Denise Wetzel of Coeur d'Alene, mother of a 10-year-old son with disabilities, said she's grateful that her son has been able to attend his local public school and receive developmental therapy that he needs. "I never give up ... on what he can accomplish and…
Rick Heikkila of Nampa, a licensed clinical social worker, said if lawmakers cut psycho-social rehabilitation services, "Idaho will see an increase in homelessness, an increase in psychiatric care at inpatient hospitals, an increase in emergency room visits," and more people landing in jail. "I propose…
Bob Van Arnem of Eagle said he was prompted to testify because of his property tax bill, but he said after listening to the testimony at the JFAC hearing today, "I realize how light my burden is." Van Arnem said he's seen a property tax…
So far, 43 people have testified in two hours to JFAC on Health & Welfare funding this morning, including disabled people who receive services, their advocates, parents and other family members, and numerous providers, ranging from dentists to those who provide psycho-social rehabilitation services to…
Kevin Nye of Meridian urged lawmakers to raise the cigarette tax. Jill Payne of Idaho Falls said cutting services to the disabled would harm the economy; "Such an ill-informed decision to remove millions from the economy is unconscionable," she said. John Chambers of Gooding told…
Katherine Hansen of Boise presented lawmakers with 13,740 petitions signed by Idahoans calling for lawmakers to consider a tax increase rather than cut home and community-based services for people with disabilities. The signers, she said, are "13,740 Idahoans from every county and every city in…
Tonia Stephens of Nampa, accompanied by her son Ricky, said, "If his services were cut it would impact his well being and he would regress. ... If he loses services, I lose my job. I would have to quit my job and stay home to…
Cynthia McCurdy of Rexburg, mother of a daughter with developmental delays and other health problems, told lawmakers, "Please, let's not have another Jeff D lawsuit. That cost us millions." She urged against reducing services for the developmentally disabled, saying without them her daughter's condition will…
Jodi Smith of Coeur d'Alene, a PSR provider, said Idaho is the first state in the nation to require new certification credentials for providers of psycho-social rehabilitation services, a requirement that's now pending. Yet the state is considering eliminating those services as part of $25…
Michelle Bartlett, a licensed midwife and representative of the Idaho Midwifery Council, told JFAC that the state could save $130,000 per year by funding births attended by midwives, rather than in hospitals. That could be part of the solution, she said. Robert Vande Merwe told…
Elizabeth Reedy, a Boise youngster, told lawmakers, "I am 14 years old. I am a person with autism. ... I want to go to junior high. I want to go to college. I want to have a job ... and a cat named Adam. ...…
Ryan Jacobsen of Coeur d'Alene, regional director for Addus Health Care, said his firm provides home care throughout the state and has 560 employees. "We are part of the solution," Jacobsen told JFAC. He called for more collaboration with home-care agencies to set appropriate standards…
Steve Bruce, a dentist from Boise, cautioned strongly against eliminating non-emergency dental care services for adults on Medicaid. That may not save money, he said, as relatively inexpensive routine dental-care visits are foregone and the patients instead end up with expensive emergency room visits when…
Kelly Keele, a mental health services provider from Rigby, told lawmakers that PSR services - psycho-social rehabilitation services - now being considered for elimination are what enable persons with mental illness to avoid the "revolving door" of psychiatric hospitalization. "If these people were to lose…
Scott Burpee of Pocatello, head of Safe Haven Health Care, told JFAC, "Many providers are facing imminent bankruptcy. ... Many of us have ruined credit. ... From a banking standpoint, Medicaid has become an unreliable funding stream to base credit on." He said, "I strongly…
Mark Reinhardt of Boise, an aspiring young journalist, was the first to testify to JFAC this morning. He said, "I rise in opposition to elimination and/or cuts to DDA or PSR services," which include services to people with developmental disabilities. Without those services, Reinhardt said,…
Among those waiting to testify at this mornings public hearing on Health & Welfare programs are several people in wheelchairs, who are among an overflow crowd in the Capitol Auditorium. Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, just opened the hearing. "We're grateful and inspired that you're here…
There's a huge crowd here at the Capitol this morning for the JFAC "listening hearing" on Health & Weflare spending; here, people line up to sign in to have their say. Each person who testifies will get 3 minutes.
The public is invited to offer testimony on Friday in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee's second-ever public hearing, this time focusing on funding for state Health & Welfare programs. The public hearing will run from 8-11 a.m. in the Capitol Auditorium, and people can start signing…
It's definitely not light reading, but State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna has posted on his website draft versions of two bills to implement his sweeping school reform plan. The first one, entitled "Modernization and Reform," is 91 pages; the second, entitled "Labor and Entitlements,"…
AP reporter John Miller reports on new concerns House Republicans leaders are raising over the state's budget challenges: That the impact of conforming Idaho's tax code to new federal rules could cost Idaho's state coffers $70 million over the next two years, while sales tax…
Megaloads opponents have announced that they'll file no further challenges to the four megaloads on U.S. Highway 12 planned by ConocoPhillips. 'We are proud of the work we have done over the last 10 months helping educate our friends and neighbors about the threats that…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State wildlife managers expect to hear back in the next six weeks on Idaho's petition to kill wolves in the upper Clearwater River Basin. Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Fred Trevey told lawmakers…
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna will appear on Idaho Public Television's "Dialogue" program tonight to explain his school reform plan and take calls from the public. The show airs live statewide, at 8:30 p.m. Mountain time, 7:30 p.m. Pacific time. Questions can be emailed…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — About 33,000 Idaho state and local government retirees are due to get a 1 percent cost-of-living increase in their benefit payments. State pension fund director Don Drum told the Senate Commerce Committee on…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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