Idaho health department to close office in Preston

PRESTON, IDAHO (AP) — An Idaho Department of Health and Welfare office in the small town of Preston that helped people apply for Medicaid, food stamps, child care assistance and other benefits will close next month.

The state’s lease for the space expires at the end of June, and the office hasn’t been open to the public for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The three employees who worked at the office will continue to work for the department, and officials said people in the region would still be able to apply for self-reliance benefits by phone, fax machine or online.