Idaho Legislature: The Idaho Legislature meets annually for about 60-75 days beginning in early January. This link will take you to the official site for the Idaho Legislature with information about the people, the process and the bills and laws. www.legislature.idaho.gov/

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Legislature 101: This Power Point presentation provides a step-by-step guide on how an idea becomes a law in Idaho and how citizens can impact the process.

Public Policy Position Statements: The Council may develop public policy position papers on specific issues or position statements regarding legislation. The current position papers/statements may be accessed by clicking on one of the following titles:
Position Statement on Medicaid Reform

Position Statement on Integrated Employment

Position Statement on Aversives
For more information on the subject of aversives, go to the website of the Alliance to Prevent Restraints, Aversive Interventions and Seclusion at http://aprais.tash.org/index.htm

Position Statement on Comunity Service Systems at Risk

Position Statement on Guardianship After years of work and study, primarily by self advocates on the Council, a position paper on guardianship was drafted.  The final position paper on Guardianship was adopted by the Council at their July 2009 meeting.  Next steps will be for the Council to use this position to work on changes to policies, practices, guidelines and laws about guardianship.

Position Statement on Katie Beckett Premiums In response to the changes discussed below and based on the Council’s long standing position supporting community integration and opposing institutional bias, the Council adopted a position paper regarding this issue. 

Katie Beckett Changes During the 2009 legislative session, legislators approved intent language as part of the Medicaid appropriations bill that directed the Department of Health and Welfare to implement changes to contain and reduce costs in that program.  One strategy included establishing cost sharing based on ability to pay for families whose children participate in the Home Care for Certain Disabled Children program, more commonly known as Katie Beckett.  The Department moved quickly, sending out notices July 1 and holding public hearings between July 8-16 on rules to implement these changes.  Negotiated rule making was not conducted.  To read the Council’s comments on these changes, click here.

The following links will provide you with access to information about these rules and this process:

Proposed rules:
           Docket 16-0305-0902
           Docket 16-0318-0901

For information on Administrative Rules, click here.

Division of Medicaid information:
            Frequently Asked Questions about the Katie Beckett changes.
      

For more information on the legislative process and how to contact your legislator, click here or go to the legislative website at www.legislature.idaho.gov.

Links to transcripts from the public hearings:
            Idaho Falls - July 8, 2009
            Coeur d'Alene- July 19, 2009
            Caldwell - July 16, 2009
            Lewiston - August 17, 2009

These are very big documents that may take a long time to download or you may have difficulty accessing them on your computer due to their size.

In response, to comments from the public, Medicaid is modifying its proposed rules.  In a letter to legislators, Medicaid summarized those modifications.  To read this letter, click here. The legislature will review these rules, with these modifications, during the 2010 Legislative Session which begins January 11, 2010.

Rule Changes for Waiver Fiscal Services
Over the last year, the Division of Medicaid has been working to combine the Fiscal Intermediary function that is part of the services that people receive on the Aged and Disabled (A&D) waiver and the Fiscal Employer Agency (FEA) service that is provided to people using the self directed services option on the DD waiver.  The proposed changes were published in the administrative Bulletin on October 7.  The dockets are:

Docket 16-0313-0901, Consumer Directed Services; and

Docket 16-0310-0907, changes to Enhanced Medicaid Benefit Plan

You may click on the docket number to read the rules.  Although the rules say that comment will be accepted through October 28, that date has been extended through November 10 to accommodate the hearing schedule below:

Boise  -  November 9th, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Medicaid offices, 3232 Elder Street 

Coeur d' Alene - November 9th, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at 1120 Ironwood
Drive,  Suite 102

Idaho Falls  - November 10th, from  5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at 150 Shoup, 2nd floor large conference room.

At these hearings, comments on Rule Docket 16-0310-0905 will also be heard.  This docket deals with changes in how PCS services for children will be reimbursed.  Click on the docket number to read the rules.

Review of Idaho State School and Hospital (ISSH)
During the 2009 legislative session, the appropriation that was approved for developmental disabilities programs included intent language directing the Department of Health and Welfare to bring together stakeholders to review the needs and costs of the current residents of ISSH, determine what changes would be needed in the community based system to serve these individuals and then develop a plan for transition.  The Department convened a Review Committee and has also gathered information through six focus groups.  Materials from these meetings will be posted in this section as they are made available.  Click on the name of the report or presentation to view it.

List of ISSH Review Committee Members

July 8, 2009 Meeting:
           ISSH Legislative Intent Presentation (Michelle Britton)
           ISSH Legal Presentation (Rob Luce)
           ISSH Census Client Presentation (Sue Broetje)
           DD Community Program Overview Presentation (Chad Cardwell)

August 13, 2009 Meeting:
           ISSH Focus Group Responses (Michelle Britton)
           ISSH Focus Group Responses Summary (Michelle Britton)
           ISSH Budget Overview Presentation (Dan Sola)
           Medicaid Reimbursement Methodologies (Sheila Pugatch)
           Other States Downsizing Presentation (Tim Voz & Oscar Morgan)

October 8, 2009 Meeting
            ISSH Overview Presentation (Michelle Britton)
            ISSH 3-Year Proposal Presentation (Michelle Britton)
          

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Previous Year's Final Legislative Report: This document provides a summary and final disposition of the legislation that was of interest to the Council during the previous Legislative Sessions. The DD Council followed legislation throughout the 2008 session, which concluded on April 2, 2008. Click here for the  Final 2008 Legislative Report.

Click here for the Final 2007 Legislative Report. Click here for the Final 2006 Legislative Report.

Visions and Values Legislative Edition: The document provides a handy guide to the current Idaho Legislature, including members and their districts, as well as basic information about how a bill becomes a law, legislative jargon, and details about communicating with your legislator. Click here for the Visions and Values 2009 Legislative Edition.

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