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Joint Millennium Fund committee recommends one-time grants, $25M for Medicaid claims
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Summary
The Joint Millennium Fund Committee recommended a mix of one-time and ongoing funds including $692,200 to the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, $1,000,000 for juvenile safety and assessment centers, $3,000,000 for child advocacy centers, $5,000,000 for a statewide drug awareness campaign, $150,000 ongoing for a recovery center, and $25,000,000 one-time for Medicaid claim payments (unused funds to be returned).
The co-chairs of the Joint Millennium Fund Committee presented a package of recommendations to the JFAC committee on Feb. 24, 2026, that would direct both one-time and ongoing dollars toward child welfare, juvenile services and substance-use prevention.
The committee recommended $692,200 in one-time funding to the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, intended to be distributed as subgrants to community-based programs across the state. It also proposed $1,000,000 one-time for the Department of Juvenile Corrections on behalf of the Idaho Safety and Assessment Center Coalition to support 12 assessment centers statewide and $3,000,000 one-time to support 10 child advocacy centers administered by the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance on behalf of the Idaho Network for Children’s Advocacy (locations listed by the presenters).
In addition to those one-time grants, the committee proposed $150,000 ongoing for FY2027 to the Department of Health and Welfare on behalf of the Upper River Youth Leadership Council Recovery Center to broaden access to recovery tools and strengthen health outcomes.
The co-chairs also recommended $5,000,000 one-time in FY2027 for a statewide drug awareness media campaign to be overseen by the Office on Drug Policy. The committee asked that state procurement procedures be followed to select a public-relations firm and requested to participate in review and selection; presenters said a full report and data collection plan would be provided to JFAC.
The most discussed item was a recommendation to allocate $25,000,000 one-time in FY2027 to cover Medicaid claim payments, which the presenters said would reduce the general fund impact in the budget year. The co-chairs emphasized that the appropriation is one-time and included language specifying that any unused monies at the end of the fiscal year be returned to the Millennium Fund.
A public commenter thanked the committee and the Office on Drug Policy and expressed hope the media campaign would help reduce prison admissions and recidivism tied to substance use. The commenter also recalled language in a prior year barring use of Millennium Fund dollars to offset Medicaid and asked why the committee recommended the $25 million. One co-chair said the Governor requested the funding because of a downturn in revenues, that the committee recognized prior intent language, and that the current recommendation treats the $25 million as a one-time, temporary measure with reversion of unused funds.
The committee accepted the report by unanimous consent.
What happens next: The report was accepted into the committee record; any formal appropriation would require inclusion in the budget and subsequent legislative action.
