Committee approves $14.1M supplemental for child welfare and $21.2M in FY26 staff and programs, ties staffing to foster-family ratio

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved a $14,126,900 supplemental appropriation for the Division of Youth Safety and Permanency (Child Welfare) for FY2025 and voted to add funding and positions for FY2026, including new prevention and licensing staff, clinical staff and temporary operating costs for the Payette Assessment and Care Center.

The FY2025 supplemental addresses a forecasted shortfall in trustee and benefit payments tied to congregate care placements. Analyst Alex Williamson said the supplemental "would provide $8,868,200 from the general fund and $5,258,700 from federal funds" for a total of $14,126,900. Senator Wintrow, endorsing the motion, said that "if we can get to the prevention side of things we're gonna decrease costs on this side," and stressed that many congregate-care placements are for complex cases requiring out-of-state placement.

For FY2026 the committee approved a package that increases the division by 63 full-time equivalents and approximately $21.2 million all funds (about $13.8 million general fund and $7.5 million federal funds) to create prevention specialist teams, foster program clinical staff, licensing staff and other positions. The motion included language exempting the division from normal transfer limitations in section "60 seven-thirty five-eleven" for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, and a performance-based provision that ties eight foster-program licensing positions to a goal of achieving a one-to-one ratio of foster families to foster children by Jan. 1, 2026, with interim status updates.

Why it matters: Committee members and the working group emphasized that prevention services typically cost far less than congregate care: panel members cited roughly $1.80 per day for in-home prevention, $16 per day for foster care payments, and an average near $380 per day for congregate care. The supplemental was partially intended to cover current-year costs while the department increases prevention and in-state capacity.

Committee action and votes: The supplemental motion passed with a combined committee tally of 18 ayes, 1 nay and 1 absent and excused. The FY2026 enhancement package adding 63 FTEs and funding also passed with the same combined tally reported. The committee adopted associated language by unanimous consent in several instances and included conditions, limitations and restrictions clauses accompanying the appropriations.

Discussion highlights: Representative Furness noted the working group's role in reducing an initial $24 million request to $14 million through negotiations with the director. Cochair Grow and others emphasized performance reporting and monitoring; committee leadership requested preliminary reports (a status update) by Sept. 15 as part of oversight.

Next steps: The motions carry due-pass recommendations to the floor. The committee tied some funding to performance measures and included transfer-exemption language to allow the division flexibility for personnel and trustee payments while restructuring.

Clarifying details: {"category":"supplemental_amount","detail":"FY2025 supplemental for foster care trustee and benefit payments","value":14126900,"units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Alex Williamson"},{"category":"fy26_ftes","detail":"Additional full time equivalent positions requested and approved","value":63,"units":"FTE","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Representative Tanner"}

Ending: The committee approved near-term funding to cover foster care costs and larger FY2026 investments to expand prevention, licensing and clinical capacity, while adopting language to permit transfers and attaching performance expectations.