JFAC has convened this morning at 10 a.m., two hours later than usual, to allow lawmakers to return from their home-county GOP presidential caucuses last night. Several divisions of the state Department of Health & Welfare are up for budget-setting this morning, starting with mental health services. That division's budget includes $40,000 to restart an Idaho suicide crisis hotline; the move doesn't actually require an appropriation, as it's tapping into previously appropriated funds within the division that's now targeted for suicide prevention research. The money is from a federal Community Mental Health Block Grant. Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, who crafted the budget, said, "There will be $10,000 in another budget to add to that," adding up to the $50,000 that the department told lawmakers earlier it could make available. Lawmakers also have tabbed $110,000 from the Veterans Services Division for the hotline.

"Idaho does have the fourth-highest suicide rate in the nation, so I really appreciate that," said Sen. Nicole LeFavour. However, she said she's concerned that only four other states spend less per capita on mental health services than Idaho. "I personally would like to see this higher," she said. But after a pause, LeFavour joined in the joint committee's unanimous, 19-0 vote in favor of the division budget, in which state general funds would rise next year by 2.9 percent, total funds by 2.4 percent.

Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, noted that funding the suicide hotline was a big issue when JFAC held a public hearing on state funding. The state will contract with the non-profit Mountain States Group to run the hotline. "This group has been working on this for many years," Jaquet said. "I just want to commend them for all their hard work."