Idaho Will No Longer Pay Parents to Care for Disabled Children

Idaho has ended a program that allowed parents to be paid caregivers for children with disabilities, reports the Idaho Statesman. The program’s cost grew from $6 million in 2022 to more than $24 million in 2024, which state officials initially linked to fraud but later attributed to higher enrollment. Families say the payments were critical for providing consistent care in the face of workforce shortages, and advocacy groups warn the change will leave children without needed support. The move is expected to increase financial and emotional strain on families and shift costs to already stretched state services.