Idaho panel hears Department of Health and Welfare plan to add prevention staff, recruit foster parents to cut costly congregate care use

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Feb. 20 heard the Department of Health and Welfare’s request for new staff and one-time funding aimed at reducing the state’s reliance on expensive congregate care for children in state custody.

Agency director Alex Adams and legislative staff said the department is proposing 36 prevention specialist positions, additional clinical and placement staff, and a $14.1 million supplemental tied primarily to foster care population forecast adjustments.

Why it matters: Committee members were told the state spends far more when children must be placed outside homes in congregate care. Director Alex Adams said, “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 available to them, congregate care is $380 a day.” The department told lawmakers it intends to increase prevention services and recruit more foster families so fewer children require congregate placements.

Adams and budget analyst Alex Williamson placed the budget requests in context. Williamson said the division — now retitled Youth Safety and Permanency — is seeking a mix of ongoing and one-time funds and is asking to be exempted from last year’s transfer restrictions (citing 67-35-11) so it can move funds between expense classes as needed. Williamson also reported 434.8…