Idaho Senate Approves Restoring Medicaid Mental Health Programs After Patient Deaths

The bill would reinstate mobile treatment and peer support services that were cut, leading to four patient deaths in less than three months.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:55am

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The Idaho Senate has passed a bill to restore Medicaid mental health treatment programs that were cut by the state to comply with the governor's order for budget cuts. In less than three months since the cuts, four patients died, compared to just one death in the 18 months prior. The bill would appropriate funding to reinstate the Assertive Community Treatment program and peer support services.

Why it matters

The cuts to Medicaid mental health services in Idaho have had severe consequences, leading to a spike in patient deaths. Restoring these critical programs is necessary to prevent further tragedies and ensure vulnerable individuals with mental illness can access the care they need.

The details

Senate Bill 1446 would spend one-time legal settlement funds to reinstate the mobile Assertive Community Treatment program and peer support services, which help people navigate mental health treatment. The programs were cut by the state's Medicaid contractor, Magellan, as part of provider pay cuts ordered by the governor. Since the cuts, four patients have died, compared to just one death in the 18 months prior.

  • In less than three months since the cuts were announced, four patients died.
  • In the 18 months before the cuts, providers say just one patient died.

The players

Idaho Senate

The state legislative body that passed the bill to restore the Medicaid mental health programs.

Magellan

The Medicaid contractor that cut the Assertive Community Treatment program and peer support services in Idaho.

Gov. Brad Little

The Idaho governor who ordered state budget cuts, leading to the reduction in Medicaid provider pay and the subsequent cuts to mental health services.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

The state agency that oversees Medicaid and has the ability to transfer funding to restore the mental health programs this fiscal year.

Sen. Kevin Cook

The Idaho Falls Republican senator who cited the patient deaths in pitching for the restoration of the mental health programs.

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What they’re saying

“Since the programs were cut, 'we have had four deaths that you can pinpoint directly back to these programs that were done away with.'”

— Sen. Kevin Cook, Idaho Falls Republican Senator

“'Do we want to pay for crisis, or do we want to prevent it? And so far, we've been paying for crisis.'”

— Sen. Kevin Cook, Idaho Falls Republican Senator

What’s next

To become law, the bill must now pass the Idaho House and avoid a veto from the governor.

The takeaway

This case highlights the severe human cost of cutting critical mental health services, and the importance of prioritizing preventative care to avoid more tragic outcomes. Restoring these Medicaid programs is a necessary step to protect vulnerable Idahoans and improve public health and safety.