Here's the backstory behind the numerous calls at today's budget hearing for funding a state suicide prevention hotline: Idaho's previous hotline closed at the end of 2006 for lack of funding. Since then, various locally funded hotlines around the coun... »
The Medicaid budget, which makes up 81 percent of the Department of Health & Welfare budget request for next year, is up next; lawmakers will hear presentations and discuss it over the next two hours. The request for next year is for $481 million in st... »
Gov. Butch Otter's budget recommendation for next year includes the proposal from the state Department of Health & Welfare and the Northwest Grocers Association to shift the state's food-stamp distribution program from single-day distribution on the 1s... »
This morning, as the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee continues its week of health and human services budget hearings, the Department of Health & Welfare's Division of Welfare is first up. Administrator Russ Barron shared some stats about the 235... »
Idaho's Department of Health & Welfare, the state's largest agency, has seen its employees' workload soar in recent years as caseloads have risen, it's had furloughs, staff reduction and office closures due to budget cuts, and turnover was 13.6 percent... »
The Idaho Legislature doesn't take holidays when it's in session, so lawmakers will be at work on Monday despite the Martin Luther King Jr./Idaho Human Rights Day holiday. Among the events scheduled: JFAC will hold a hearing the CAT fund and begin delv... »
