[Vision2020] THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!

[Saundra Lund]

http://www.lmtribune.com/breaking-news/1304/

Breaking News
Orofino Health and Welfare office targeted for closure
April 6, 2010, 1:49 pm

Associated Press

BOISE -- About a third of the state's field offices for the Department of
Health and Welfare, including one in Orofino, are being closed and 126
workers laid off within the next two months as the department struggles to
cope with a shrinking budget.

Department officials announced Tuesday that offices in American Falls,
Bellevue, Bonners Ferry, Emmett, Jerome, McCall, Orofino, Rupert and Soda
Springs would close within the next two months, and some services in the St.
Maries office would be shifted to Coeur d'Alene.

"The closures will cause hardship and inconvenience for many people, but
resources are not available to continue the current level of office
support," the department wrote in a press release.

The Legislature left the decision on how to balance the Idaho Department of
Health and Welfare's $138 million general fund budget in the hands of
Director Dick Armstrong. In the press release, the department said it
evaluated traffic at each of the offices, as well as the ability to shift
services to another location.

Many of the offices being closed had smaller caseloads than those carried at
other offices, the department said.

Health and Welfare clients will have to wait longer to get phone responses,
have their applications for services processed and meet with staffers, the
department said.

Officials said child welfare and mental health services will continue to be
provided in the regions affected by office closures.
___

For those interested, you can read more double-speak here:
http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/AboutUs/Newsroom/tabid/130/ctl/ArticleView
/mid/3061/articleId/1536/font-size2Department-of-Health-and-Welfare-Closes-N
ine-Field-Offices.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/yfz588w