Idaho led the nation in food stamp growth in 2010, state Health & Welfare Director Dick Armstrong told lawmakers this morning. That's partly because in 2008, Idaho was 48th in the nation for food-stamp participation. At that time, only half the Idahoans who qualified for the help actually applied for it. "This tells us there was a large number of people who qualified for assistance, but were getting by and did not need the help," Armstrong said. "That's changed with the latest economic downturn. Many people could no longer get by on their own."

Food stamp benefits are paid for 100 percent by the federal government, he said, with Idaho only administering the program. That's not true of Medicaid, in which the federal government pays about three-quarters of the cost, and the state pays the rest.

"From a state budget perspective, Medicaid is the dominant story for our agency," Armstrong said. "Idaho Medicaid has some of the most restrictive eligibility criteria in the nation." Yet, participation has soared, as more and more Idahoans are living at or below the poverty line. "Despite the unbelievable demand for our services, we have held the line everywhere," Armstrong said. His department has closed nine of its 29 field offices and today has 10 percent fewer workers than it did in 2008. Employees have been furloughed, and more than 300 positions are being held vacant for lack of funds. Now, he said, top employees are leaving, citing pay, workload and stress as the reasons.

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