The Idaho Legislature's Joint Millennium Fund Committee narrowly recommended funding four new community recovery centers Tuesday, including one in Lewiston, reports Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune, but the proposal still faces significant hurdles. The centers are intended to provide a safe, supportive environment for people who are recovering from substance abuse and behavioral issues. They would be staffed largely by volunteers, many of whom have dealt with addiction issues of their own and can provide peer mentoring.

The Legislature appropriated $500,000 for four new centers last year, including one in Moscow, Spence reports. The Idaho Association of Counties is requesting an additional $600,000 this year for four more centers, located in Lewiston, Coeur d'Alene, and Bannock and Bonneville counties. But Gov. Butch Otter didn’t include the item in his executive budget.

The joint Millennium Fund Committee voted 6-4 in favor of a split of Millennium Fund money that includes the recovery center funding; its recommendation now goes to the joint budget committee for approval. Historically, the budget committee has accepted the Millennium Fund Committee's recommendation. However, given its previous concerns about ongoing funding for the recovery centers, Sen. Dan Johnson, R-Lewiston, told Spence there's a chance it will balk this year. "This (Millennium Fund) was just the first hurdle," he said.

Moreover, House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, recently floated a proposal to use the Millennium Fund money to pay for the governor's Primary Care Access Program proposal. Said Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, “If Bedke wants to pull the Millennium Fund money, he could do that in a minute." Spence’s full report is online here.