JFAC reviews federal funding requests for childcare, disease prevention

BOISE — Idaho Department of Health and Welfare came before the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday with requests to continue federal funding for early childhood services and disease prevention programs.

The department’s discussion on early learning services centered around the Idaho Child Care Program, which serves families with children under 13 or children over 13 with a disability. ICCP pays for a portion of childcare for these families and has recently used funding from the 2022 American Rescue Plan Act to expand the program’s support for families — funding that is due to expire in 2027. 

After requesting $14 million in federal funding for ICCP this fiscal year, IDHW is asking $16 million for fiscal year 2027, a value adjusted in the governor’s budget recommendations to $15.49 million.

Morgan Poloni, a senior analyst with the Legislative Services Office, noted that while this block of funding is only temporarily available through ARPA, the funds will be working to “help expand long-term availability of childcare without creating an ongoing need for public subsidy.”

IDHW Director Juliet Charron said these funds are available to both licensed and unlicensed childcare providers, following the Legislature’s loosening of regulations in the sector during the previous session to alter the state’s minimum child-to-staff ratios, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun last year. 

Even with this law in place, childcare providers remain beholden to federal health and safety standards, Charron said.

Though a request for additional ICCP funding is in place, Charron said the department has yet to spend the $14 million provided for this fiscal year due to ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with the language governing the usage of these funds, as well as an ongoing review of the program as a whole.

Charron said the department hopes this review concludes in short order and that the Legislature grants its request for the next fiscal year, given the known, widespread needs of childcare providers across the state.

IDHW staff also discussed the state of its public health services arm, which includes several disease prevention programs, and requested additional federal appropriations.

In this realm, the department is requesting $478,700 in ongoing federal funds to continue its HIV Prevention and Surveillance program and $299,600 in ongoing federal funds for its Hepatitis Prevention and Surveillance program, both for fiscal year 2027. 

Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston, questioned whether the HIV program should continue to have funding, given the uptick in cases observed in the state while the program has been operational.

The South Central Public Health District, which serves eight counties, Twin Falls, Jerome, Cassia and Blaine, sent a release in November noting that HIV and AIDS cases rose dramatically from 2024 to 2025, with HIV cases growing in the south-central region from five to 15 and AIDS cases growing from one to nine. 

Charron noted the increase over the last year has put the HIV cases in the state above the national per-capita average, but said the cause for this growth can’t be pinpointed as of yet.

Nonetheless, she described the screening, education and prevention services offered by the program as essential for raising awareness of the disease and informing people whether they have contracted it, even if treatment is not part of the program’s offerings.

Harris continued his line of questioning, saying it’s “hard to believe that people don’t know what AIDS or HIV is.” In response, Charron urged the committee not to make any changes to the funding presently requested for the program. 

“I would agree that many individuals know the dangers or the challenges or how to keep oneself safe,” Charron said. “That being said, the funding is also used for the screening, which is really important for further prevention of any spread of cases.”