Given an increased interest in the child welfare system, I would like to share a bit of the process and the role of the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW).

First, I need to be clear that specific child welfare cases are confidential, and we cannot release any details about specific cases. We often would like to be able to say more, but that would violate the rights of the families and children who really need support and assistance, not to mention the stigma that might happen if their personal circumstances were made public.

When it comes to child welfare cases, our highest priority is to keep children with their families whenever that can be done safely, or to help the family address safety issues so a child can return home safely. In particular, there is a growing false narrative that parents should be fearful to seek medical care. Nothing could be further from the truth. Parents should always seek medical care and advice when their children are ill and for regular wellness checkups.

As we have shared with the media, in general, below is how the child welfare process works: 

If someone is concerned about the safety of a child, they can call the department by dialing 211, or 855-552-KIDS (5437) or their local law enforcement. Referrals can come from anyone, but they often come from a healthcare worker, teacher, law enforcement, or other Idaho resident who has concerns about a child's safety. (Just a reminder that everyone in Idaho is a mandated reporter if they have information a child may be the victim of abuse or neglect.)

When a referral is received, it is reviewed, and a determination is made if what was called in meets the priority guidelines for assignment. 

If the referral meets the guidelines for assignment, it is prioritized for a safety assessment based on severity. For those where the perceived danger to the child is high, a social worker and possibly law enforcement will visit the family to check on the child very quickly. Based on that visit and in consultation with the social worker and possibly healthcare workers, law enforcement will make the decision about whether to declare that a child is in imminent danger.

If that decision is made, then law enforcement places the child in the temporary custody of the state (DHW) until a shelter care hearing in court can be held. That hearing will take place in no more than 48 business hours. The judge will hear all the evidence from the family, the social worker, law enforcement and others, and possibly review a safety plan if one is agreed to by the family and will issue a decision about whether the child will be released to the family or will remain in the state's custody because safety issues have not been addressed by the family.

If the child goes back to his or her family with a safety plan, a social worker will be assigned to work with the family on a case plan ordered through the court to address the safety issues that led to their child being placed in care. The social worker will meet with the family on a frequency determined through the safety plan put in place to make sure the terms of the safety plan are being followed and the child is safe.

If the child remains in the state's custody, the department will continue to work with the family until the safety concerns are resolved. The Adoption and Safe Families Act allows for parents to have 12 months to resolve the safety issues. If safety issues can’t be resolved and the child can’t be returned safely to the home at that point, then the department can petition the court for termination of parental rights. We always hope it doesn’t come to that, but it sometimes does, unfortunately.

Bullying, harassment tactics are inappropriate

Currently, there are people protesting in or near our downtown location, and we respect the right for people to protest.

Now, I want to talk about something that is happening that is both personal and troubling to me. That is when protestors target specific people, including our employees. Harassing and bullying specific people is inappropriate and wrong.

Legal processes are in place and DHW must follow them. No amount of harassment will allow us to deviate from the established legal process. And those legal processes are there for the benefit of everyone.

Needing services or information?

Due to a spike in calls from those sharing their thoughts or opinions, our phone lines may be busier than usual. If you need services or information, please continue to call, or visit our website at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/

We want to recognize the hard work and commitment of DHW’s social workers

In observation of March as Social Worker Month, DHW recognizes how our own social workers care about Idahoans, work daily to strengthen Idaho families, and want to make a difference in the lives of Idaho’s most vulnerable residents.

Social workers are focused on helping Idahoans meet their needs with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable or living in poverty. As noted in a 2018 Guardian article, “When social workers are active in a community, it tends to have a positive impact on crime rates, health statistics, school attendance, and employment.”

In thousands of ways, social workers help people of every age and background, all across the state. The most well-known aspect of social work is providing direct services to residents. They also help guide people to critical resources and counsel them on life-changing decisions.

Social workers, even when faced with huge obstacles and criticism, work selflessly and compassionately to keep Idaho’s residents safe and secure. The great work our social workers do despite these obstacles is amazing, and I want to thank and recognize them for their hard work and commitment to Idaho.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

Idaho is working to reduce a concerning increase in overdoses and overdose-related deaths. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths are on a dramatic rise in Idaho.

To help address the impacts of fentanyl, Gov. Brad Little is launching an initiative called Operation Esto Perpetua with the goal of reducing the flow of fentanyl and meth across Idaho. A citizen action group will begin bi-weekly meetings around the state starting this week.

Early data from DHW shows that 44 percent of overdose deaths in Idaho in 2021 involved synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, as compared to 21 percent in 2020, and 12 percent in 2019.

Between 2015 and 2021, the total number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. doubled from just under 50,000 per year to almost 100,000 per year. Unintentional poisonings, including drug overdoses, is the leading cause of death in the United States for people up to age 44.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent narcotic that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is involved in an increasing number of overdose deaths because of its strength and people taking it unknowingly.

Idaho law enforcement agencies have reported that counterfeit pills containing illicitly manufactured fentanyl are widely available to Idahoans through social media. This substance is increasingly being added to counterfeit pills  to make them cheaper and more potent.

Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are often made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and alprazolam, or stimulants such as Adderall. Fentanyl increases the potency of these drugs, which makes them more likely to lead to an overdose.

Learn more

• The only safe medications are ones that come from licensed and accredited medical professionals.
• Know the signs of an opioid overdose. Here are some things to look for:
  • Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • Falling asleep or losing consciousness
  • Slow, weak, or no breathing
  • Choking or gurgling sounds
  • Limp body
  • Cold and/or clammy skin
  • Discolored skin (especially lips and nails)
• Learn what to do if someone is experiencing an overdose by visiting: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/behavioral-health/overdose-response.
• Naloxone, also known as Narcan and Kloxxado, is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose and prevent death. Everyone, including family and friends, can ask for a prescription for naxloxone at their local pharmacy. If you have Medicaid, naloxone is covered.
• Free naloxone is also available by calling or texting the Idaho Harm Reduction Project at 208-991-4574.
• Organizations can request free naloxone kits and training through the Department of Health and Welfare: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/overdose-response.
• See more drug overdose data through the Idaho drug overdose data dashboard: https://www.gethealthy.dhw.idaho.gov/drug-overdose-dashboard.

Kristen Raese serves as a health program specialist for the Drug Overdose Prevention Program. She has worked for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare  since 2017. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center. .

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

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

As the director of the Department of Health and Welfare, one of the most meaningful things I do is sign legal adoption forms for Idaho foster children. I always do it at the end of the day because it leaves me very emotional. I have read every one of the over 1,000 adoptions that I have signed, and I consider it an important, humbling part of my job.

My role in the adoption is at the end of an often overwhelming and sensitive journey for children. The journey includes social workers, navigators, and other DHW employees as well as external partners such as the court systems. But more importantly, it includes foster, adoptive, and kinship families – who have welcomed children into their homes with open hearts and open arms. (Kinship care refers to family or other close relationships.)

This past week, DHW received an email from a kinship foster family, and I wanted to share a few words from it with you. The family explained their current situation, but mostly, they wanted to thank those who helped them through their kinship care experience.

Here is part of the email:

"The Child and Family Services team really was listening and found a way to let us know they were hearing our voice. The amount of support for the kiddos and for kinship families is truly amazing. I’m not sure I can express enough how much support we’ve had in ensuring our kiddo’s safety, security and specific needs.

Thanks to all of the support we have had throughout this process, our kiddo has had the opportunity to grow and flourish beyond ordinary means."

Why foster care is important

Although with their family is the best place for a child to live, some parents can’t provide a safe home, and because of that, a child could be placed in foster care where they are provided safe, nurturing homes when their birth parents are unable to provide for them. A foster home gives the child an opportunity to develop trust, self-esteem, and the opportunity to learn life skills while their parents work on resolving the safety issues in their home. When a child is placed in foster care, the department makes every attempt to place the child in a kinship foster home.

As a reminder, there are currently thousands of children in Idaho who are living with and being raised by relatives or other close relationships that aren’t in foster care (known as kinship care).

How to become a foster parent

Currently, Idaho has a critical need for foster families so that children will have a safe place to live and go to school while their parents get the help they need. Becoming a foster parent is a big decision, but if  you are called to do so, we are here to help.

Read more about becoming a foster parent:

• DHW Voice Blog: Idaho needs foster families! Can you help?
• DHW website: Child and Family Services and Foster Care

For those who have made the decision to help children through kinship care, foster care, or adoption, I appreciate your calling to love and support Idaho’s children.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

Getting screened for colorectal cancer is something Idahoans aged 45 and older should consider because it is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among adults in Idaho. In fact, 3,194 cases of malignant colorectal cancer were diagnosed among Idahoans from 2015-2019, and sadly, a little more than 3 in 10 Idahoans diagnosed with colorectal cancer died from their cancer within 5 years. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to talk to your doctor about your screening options. Screening and early detection save lives!

Who should be screened?

It is recommended that everyone should get screened starting at age 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should talk to your medical provider about getting screened earlier. All Idaho adults should get into the habit of regular screenings.

Why is screening so important?

As with all cancers, the key is to find it early. Your chances of beating the disease and surviving are better. You don’t have to have a family history of colon cancer to be at risk. Colorectal cancer can begin anywhere in the large intestine as pre-cancerous polyps, with no symptoms.

Is a colonoscopy the only reliable test you can do?

No, there are several different kinds of tests are available and the best test is the one that gets done! You can choose from a variety of screening methods, including those that can be done each year from the comfort of your home. There are advantages and disadvantages for each one, so you should talk to your doctor about which is right for you. It’s also important to know that preventing colon cancer or finding it early doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple, affordable tests are available, and most health insurance plans cover the life-saving, preventative tests.

Who is at risk for colon cancer?

The risk increases for everyone as we get older, and we know there’s an increased risk for people who are 45 or older, who smoke, who don’t get enough physical activity, or who are obese. Alcohol and tobacco use also increase risk. Inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease) also increases a person’s risk for colon cancer.

What can we do to reduce the risk?

Besides getting screened regularly if you are 45 or older, you can keep your colon healthy by eating foods that are high in fiber, drinking lots of water, and exercising daily. 

Additional resources:

• Idaho’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/about-comprehensive-cancer-control-program
• CDC’s colorectal (colon) cancer site: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/index.htm
• For cancer survivors: Staying well during COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/staying-well-during-covid-19.htm

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

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

Getting screened for colorectal cancer is something Idahoans aged 45 and older should consider because it is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among adults in Idaho. In fact, 3,194 cases of malignant colorectal cancer were diagnosed among Idahoans from 2015-2019, and sadly, a little more than 3 in 10 Idahoans diagnosed with colorectal cancer died from their cancer within 5 years. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to talk to your doctor about your screening options. Screening and early detection save lives!

Who should be screened?

It is recommended that everyone should get screened starting at age 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should talk to your medical provider about getting screened earlier. All Idaho adults should get into the habit of regular screenings.

Why is screening so important?

As with all cancers, the key is to find it early. Your chances of beating the disease and surviving are better. You don’t have to have a family history of colon cancer to be at risk. Colorectal cancer can begin anywhere in the large intestine as pre-cancerous polyps, with no symptoms.

Is a colonoscopy the only reliable test you can do?

No, there are several different kinds of tests are available and the best test is the one that gets done! You can choose from a variety of screening methods, including those that can be done each year from the comfort of your home. There are advantages and disadvantages for each one, so you should talk to your doctor about which is right for you. It’s also important to know that preventing colon cancer or finding it early doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple, affordable tests are available, and most health insurance plans cover the life-saving, preventative tests.

Who is at risk for colon cancer?

The risk increases for everyone as we get older, and we know there’s an increased risk for people who are 45 or older, who smoke, who don’t get enough physical activity, or who are obese. Alcohol and tobacco use also increase risk. Inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease) also increases a person’s risk for colon cancer.

What can we do to reduce the risk?

Besides getting screened regularly if you are 45 or older, you can keep your colon healthy by eating foods that are high in fiber, drinking lots of water, and exercising daily. 

Additional resources:

• Idaho’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/about-comprehensive-cancer-control-program
• CDC’s colorectal (colon) cancer site: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/index.htm
• For cancer survivors: Staying well during COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/staying-well-during-covid-19.htm

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

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

During 2021, we continued to serve Idahoans during the pandemic. Even though COVID-19 dominated the airwaves and remained top of mind for our employees and the public, there were many other services to provide and needs to be met. Whatever the need is – financial, physical, or mental – we are here to serve Idahoans.

One thing has remained consistent, even during the pandemic, and that is our employees’ commitment to serve. When you work in the public sector, it is a labor of love. Our employees feel called to this work, and it is honor for us to serve the people of Idaho.

One of the ways we demonstrate and highlight our work is through the annual report. This is the third year we’ve done this report, and it is the story of the work behind the department’s strategic plan. The annual report highlights how we serve Idahoans, innovate for the future, and collaborate with other stakeholders.

The 2021 Annual Report is now available on the DHW website at: https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=21566&dbid=0&repo=PUBLIC-DOCUMENTS

I hope you will take time to read it. You will find information about how we are:

• Transforming Idaho’s behavioral healthcare system
• Training Idahoans to help prevent suicide
• Improving our process for background checks to support employers
• Using value-based payments in our Medicaid program to help Idahoans become healthier
• Addressing the root causes of poor health through Get Healthy Idaho
• Increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in Idaho
• Educating healthcare providers to help prevent opioid overdoses
• Increasing access to quality child care for Idaho families
• Securing data from breaches
• Giving a voice to people at the end of their lives through the Idaho Healthcare Registry
• And so much more.

The annual report just touches on a few of the many programs and services we offer to Idahoans. For more detailed information on the work we do, you can review our 2021 Facts, Figures & Trends.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend. 

Things are looking better on the COVID-19 front than they have in a long time, and we’re all ready to shed some of those precautions we’ve been taking for so long. However, the virus is still circulating, and we need to continue to manage our risk.

It’s important to remember that the virus will continue to mutate as it circulates even at low levels in communities, and the precautions you take in  some situations might not be effective in others. You will need to weigh your personal risk and take appropriate precautions. Keeping up to date on COVID-19 vaccines provides the most consistent protection against serious illness and death from COVID-19.

The following are things to keep in mind to stay safe and healthy as we loosen up a bit and plan vacations and gatherings in the months to come.

What are the things I need to know if I’m traveling in the United States?

• Don’t travel if you are sick.
• Masks are still required in public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States. Find out more about the requirement here: https://bit.ly/3m68x2R
• Check the COVID-19 risk at your destination so you know how to pack and the precautions you will have to take: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html
• If you travel on an airplane, wear a mask and wash your hands, or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol: https://bit.ly/3fauXgJ
• If you get COVID-19 while traveling, you’ll likely be expected to stay in place until you’re well. The best ways to avoid getting sick while traveling is to make sure you are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and by wearing a mask in public places.

What do I need to know if I am traveling outside the United States?

• If you’re not sick, and you're planning a trip overseas, make sure you’re up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, and then check the COVID-19 risk at your destination: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
• Plan ahead: In addition to any testing requirements your destination may have, you'll be required to show a negative COVID-19 test, taken no more than one day before returning to the United States.
• People who have recovered from COVID-19 can safely travel if they tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 90 days and have met criteria to end isolation.
• Learn more: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html

What should I keep in mind as I plan a gathering?

• If you want to spend time with people who don’t live with you, gathering outdoors is the safer choice. You are less likely to be exposed to COVID-19 during outdoor activities, even without the use of masks.
• Good ventilation can help prevent you from getting and spreading COVID-19.
• Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
• Follow the new CDC guidance about community level risk.  If the COVID-19 Community Level where you live is
  • Low
    • Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.
  • Medium
    • If you are at risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about wearing masks indoors in public places.
    • If you live with or will gather with someone at risk for severe illness, wear a mask when indoors with them.
  • High
    • For those 2 years old or older, wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings).
    • If you are at risk for severe illness, wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection.
• If you are around people and don’t know if they are vaccinated or vulnerable to severe COVID-19 outcomes, you can lower the overall risk of spreading COVID-19 between you and them by making sure you're up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and wearing a good quality mask.
• More things to consider: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/gatherings.html

Elke Shaw-Tulloch is the administrator of the Division of Public Health, and the state’s Public Health Officer. She has worked for the department since 1996 and was promoted to division administrator in 2012. Since February 2020, she has focused a majority of her time on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. 

COVID-19 resources:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

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

Making progress toward Strategic Goal 4: Strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the Department of Health and Welfare

Protecting the health, safety, and independence of Idaho’s most vulnerable populations is a crucial task entrusted to Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) staff. The department’s background check is required for people who work in more than 40 programs that provide direct care for participants who are children, disabled, or elderly. These programs include nursing homes, long-term care facilities, day care facilities, foster care homes, potential adoptive families, residential care facilities for children and adults, Emergency Medical Services, and more.

And as Idaho’s population continues to grow, the criminal background check system has come under increasing pressure. From Feb. 1, 2021, to Feb. 1, 2022, a team of about 15 staff in the department’s Criminal History Unit (CHU) completed more than 31,000 applicant background checks for Idahoans applying to work with children and vulnerable adults.

With ever-increasing demands on the aging, paper-based background check system, DHW staff are now working to improve the system and make sure that thorough, accurate checks can be completed more quickly.

In addition to Idaho’s population growth, the current employment situation has increased the urgency of making improvements to the background check system. Many employers in Idaho are struggling to hire staff. By making sure background checks are accurate and timely, DHW is helping employers deliver high quality care to their clients by making sure they have an adequate pool of qualified staff to serve their needs.

Criminal History Background Check System Modernization

The Criminal History Unit (CHU) currently uses an aging online system that customers use to apply for background checks. DHW staff use the same system for screening customers. The goals of CHU modernization are to provide a better customer experience, better automation for staff, and an improved system support for everyone who used it.

Traditionally, background checks, on average, take 20 to 25 days to complete, depending on various factors. CHU conducted a process improvement project in 2021, with the aim of improving the timeliness of checks without  sacrificing quality.

In August, the DHW team and partners met to take a thorough look at how criminal history checks are conducted. The team investigated whether there are processes that can be improved now and will also be compatible with a new system when it is implemented.

In 2021, CHU successfully applied to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for federal grant funding. The funding is being used to cover the cost of project management and process improvement activities. It is also being used for custom development for a new federally sourced system that will be available in early 2023.

The background check system replacement project will move the department to a cloud-hosted system. The new system will improve the experience for employers, and for customers applying for background checks. An online payment system is one of the improvements that will likely be possible in the new system. The new system will also automate many of the processes used by CHU to screen applicants, which will also speed things up.

We are confident this improved system will help applicants and their employers by reducing the amount of time it takes to receive a clearance, and by improving the customer experience for those applying for a background check. Meanwhile, Idaho’s increasing population will be better served by a workforce that has been thoroughly vetted through the department’s criminal history background check process.

You can read more about the DHW Strategic Plan on our website.

I hope you have a safe and healthy weekend.

At the Department of Health and Welfare, we have a new and important program called Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). It is designed to increases awareness of risk-reduction and early-detection methods for Idahoans when it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.

Alzheimer’s Disease, a common cause of dementia, is the seventh leading cause of death in Idaho, and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There are an estimated 6.2 million Americans, over the age of 65, currently living with this disease.

In 2020, there were 27,000 Idahoans over 65 living with Alzheimer’s. That number is expected to increase to 33,000 by 2025.

Alzheimer’s Disease is a debilitating condition that slowly destroys brain function, resulting in memory loss, behavior changes, and a decline in functional ability. This disease is not only devastating to the person, but also to the family members who provide the person’s financial, physical, and emotional care.

In 2020, Idaho’s Office of Performance Evaluations recommended that Idaho help support families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Idaho leaders knew they had to focus on this disease, as it is not only devastating to Idaho families, but it also increases the cost of community and residential care, healthcare, and the demand for formal and informal caregiver services.

In November 2021, an alliance of stakeholders (called ADRD Alliance) was formed to represent Idaho. One of the alliance’s pressing goals is to revise the 2013 state plan to help guide Idaho’s direction of addressing ADRD. The alliance charter was adopted this month.

 In 2021, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Steering Committee was formed and includes representatives from the Idaho Commission on Aging (ICOA), a geriatrician/subject matter expert from North Idaho, Alzheimer’s Association Greater Idaho Chapter, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Idaho, Idaho Caregiver Alliance (ICA), and Boise State University’s (BSU) Center for the Study of Aging (CSA). The steering committee provides the ADRD Alliance advice, support, and guidance as they progress with the revision of the 5-year state plan. 

The department’s Division of Public Health also hired a team to make sure information and resources are available to those in Idaho who are caring for Idahoans living with Alzheimer’s Disease, that Idahoans are educated on the benefits of early detection and risk-reduction methods, and that Idaho is working to address ADRD and brain health as a united front. At present, the team is developing strategies for outreach, collaborative efforts, and public health education and awareness campaigns.

Currently, Boise State University is working with the department to assess Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in Idaho. A few specific areas of focus are rural clinic response to ADRD, how higher educational institutions are preparing healthcare teams to interact with ADRD, and what resources or supports are available or unavailable in our communities across the state. The results of this assessment will be used to develop a five-year plan as well as guide initiatives and programs.

I am grateful for the team at DHW working to support those living with Alzheimer’s Disease and to the Idaho Legislature for their support as we all serve Idahoans.

You can find more information on Alzheimer’s Disease and the department’s program on our website:

• Disease specific - https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias
• ADRD Alliance - https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/boards-councils-committees/idaho-alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias-adrd-alliance

I hope you all have a safe and healthy weekend.

As of Feb. 14, there are at least 32,100 outstanding positive lab reports that have not been reviewed by the local public health districts. Many of those lab records will result in new cases of COVID-19 being added to the dashboard. However, some reports are additional test results for a person already counted as a case and some might be for people who do not live in Idaho. Daily new case counts will be updated as those outstanding positive lab reports and recently received lab reports are processed.

Why are there so many outstanding positive lab results?

There are outstanding lab results because of the sheer number of people in Idaho who were testing positive for COVID-19. Lab records must be reviewed by the local public health districts before they can tell if the result represents a new Idaho case and in what Idaho county that case should be assigned.    

Which local public health districts are behind in reviewing the lab results from their counties?

During the week of January 16, more than 38,000 positive lab reports were sent to public health districts in Idaho. During that week, there were periods of time when more than 1,000 lab reports were being sent in a single hour. During the peak, public health districts were receiving the same number of lab reports in a single hour that they had been receiving in a whole day before the Omicron variant surge.

Each public health district has its own way of reviewing lab tests and following up on them. The Department of Health and Welfare is providing technical assistance to some of the public health districts at their request to help them catch up. Here’s a chart showing the number of outstanding positive electronic lab results in each public health district, as of 3 p.m., Monday, February 14.

Do the outstanding results represent cases?

It’s important to note that one positive lab result may not represent one case. Some results might not be for people who live in Idaho, but were tested here. About 5 percent of lab results are for people with two results within one to three days of each other. A person might have an antigen test in the doctor’s office and then have a follow-up PCR test to confirm the result. Some people might have two PCR test results a couple of days apart. This may be because a person needs a test result quickly for travel or attending events and wants to be sure their result arrives in time. It could also be because they took a second test because they are hoping the result of the first test they took is wrong.

And finally, a positive result doesn’t count as a new case if that person has had a positive result less than 90 days ago because they can still test positive for the virus even after they are no longer sick.

That’s why the review by the public health district is so important.

How are the outstanding results being incorporated into the data on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard?

COVID-19 cases  are counted in the new daily totals when they are reported to the state. That means some new daily cases counts will be higher than they would have been if the case had been counted when the positive lab result was received.

However, daily new case counts are only a “snapshot” of the moment when the data are prepared for the state dashboard update published at 5 p.m. each day. There will always be a time delay between when a lab report is received and when a new case is counted  because lab reports are received 24 hours a day. For instance, if a lab report is received at 4 p.m. on a Thursday, it might not be counted as a case on the dashboard until Monday. This was true even before the Omicron variant surge because most public health districts don’t operate overnight and on weekends.

The positive lab results are counted in the percent positivity rates that are available on the Laboratory Testing tab of the dashboard. And even though some public health districts have a large number of positive lab reports to process from the peak in mid-to late January, they have been keeping up with new lab reports for the last two weeks; current case rates on the Weekly Hotspots and Local Trends tab of the dashboard are accurate.  

Dr. Kathryn Turner is the deputy state epidemiologist in the Division of Public Health in the Department of Health and Welfare. She has worked for the department for 17 years and oversees the Epidemiology, Immunization, Food Protection, Communicable Disease Surveillance, and Refugee Health Screening programs for the division, but has been focused almost entirely on Idaho’s pandemic response since February 2020.

Stay up to date with the latest and most accurate information on COVID-19:

• Idaho’s Coronavirus website
• CDC COVID-19 website
• COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens

Follow the Department of Health and Welfare on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for daily updates and information you can trust.

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