Idaho has restored Medicaid-funded mental health programs after Gov. Brad Little signed a bill April 2, the Idaho Capital Sun reported April 3.
The legislation will use one-time legal settlement funds to reinstate the Assertive Community Treatment program and peer support services, which were previously cut by contractor Magellan after state-directed budget reductions. In less than three months since the cuts, four patients died, compared to one patient death in the previous 18 months, providers told the newspaper.
The funding package includes $4.6 million in tobacco settlement funds and $5.8 million in opioid settlement funds. The federal government is expected to cover $20.5 million of the nearly $31 million total cost.
The reinstated programs serve about 200 people and are designed for patients with severe mental illness who struggle in routine treatment settings, according to the report.
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