributed to equipment.
On the START certification program — a clinical certification aimed at improving outcomes and license compliance at specialty treatment centers — the agency described the request as year 3 of 4 in a multi‑year plan and indicated a one‑time request of $249,200 for FY26. Division leadership said the START clinical model has been used with some success at SWITC and that training has expanded capacity: “In just those couple of weeks, we've gone from enrolling 5 people to 10 people with several more on the way,” Division Administrator Allison Tate told the committee regarding START implementation in a crisis-prevention team.
Williamson also summarized broader program shifts: extended employment services moved into this division in FY23 (increasing the base by about $3.5 million), and SWITC has served the state’s most severely impaired clients who lack other placement options. Williamson reported 306.71 authorized FTE for developmental services and 38.71 vacancies as of early February, with several positions in review or recruitment to manage budget pressure.
Ending: Committee members asked for the statutorily required progress report on START certification later in the summer; agency staff said they will provide the required report and continue to align facility improvements, clinical staffing and crisis-bed capacity with program objectives.
