BOISE -- Substance abuse programs through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare could be working with less money next year.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted 17-3 for a $28.7 million budget, down from more than $30 million this fiscal year.
The substance abuse programs that fall under this budget help about 14,000 people per year. A majority of the people in these programs come from the criminal justice system and are in community-based treatment programs.
The programs also help pregnant women and women with dependent children.
Democrats including Rep. Shirley Ringo, from Moscow, and Sen. Nicole LeFavour, from Boise, lamented that the Republican-dominated Legislature had fallen short of policy changes to bring in more revenue to fund drug treatment that helps keep people out of more-costly prisons.
Sen. Jim Hammond, a Republican from Coeur d'Alene, said the drug-treatment "glass" remains "seven-eighths full."
Hammond said, "We can wring our hands and express sorrow we don't have a full glass. Or we could have no glass at all."
A spokesperson with Idaho Health and Welfare says this recommended budget won't allow them to provide the same level of support because they'll have less money to work with.
Program Manager of the Office of Drug Policy, Sharon Burke, says these holdbacks have impacted their budget in the past, but they're going to make due with what they have.
Burke says she doesn't know how these possible cuts could impact their programs, she says she'll have to meet with the Idaho Interagency Committee on Substance Abuse Prevention to determine specifics.
A complete budget for Idaho Health and Welfare won't be set by JFAC until Thursday.
