The 78th person to testify at today's "listening hearing" on Health & Welfare funding is Brian Dulin of Moscow, head of Latah County Probation. He said behavioral health services provided through the Department of Health & Welfare have helped his department divert kids from going into Department of Juvenile Corrections custody. "I can't tell you how many kids we have kept out of hospitals or out of DJC custody through cooperation with the department," Dulin told lawmakers. "Fifty-eight percent of those kids were diverted from DJC custody." Dulin told JFAC, "I would encourage you to consider less dramatic (steps), such as increasing revenue through beer and wine tax or taxing Internet sales."

Ron Heath of Twin Falls, the 79th person to testify, called for a half-cent sales tax increase and other moves to avoid cuts to services to the disabled. "I would encourage you to get bold about tackling sales tax on Internet sales," he told lawmakers.

Samuel E. Page of Homedale brought his 21-year-old son, Jonathan, who suffered a brain injury after a near-drowning accident when he was 15. "Prior to his accident he was a 4.0 student with an eye on politics," Page said. "He had also asked me the day before his accident if he could be an exchange student to Russia." Now, he said, Jonathan, who is in a wheelchair, goes to a developmental center every day. "These things are vital," he said. "I'd just like for you to consider ,and you have, all the Jonathans that can't speak for themself."