Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Lawmakers press Health & Welfare on mental‑health cuts, ACT team changes after reported deaths
Summary
At a JFAC hearing, legislators pressed the Health & Welfare director on how cuts and program changes — including unbundling ACT teams — affect crisis services and hospital capacity; the department said component services remain, Magellan is coordinating care, and staff will provide utilization data and follow‑up.
Lawmakers pressed the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on Wednesday over reductions to behavioral‑health services, the unbundling of assertive community treatment (ACT) teams and two reported deaths that members linked to service changes.
Senator Wintrow and Representative Cook asked whether rate reductions and service eliminations — including an across‑the‑board 4% reduction for Magellan and mirrored cuts on the non‑Medicaid side — are threatening the state’s psychiatric hospitals and crisis services. Director Juliette Sharon said the department is monitoring access, has worked to preserve crisis and hospital contracts and will provide…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
