{"id":423708,"date":"2025-12-04T08:23:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T08:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/423708\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T08:23:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T08:23:15","slug":"idaho-sheriffs-worry-medicaid-mental-health-cuts-pose-significant-public-safety-concern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/423708\/","title":{"rendered":"Idaho sheriffs worry Medicaid mental health cuts pose \u2018significant public-safety concern\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

IDAHO FALLS (Idaho Capital Sun<\/a>) \u2014 Idaho sheriffs are warning elected officials that new state Medicaid cuts to critical mental health services for people with severe mental illness could pose a public safety risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A letter by the Idaho Sheriffs\u2019 Association is the latest in a string of concerns over cuts by a state Medicaid contractor<\/a> that stem from the state\u2019s attempts to avoid a projected budget shortfall.<\/p>\n

RELATED | Idaho Medicaid contractor to cut critical services for people with severe mental illness<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED | Idaho mental health clinics sue state over Medicaid contractor\u2019s cuts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The contractor that runs Idaho Medicaid mental health benefits, Magellan of Idaho, plans to cut specialized mobile teams that treat patients with severe mental illness who have struggled in routine settings starting Monday. It isn\u2019t immediately clear whether the cuts are already in effect.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a Monday letter to Gov. Brad Little and Republican leaders in the Idaho Legislature, Idaho Sheriffs\u2019 Association President Samuel Hulse urged elected officials to recognize and address the situation. He called the state\u2019s budget situation \u201cself-inflicted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe acknowledge the State\u2019s budget challenges which are self-inflicted by an overly aggressive tax reduction stance of the Legislative Branch and a complicit Executive Branch continuing to reduce tax revenue creating a budget shortage,\u201d Hulse, who also serves as Bonneville County sheriff, wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThese reductions to mental health services represent a significant public-safety concern,\u201d he continued. \u201cAs sheriffs, our foremost duty is to protect the people of Idaho. We urge State leadership to recognize the real-world public-safety consequences of these decisions and to work with counties to ensure Idahoans in crisis \u2014 and the agencies who respond to them \u2014 are not left without support.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s projected budget deficit is coming after the Legislature and Little approved $450 million in tax cuts during the 2025 legislative session, following years of income tax cuts that have reduced the state\u2019s revenue by $4 billion<\/a>, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Magellan and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare could not be immediately reached for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

RELATED | Hundreds rally in Idaho Falls demanding better mental health services<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Sheriffs group says cuts could worsen mental health crises, shifting costs to jails, EMS and more <\/p>\n

Since Magellan announced the cuts, patients and mental health clinics have sued<\/a> the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and top state health officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Idaho Sheriffs\u2019 Association echoed concerns by some mental health providers, warning that the cuts could worsen mental health crises, shifting costs onto jails, emergency medical services and local taxpayers \u201cwho will bear the operational and financial burden of managing the consequences.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Monday, Magellan also announced more cuts to Idaho Medicaid mental health services that will start Jan. 1. The cuts include:<\/p>\n