Mark Harris — Mark Harris was called during the roll call.
Brooke Green — Brooke Green was called during the roll call.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — The transcript repeatedly references Glenneda Zuiderveld, though the speech recognition appears to misrender her name as 'Senator Groh' or 'Ziderveld.' The mentions are all part of the same brief discussion and include a reference to 'my co-chair, Senator Grow,' indicating the speaker is talking about the same person throughout.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Senator Zuiderveld was first thanked at the end of a response, then raised concerns about why the program should be restored in a deficit year and asked for hard data showing whether the funding improved mental health and whether the committee could have confidence in the request.
James Woodward — James Woodward was called during the roll call.
Kevin Cook — Called during the roll call.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook asked why self-reliance operations increased by $5 million and requested a list of the top 10 cost drivers; his request for the cost-driver list was acknowledged.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook asked a series of related questions about the Division of Welfare and Medicaid expansion work requirements, including the funding request, the two components of the request, and how implementation costs and system changes would be handled. The director then responded to those questions, addressing the implementation costs and system changes.
Kevin Cook — The discussion returns to Senator Cook’s earlier question, then the chair calls on Senator Cook to speak. Senator Cook responds with a brief comment that many Medicaid and department efforts lack data showing their impact.
Carl Bjerke — Likely intended as Burkey.
Carl Bjerke — Senator Bjerke asked for clarification on the sources of the endowment fund and how much the state receives. The follow-up response partially answered the question, identifying land endowments as the primary source.
Carl Bjerke — Addressed as the next speaker after the explanation of the combined system.
Carl Bjerke — Asked questions about the endowment and medical access in Idaho.
Carl Bjerke — Raised budget-cut concerns and asked about pausing the Magellan behavioral health contract.
Carl Bjerke — Suggested using behavioral health contract funds temporarily and discussing details offline.
Carl Bjerke — Addressed by the director in response to the question about contract changes and budget cuts.
Carl Bjerke — Offered follow-up offline on the managed care conversation.
Carl Bjerke — Addressed directly in the explanation of the endowment fund.
Carl Bjerke — Addressed again after the committee returned from being at ease.
Phil Hart — Called during the roll call.
Cindy Carlson — Called during the roll call.
Cindy Carlson — Senator Carlson questioned the status of vacant FTEs in the Division of Welfare, Mental Health Services, and psychiatric services, then followed up by asking whether the vacant positions are funded or unfunded and requested additional information.
Cindy Carlson — Senator Zydraveld questioned why the program has 13 FTPs instead of 12 and asked which position is being transferred. The director responded by clarifying that the request is actually for 12 new positions.
Codi Galloway — Called during the roll call.
Janie Ward-Engelking — Likely intended as Ward Engel King.
Melissa Wintrow — Called as present.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow questioned the director about how proposed 4% cuts and Medicaid rate reductions could affect children’s and adult mental health services, including psychiatric hospitals and the broader behavioral health system. The director responded by discussing behavioral health funding streams and later addressed concerns about combining funding pools and possible mission creep.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow raises concerns about mental health services, including ACT teams and reported deaths, and asks for both the challenges facing the adult and child mental health system and examples of success stories showing positive impact. The director and chair respond directly to her questions, acknowledging her concerns and continuing the discussion within the same mental health policy exchange.
Rob Sauer — Introduced as a superintendent from Holdendale and part of the Boise State Executive Educational Leadership Program.
Wendy Jaquid — Introduced as a former legislator and former JFAC member.
Jenny Tellis — Jenny Tellis is introduced as being from Boise State and helping staff the program, with a follow-up mention clarifying that she is from Boise State and one of the people staffing the program.
Chris LaHosette — Requested 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 and introduced the General Fund Daily Update.
Ms. Williamson — Ms. Williamson is introduced as the next presenter, scheduled to speak on behalf of 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.
Sharon — Identified as the director who was invited to come forward and speak.
Juliet Sharon — Introduced herself as Director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and noted the presentation schedule change.
Jim Guthrie — Senator Cook asked whether Idaho’s SNAP administrative cost per case can be compared with surrounding states, and the response addressed that cost analysis in the same exchange.
Jim Guthrie — Jim Guthrie addresses Senator Cook while referring back to earlier remarks made in response to prior questions, indicating continuity in the discussion rather than a new topic.
Jim Guthrie — Senator Cook is referenced as having evaluated the issue and noted limits in tracking people down.
John Bernascone — Named as someone who could provide details about the vendor review.
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 lookback period at one month or three months.
Jordan Redman — Was told the state plans to start with a one-month compliance period.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether the state had applied for a waiver to delay implementation and spread out costs.
Jordan Redman — Asked how the 15 FTP and $6.3 million would affect mobile crisis units.
Ross Edmonds, Division Administrator of Behavioral Health — Ross Edmonds was invited to provide additional comments and possibly a success story.
Ross Edmonds — Ross Edmonds, administrator of the Division of Behavioral Health at the Department of Health and Welfare, testified about the ongoing challenges facing Idaho’s behavioral health system, noting that these issues predate recent budget changes and are difficult to manage with limited resources. He also shared a success story from a presentation to the Millennium Fund Committee, describing how behavioral health programs helped save a person’s life and supported that individual in becoming a recovery coach.
Ross Edmonds — Ross Edmonds introduces himself as the administrator for the Division of Behavioral Health and then responds to questions about behavioral health trends. He argues that behavioral health has historically been underdiagnosed rather than overdiagnosed, noting increased counseling needs among students and describing anxiety as existing on a continuum. He adds that social media and COVID-era isolation have contributed to youth behavioral health concerns and greater reporting. When asked about prevention beyond crisis response, he says prevention in behavioral health is difficult and begins at home, emphasizing the importance of family and community investment.
Ross Edmonds — Ross Edmonds explained that the facility shares some resources with the prison in Orofino but relies on its own skid steer for snow removal and maintenance, noting that eliminating it would be difficult. He then addressed a related question about maintenance staffing, clarifying that the issue was whether to use a contractor instead of a state employee, and said contractor use would likely cost more while offering to provide a cost comparison to the committee.