Elaine Price — Representative Price asks whether there is duplication of services among the programs being discussed, then follows up with a related question about possible duplication between mental health programs and hospitals. The chair and director respond to both questions within the same discussion.
Elaine Price — Referenced as having asked an earlier question about the issue being discussed.
Chris Bruce — Chris Bruce was called during roll call, with the transcript noting that he was called twice.
Chris Bruce — Representative Bruce asked about the oversight of Magellan’s behavioral health disbursements, specifically how often audits are conducted and whether there have been any indications of misuse or improper handling of those funds, including whether any recoupment has been pursued.
Mark Harris — Mark Harris was called during roll call.
Brooke Green — Brooke Green is called during roll call.
James Woodward — James Woodward is called during roll call.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Glenneda Zuiderveld is identified during the opening roll call and marked present with 'Here,' including a repeated/variant transcript reference to her name. A later brief mention again refers to her in the context of introducing a co-chair, but it remains part of the same opening meeting identification sequence.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Senator Zuiderveld is referenced throughout a single exchange on the Health Center of Excellence program. The discussion begins with a thank-you line that appears to misstate the senator’s name, then moves into Zuiderveld’s question about why funding and FTEs were removed from the program. The senator is subsequently addressed during follow-up discussion about restoring the program and about the data and confidence behind the request.
Kevin Cook — Called during roll call.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook asked about the Division of Welfare’s Medicaid expansion work requirements and requested clarification on the two components of the funding request. The exchange then moved into the director’s response, which addressed the software and workflow changes needed to implement the requirements.
Kevin Cook — The discussion returns to Senator Cook’s earlier question about aligning systems and requirements, then Senator Cook is invited to respond after an explanation that there is no duplication within the division. Senator Cook follows with a brief comment that many Medicaid and department efforts lack data demonstrating their impact.
Todd Lakey — Likely intended by 'Burkey' in the roll call.
Phil Hart — Called during roll call.
Carl Bjerke — Likely intended by 'Carlson' in the roll call.
Carl Bjerke — Senator Bjerke asks a series of related questions about funding and resource flexibility. He first raises whether the state can pause or adjust the behavioral health contract with Magellan to use savings during the transition to new managed care organizations. The discussion then shifts to the state endowment fund, with explanation that it is based on revenue from state-owned property, and Bjerke follows up by asking whether there is room to leverage the endowment in the future or improve its use to address unresolved problems.
Codi Galloway — Called during roll call.
Codi Galloway — The director responds to the senator's question about staffing for the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Likely intended by 'Ward Engel King' in the roll call.
Melissa Wintrow — Called during roll call; transcript says 'Wintrow. Here.'
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow questioned the department about the state of the mental health system, asking how 4% cuts and Medicaid rate reductions would affect children’s and adult services, including private psychiatric hospitals. She then requested a complete list of how reductions are affecting the department and its programs, and followed up by asking how the department would prevent mission creep or the diversion of children’s mental health resources to adult services if funds are pooled.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow raises concerns about reported deaths connected to ACT teams and the disbandment of those teams, then broadens the discussion to ask about mental health system challenges for adults and children, including the effects of budget cuts, and requests a success story showing positive impact. The chair and department representatives respond by acknowledging her concerns, reminding her to be recognized before speaking, and explaining longstanding behavioral health system challenges and budget-related effects while offering to provide further comment and examples of progress.
Melissa Wintrow — Is identified as the next speaker, though the name appears to be a transcription error for a senator not in the expected list.
Rob Sauer — Introduced as a superintendent from Holdendale and a leader with the program.
Wendy Jaquid — Introduced as a former legislator and former GFAC member.
Jenny Tellis — Jenny Tellis is introduced as being from Boise State and as the person staffing the program.
Chris LaHosette — The analyst was asked to come up and state his name and title for the record.
Christopher LaHosette — Identified himself as a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services Office.
Ms. Williamson — Introduced as the next presenter for the Department of Health and Welfare.
Alex Williamson — Identified himself as a Budget and Policy Analyst with Legislative Services and began the Department of Health and Welfare presentation.
Juliet Sharon — Juliet Sharon, Director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, briefly introduced herself and noted the schedule change, then began summarizing the department’s budget requests as largely maintenance, restoration, replacement, or new-requirement items.
Jim Guthrie — Senator Cook asked whether Idaho’s SNAP administration cost per case can be compared with surrounding states, and was directly addressed in the response discussing that cost analysis.
Jim Guthrie — Was addressed by the speaker regarding difficult departmental decisions and the possibility of restarting a program or effort.
Jim Guthrie — His evaluation of the situation was referenced while discussing crisis services and tracking people.
Alison Rabe — Juliet Sharon reintroduced herself and then explained the department’s behavioral health funding structure and budget strategy. She said services are funded through Medicaid and the Division of Behavioral Health, with rate reductions largely matched across programs and some services removed from the Magellan contract. She emphasized that the department is monitoring access to care, that crisis and psychiatric hospital services remain in place, and that the difficult decisions were made to manage limited resources. She also explained the request to pool funds as a way to give the department flexibility to cover services as needs arise, while still tracking children’s and adult services separately and maintaining reporting transparency with no commingling of funds.
Cindy Carlson — Senator Carlson asked about vacant FTEs in the Division of Welfare, Mental Health Services, and psychiatric facilities, then followed up by asking whether those vacant positions are funded or unfunded and requesting additional information.
Jordan Redman — Raised a question about the Medicaid expansion work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether the state would set the Medicaid work requirement compliance period at one month or three months.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether the state had applied for a waiver to delay implementation and spread out costs.
Jordan Redman — His question about delaying implementation is answered by the director.
Jordan Redman — Continues questioning about implementation timing.
Jordan Redman — Asked how the 15 FTE and $6.3 million would affect mobile crisis units.
Ross Edmonds — Ross Edmonds, the Administrator of the Division of Behavioral Health at the Department of Health and Welfare, is introduced and then states his name and title for the record as he comes forward to provide additional comments.
Ross Edmonds — Identified himself as administrator for the Division of Behavioral Health and Health and Welfare.
Ross Edmonds — Ross Edmonds explained that the facility shares resources with the prison in Orofino and relies on the skid steer frequently for snow removal and debris clearing. He said it would be challenging to eliminate the skid steer and depend only on the prison’s equipment, and noted that contracting for similar equipment and staff would typically cost more. He also indicated he could provide a cost comparison and look for additional shared-resource opportunities.
Mr. Edmonds — Referenced as saying there is a shortage in every county.
Mr. Edmonds — Referenced as having previously described Idaho as a medical access desert.
Bruce Skaug — Representative Bruce questioned whether behavioral health issues are being overdiagnosed and whether such diagnoses are tracked, then followed up by asking what might be driving behavioral health problems among school-age and college-age people. He concluded by suggesting that legislation addressing social media use or phones in classrooms could be helpful.
Mr. Edmund / Ross Edmonds — Mr. Edmonds explained that behavioral health has historically been underdiagnosed and stigmatized, and that there is no data showing overdiagnosis. He noted increased counseling needs among college and high school students, emphasized that diagnosis is a clinician-to-clinician judgment, and described anxiety as a continuum rather than a rigid category.
Mr. Edmond / Ross Edmonds — Mr. Edmonds explained that there is no single driver behind youth isolation and behavioral health concerns, but that social media and screen use contribute to it. He added that the isolation young people experienced during the COVID years, along with a greater willingness to seek help, are also important factors.