Although most Idaho residents use city water as their main source for drinking water, nearly 30% of Idaho residents rely on private wells for drinking water. What’s more, private wells are not regulated by any governmental agency. This means it is the well owner’s responsibility to make sure the water is safe to drink.

Some contaminants cannot be tasted, seen or smelled and could cause health problems. The only way to know if it is safe is to have the water regularly tested.

The Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL) provides this service and certifies drinking water laboratories statewide to ensure high quality well water test results are available to protect the health and safety of Idahoans.  

In mid-September 2024, IBL Bureau Chief Dr. Chris Ball and his team wanted to contribute to the department’s wildly important goal of doubling the rate of foster families in a meaningful way. They launched free well water testing for foster families for certified family homes supporting foster children. Since then, they have completed 98 bacteriological tests- and have helped foster families rest easy knowing their drinking water is safe. 

Ball said he’d like to expand the program statewide and especially in rural areas with less access to drinking water labs. However, the biggest challenge is ensuring samples reach the lab within 24 hours of the collection. 

IBL’s contribution to waive fees for foster families shows their dedication to supporting Idaho’s community, especially those who care for vulnerable children. 

Resources for safe drinking water

To help Idahoans determine if their water is safe, IBL teamed up with partners and other state agencies to create an interactive map called Ground Water Quality Near Me. To see test results in your area, enter your address and see if there are elevated levels of contaminants that might be impacting your well water. 

You can also find additional information on a dashboard on the Get Healthy Idaho webpage, which has information regarding regional contaminants, things to test for, testing frequency, and resources for well maintenance that should be done on a well. 

If you have a private well, you may want to get your water tested to protect you and your family’s health. For more details read Drinking Water and Private Wells.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) seeks public feedback about how to improve rural healthcare in Idaho through the new Rural Health Transformation Program, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Rural Health Transformation Program provides $10 billion annually across states for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to transform healthcare in rural communities and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Funds may be used to promote innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development, and workforce investment.

States must apply for funding, and proposals must meet specified criteria.

DHW invites input from rural health care providers, hospitals, clinics, community organizations, payers, workforce entities, universities, Tribal Nations, associations, local governments, and the public to guide Idaho’s application for funding.

Idaho is largely rural, so this is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference for our citizens and communities.

Provide your input by Sept. 30 via this online survey.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

David Ambroz believes every one of us has a role to play in supporting children in foster care and ending child poverty. 

“There’s something any of us, or all of us, can do,” he told an Idaho audience last week. His call to action was clear: to look up, notice the need, and choose to get involved.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, Ambroz spoke at the Riverside Hotel in Boise to a group of professionals who work every day on child welfare cases. The author and national advocate for children shared his personal story of growing up homeless and later entering foster care. 

“The lesson they taught me was crystal clear: I was invisible,” he recalled of his childhood, when he and his family often begged for handouts in New York’s Grand Central Station.

His path was shaped by both hardship and moments of unexpected kindness—like the judge who gave him a sofa to sleep on after he collapsed in court, and the foster parents, Holly and Steve, who kept him even when it was difficult. 

But Ambroz reminded his Idaho audience that the foster care system is strained, and too often young people are left without the support they need.

“Fifty percent of the homeless in America have spent time in foster care,” Ambroz said. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. Everything is a choice. We as a country can make a choice to end child poverty.”

Ambroz urged Idahoans to support foster parents, invest in housing and vocational opportunities for youth, and recognize the vital role of social workers and courts. 

“These are our children. These are your children,” he said. “We really do have the power to make a different decision.”

David Ambroz’s memoir, A Place Called Home, recounts his journey from a childhood of poverty, homelessness, and foster care to becoming an advocate for children and families, offering both a raw account of survival and a hopeful vision for change.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Kinship families across Idaho came together for a day of connection, recognition, and fun during the annual Idaho Kinship Family Day this past Saturday. Events were held simultaneously in Meridian, Pocatello, and Coeur d’Alene, drawing relatives, close family friends, and others who step in to provide safe and loving homes for children when parents are unable to do so. 

The Department of Health and Welfare’s (DHW’s) Navigation and 211 teams hosted the events, and each celebration included additional DHW programs and community partners.

In Meridian, more than 100 people gathered under a brilliant blue Idaho sky at Settlers Park. Families enjoyed games, lunch, and a chance to connect with community partners. Volunteers from Casey Family Programs, Department of Health and Welfare staff, and professionals from support organizations were on hand to share resources and cheer on families. 

One of the day’s highlights came when DHW Director Juliet Charron made her first public appearance as director. In her remarks, she commended kinship families for the profound difference they make in children’s lives. 

“Kinship families embody the very heart of what it means to care for one another,” she said. “You open your homes and your hearts to children who need stability and love, and when you do that, you change the trajectory of their lives. 

“On behalf of the Department of Health and Welfare, thank you for the difference you’re making every day. Idaho’s children and communities are stronger because of you.”

The event also featured entries from My Family. My Story., a statewide art and expression series that gives children and caregivers a platform to connect with others who have been in similar circumstances and share their experiences.

One entry by a 9-year-old chronicled how living with grandparents was having an impact. 

“They don’t forget about me, they are there for me, they love me, they help me on school work,” the 9-year-old wrote. “And they are awesome and have really changed my life and are still helping me today.” (grammar adjusted for readability)

At Heritage Park in Pocatello, families gathered for food, outdoor games, and lively conversations with the Navigation team, staff from the Infant Toddler Program, and community partners. The atmosphere was festive, with children running from one activity to another and caregivers sharing stories of resilience and support. The event underscored the strong network of kinship families in eastern Idaho who continue to step forward for children in need.

In Coeur d’Alene, Canvas Church opened its doors to host North Idaho kinship families.  This event was held in partnership with Fostering Idaho. Caregivers and children filled the space with energy and laughter while enjoying crafts, games, and a meal together. Resource booths lined the gathering area, offering information on services ranging from health supports to educational tools. The day provided a meaningful opportunity for caregivers to connect with one another and be celebrated for their essential role.

“Kinship caregivers are heroes,” said Jen Haddad, representing DHW’s Division of Family and Community Partnerships. “You are making a critical and impactful difference in the lives of children every day, and we want to share a heartfelt thank you with each of you.”

Kinship Family Day shone a spotlight on the caregivers who form the backbone of stability for so many Idaho children. By offering connection, community, and recognition, the events honored the families whose love helps make sure that Idaho’s children thrive.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Idaho’s child welfare workers are the backbone of our efforts to keep children safe, support families in crisis, and build brighter futures across the state. Every day, these dedicated professionals face challenging circumstances with compassionate commitment to children and families. They connect families with critical resources, investigate reports of abuse or neglect, and advocate for Idaho’s most vulnerable citizens. Much of their work happens quietly, but the impact is profound and long-lasting.

This week is Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week, a time to pause and recognize the contributions of these professionals who are leading the way to implement major steps forward to strengthen its child welfare system. 

In the past year, Idaho has moved the needle significantly toward the goal of doubling the rate of licensed foster homes through a number of measures, but the backbone of this work is made up of the professionals who coordinate placements, support families, promote permanency, and protect children.

The Department of Health and Welfare also acknowledges the realities of the job—tough caseloads, emotionally demanding situations, and the weight of responsibility that comes with protecting children. 

Despite these challenges, Idaho’s child welfare workers continue to rise to the occasion with creativity, empathy, and a steadfast focus on the wellbeing of children and families.

Please join us this week in showing gratitude to Idaho’s remarkable child welfare professionals. To every child welfare worker across the state: thank you. Your dedication strengthens families, uplifts communities, and creates a brighter future for Idaho’s children and families.

Idaho needs foster parents

If you’ve ever considered fostering, know that your willingness to offer a home—even for one child for one season—can change a child’s life forever. For more information, call 211 or visit the Department of Health and Welfare’s foster care page. You could be the difference that turns a story of struggle into one of hope and belonging.

Jean Fisher is Division Administrator for Youth Safety and Permanency at the Department of Health and Welfare. 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Farragut State Park hosted north Idaho foster families last Saturday, Aug. 29, for a day of fun, learning, and togetherness. The event was the latest installment of a program that began last year. Foster Family Adventures, offered by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Health and Welfare, invites foster, kinship, and adoptive families to explore the beauty and nature of Idaho while learning recreational and outdoor skills. 

The Mayfly Project, founded in 2015 with the vision of using fly fishing to support children in foster care,  hosted a hands-on workshop teaching kids how to tie flies. 

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game taught fishing basics and educated families about fish native to Idaho. Youth had the opportunity to practice casting and reeling in fish (plastic fish “swimming” atop the grass) and then redeemed their catch for prizes. 

Idaho Parks and Recreation staff led a nature hike that doubled as a nature-themed scavenger hunt. The feathers, leaves, and holes spotted by kids provided abundant opportunities for discussion and learning.

Farragut State Park was a World War II naval training station. Attendees could tour the now-restored brig and a museum highlighting the rich history of the area. 

Parks and Recreation Director Susan Buxton and Health and Welfare Director Alex Adams both attended and thanked foster families for making the selfless choice to support Idaho’s youth.

Idaho Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, attended to show his support, noting that the state plays a crucial role in the lives of foster children and “provides a stable place for kids in really rough times.” 

Redman spoke of the need for foster parents in Idaho and across the country. When asked how others could help and get involved, Redman said, “Be obedient to the calling. There is no greater good than to help a young child.” 

To learn more about foster parenting, call 211 or visit Health and Welfare’s foster parent webpages. 

To learn how you or your business can support foster parents and events like this, call the Division of Family and Community Partnerships at 208-334-0641.

Fostering Family Adventures is a cooperative effort spearheaded by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho Business for the Outdoors, and Regence BlueShield of Idaho. 

Additional sponsors and contributors include the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Mayfly Project, Fostering Idaho, Scheels, Museum of North Idaho, Trader Joe’s, and the Idaho Potato Commission.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

Kinship caregivers—relatives, close family friends, or others with a strong family connection—play an essential role in giving children safe and loving homes when parents aren’t able to. 

Idaho will honor and celebrate them during Idaho Kinship Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, with celebrations happening simultaneously in three locations:

Meridian – Settlers Park, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MDT

Pocatello – Heritage Park, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MDT

Coeur d’Alene – Canvas Church, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. PDT

These free events will feature food, fun, and games, along with information on resources and supports available to kinship families. It’s a chance to connect with other caregivers, build community, and be honored for the vital role you play.

What is kinship care?

Kinship care refers to the full-time care, nurturing, and protection of a child by relatives, members of their Tribe or clan, godparents, step-parents, or other adults who have a family relationship with the child (sometimes called fictive kin). Kinship families step in to provide stability and love when parents aren’t able to, and Idaho Kinship Family Day is dedicated to recognizing their contributions.

RSVP

Please RSVP at this link for the location you plan to attend.

Also happening now

Don’t forget about My Family. My Story., a statewide art and expression series that invites children and caregivers to share their personal experiences through art and storytelling. Entries are due by Sept. 1, and selected submissions may be featured in future publications.  Entries received after Sept. 1 will be included in the 2026 series.

More information, including entry forms, is available at the DHW website here.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.