Idaho Lawmakers Seek Funding to Restore Medicaid Mental Health Program

Assertive Community Treatment program saw spike in patient deaths after cuts

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:29am

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A committee of the Idaho Legislature has recommended using legal settlement funds to attempt to restore Medicaid programs that the state has cut, including a mobile treatment program called Assertive Community Treatment that cared for people with severe mental illness. The program was cut by a Medicaid contractor in December, and since then four patients have died, a sharp uptick from the 18 months prior when there was only one death.

Why it matters

The Assertive Community Treatment program provided critical mental health services to vulnerable patients, and its elimination has had tragic consequences. This case highlights the impact that state budget cuts can have on essential healthcare programs, especially those serving high-risk populations.

The details

The Legislature's Joint Millennium Fund Committee voted unanimously to restore $6 million in funding for the Assertive Community Treatment program and peer support services, using legal settlement funds from tobacco manufacturers. However, the funding is contingent on the state being able to use $5.8 million from opioid manufacturer settlement funds to cover the program's other costs. If the opioid funds don't come through, the Assertive Community Treatment program may still not be funded.

  • In less than four months after the Assertive Community Treatment program was cut in December, four patients have died.
  • The Legislature's Joint Millennium Fund Committee voted on Monday night to restore funding for the program.
  • The one-time funding would come from legal settlements Idaho reached with tobacco manufacturers and would be for the next fiscal year starting in July.

The players

Joint Millennium Fund Committee

A committee of the Idaho Legislature that recommended using legal settlement funds to attempt to restore Medicaid programs that the state has cut.

Magellan

The Medicaid contractor that cut the Assertive Community Treatment program in December.

Brad Little

The Governor of Idaho who ordered state budget cuts that led to the provider pay cuts and subsequent elimination of the Assertive Community Treatment program.

Ric Boyce

The owner of Chubbuck-based clinic Mental Health Specialists, who expressed concern that Idaho has not yet aligned on a stable, ongoing funding mechanism for the Assertive Community Treatment program.

Ben Fuhriman

The Republican state representative who introduced a bill to reinstate the Assertive Community Treatment program, but said securing funding for the program is still a work in progress.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Legislature still needs to officially appropriate the funds to reinstate the Assertive Community Treatment program.

The takeaway

This case highlights the critical importance of stable, ongoing funding for essential mental health services, especially for high-risk populations. The tragic consequences of cutting the Assertive Community Treatment program underscore the need for lawmakers to prioritize restoring and protecting these vital programs.