A third patient has died following Idaho’s cuts to a specialized mental health service, according to clinic owners and providers. The death marks the third fatality among patients receiving Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in less than three months since an Idaho Medicaid contractor reduced the program, compared to only one death during the year and a half prior to the cuts.
The deceased was a man in his 40s with severe mental illness living in the Boise area. Laura Scuri, co-owner of Access Behavioral Health Services and leader of the region’s ACT team, said she believed the death was preventable. She told the Idaho Capital Sun, “It’s not gonna stop,” expressing concern the situation would worsen without intervention. ACT was designed to help people address their basic needs through mobile, specialized treatment teams.
Service Cuts and Provider Warnings
Magellan Healthcare, the Idaho Medicaid contractor, reduced payments to providers as part of broader cuts ordered by Gov. Brad Little. About 200 people in Idaho are on the ACT program, according to a December declaration by Magellan Healthcare’s Idaho Executive Director David Welsh. State health officials have denied the entire program was cut, saying services remain available, but providers argue that without proper staffing compensation, the evidence-based model no longer functions effectively.
Providers and the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association warned that the cuts would risk public safety and increase costs elsewhere. Eastern Idaho crisis centers have experienced demand spikes following the reductions. When asked about the first two patient deaths, Governor Little said “hindsight’s a great thing,” acknowledging the difficulty in anticipating “unintended consequences.”
Potential Legislative Response
State Rep. Ben Fuhriman, a Shelley Republican, plans to introduce legislation to reinstate the program, which he estimated would cost the state $4 million annually. He said the bill would be considered for introduction in the House Health and Welfare Committee, stating “We’re taking the next step to ensure this program is properly funded.”
In December, Idaho’s Medicaid director told lawmakers that state health officials remain uncertain whether the cuts will save money long-term. Scuri described the cycle created by service loss: patients become delusional about their illness, stop taking medication, become hospitalized, and the pattern repeats.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.postregister.com/news/state/a-third-patient-has-died-after-idaho-cut-a-medicaid-mental-health-service/article_f8192829-e1f6-4189-9d3a-c5746406341c.html