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Legislative Update
February 22-26, 2016
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Idaho Family Caregiver Task Force Report
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On Tuesday, Sarah Toevs with the Idaho Caregiver Alliance presented a report from the Idaho Family Caregiver Task Force and the Idaho Caregiver Alliance.
In 2015, the Idaho Caregiver Alliance formed a Task Force comprised of a wide array of individuals to examine policies, resources and programs available for caregivers in Idaho and other states. The Task Force also studied innovative ways to support unpaid family caregivers.
According to the report, the Task Force discovered that the supports for unpaid family caregivers are inadequate to meet the present and forecasted needs in Idaho.
The Task Force findings included:
- Family care giving impacts all aspects of a family’s economic, physical, cultural, and social well being.
- Assistance is fragmented and mostly focused on the care recipient.
- Demographics are changing; 23 % of Idaho’s population will be over age 60 by the year 2030, an increase of 33 % from 2012 (US Census Bureau, 2009 Projections).
- Non-profit organizations have not been a sustainable source of support for caregivers.
- Respite care is inadequate.
The Task Force offered the following recommendations:
- Priority #1 – Equip and expand a network of individuals who assist family caregivers to understand, access, and arrange complex services.
- Priority #2 – Provide access to training for caregivers on fundamental care responsibilities and self-care strategies.
- Priority #3 – Increase public awareness about care giving including helping people identify as caregivers.
- Priority #4 - Influence health care providers to recognize family caregivers as integral members of the health care team.
- Priority #5 - Build community resources within the medical-health neighborhood to support those in a family caregiver role, through the seven State Health Innovation Plan (SHIP) Regional Health Collaboratives.
- Priority #6 – Integrate the needs and contributions of unpaid family caregivers in other system transformation efforts.
To read the full report click here.
To see Sarah's slide presentation to the committee click here.
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Collaborative Work Group on Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
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On Tuesday, Christine Pisani, Executive Director for the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities presented the 2015 annual report of the Collaborative Work Group (CWG) on Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities to both the Senate and House Health and Welfare committees.
This is the group’s second annual report. The CWG includes representatives from a diverse number of associations and organizations who have come together to constructively influence the development of the adult DD service system. Representatives bring the perspectives of people with developmental disabilities, service providers, advocates, agencies and policymakers.
The recommendations of the group to the legislature were:
- To approve the Home and Community Based Services rules changes proposed by the Department of Health and Welfare Division of Medicaid
- For the Department of Health and Welfare to adopt its recommendation for Resource Allocation. In May 2015, the CWG generated and delivered a proposal to the Division of Medicaid that any needs assessment process selected for Idaho is strengths-based, specifically drives the allocation process (building budgets based on actual needs rather than other factors), and assumes employment is a priority for adults with developmental disabilities.
- That the state participate in the National Core Indicators Project
To read the full report click
here.
To view Christine's slide presentation to the legislators click
here.
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Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol Well Attended
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Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol sponsored by the Consortium for Idahoans with Disabilities (CID), a group of advocacy, provider and government agencies working together to address issues affecting people with disabilities in Idaho had a big turn out on Tuesday.
Legislators and visitors met with groups to learn more on the Healthy Idaho Plan, ABLE Act, Home and Community Based Services, the Optum Performance Evaluation and changes in the state related to disability issues. They also got to see the number of advocacy organizations that work to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Participants had the opportunity to have their pictures taken with legislators and their friends at a photo booth and learn more about accessible voting machines.
The event drew some media attention as well. Read some of the media reports:
Public News Service
KMVT Television-Twin Falls
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JFAC Funds Suicide Prevention
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Today, JFAC on a 17-1 vote approved a budget of $971,100 and four positions to allow the Department of Health and Welfare to carry out the state's suicide prevention plan. $223,000 a year ongoing will be for funding the suicide prevention hotline.
This is a 14.5% increase in state funds but only a 2.4 % increase in total funds.
The bill still needs to pass the House and Senate and get signed by the Governor to become law.
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JFAC Sets Medicaid Budget
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JFAC also set the Medicaid budget today on with a unanimous, 16-0 vote.The budget reflects a 3.4 percent increase in state general funds; 6.2 percent in total funds.
The budget includes an increase of $1.5 million, $442,000 of that in state general funds, in the personal needs allowance for individuals that are disabled and elderly people on Medicaid.This allowance hasn’t been raised in a decade.
The budget, at $519.6 million in state general funds and $2.23 billion total, still needs to pass the House and Senate and get signed by the Governor to become law.
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Legislation of Interest
Where Is It This Week?
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H0332 Residential care, license renewal 02/02/2016 Senate - Introduced, read first time; referred to: Commerce & Human Resources
H0373 Legend drugs, clinic donat/dispense 02/19/2016 Senate - Read second time; filed for Third Reading
H0375 Health care task force 02/19/2016 Senate - Read second time; filed for Third Reading
H0413 License plates, Orofino hs maniacs 02/19/2016 House - Retained on General Orders
H0421 Health insurance exchange 02/01/2016 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Ways & Means
H0484 Primary care access program 02/15/2016 House - Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
S1204 Medicaid, eligibility expansion 01/25/2016 Senate - Reported Printed; Referred to Health & Welfare
S1205 Medical assist/eligibility standard 01/25/2016 Senate - Reported Printed; Referred to Health & Welfare
S1206 Approp, H&W indirect support, add'l 02/19/2016 Senate - Reported delivered to Governor at 11:40 a.m. on 02/19/16
S1207 Approp, H&W psych hosp, add'l 02/19/2016 Senate - Reported delivered to Governor at 11:40 a.m. on 02/19/16
S1216 Approp, blind commission, add'l 02/19/2016 Senate - Reported delivered to Governor at 11:40 a.m. on 02/19/16
S1268 Dev disabilities council membership 02/24/2016 House - Read First Time, Referred to Health & Welfare
S1326 Suicide prevention/director authority 02/26/2016 Senate - Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
S1327 Vulnerable adults/definition revised 02/16/2016 Senate - Reported Printed; Referred to Judiciary & Rules
S1328 Child protection act/hearing requirement 02/16/2016 Senate - Reported Printed; Referred to Judiciary & Rules
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Hear From Your Legislator
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Many of our good legislators, write a newsletter that they share with constituents in their districts. The newsletters are also available for anyone to receive. So, if you would like to receive your legislator's newsletter or a newsletter from a legislator on a certain committee you can sign up here.
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Contacting Your Legislator
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Your legislator is happy to hear from you. Here are a number of ways to contact your legislator.
You can contact your legislators in a variety of ways.
Here are the basic ways to communicate with legislators:
TELEPHONE CALLS: During the legislative session, you can call the Legislature and have a message delivered to your legislators. You will be asked to provide your name and contact information. Here are the phone numbers to use:
Local: 208-332-1000
Toll Free: 800-626-0471
Fax: 208-334-5397
Hearing Impaired: 800-626-0471
PERSONAL VISITS: During the legislative session, you are encouraged to visit your legislators in person at the Capitol. You can attend and participate in committee hearings. You can visit personally with your legislators. You can observe the House and Senate in action.
If you want to visit with a legislator, you can go to either the House or Senate lobby and the door keeper will have a page hand deliver a note to your legislator who will then come out to speak to you (time allowing).
LETTERS: You can send letters to your legislators. Do not count on a reply. They try their best, but, again, they are inundated with information and requests. They appreciate your input, and it will be considered.
(Name)
Idaho State Legislature
State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho
83720-0038 (House)
83720-0081 (Senate)
All mail must contain your name and address or phone number.
E-MAILS: The Legislature has a website which allows you to e-mail your legislators directly. Once you know who your legislator is, you can select them by name at the following web address:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/about/contactbyname.cfm
Or contact them by district at the following web address:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/about/contactbydistrict.cfm
Idaho Fiscal Facts
To learn more about Idaho's facts, figures and trends the Idaho fiscal Facts document is a good source of information. Click here for the pdf.
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If there is legislation that you want to follow, there is a a nice tool offered by Legislative Services that help you know where in the process a bill is. Click here and log in to establish your own personal bill tracker for 2016.
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Community Partnerships of Idaho | 208-376-4999 | bibiana.nertney@mycpid.com| www.mycpid.com
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