Two Idaho mental health clinic owners are set to receive the Kathie Garrett Impact Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Idaho on October 9 at JUMP in downtown Boise, following successful advocacy that led the Idaho Legislature to temporarily restore critical funding for Assertive Community Treatment and peer support services.
ACT and Peer Services Face Managed Care Transition
- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT): A mobile program for people with severe mental illness.
- Peer Support Services: Services which help people navigate treatment.
- Managed Care Transition: The shift of state Medicaid benefit management to privatized management, a structural change currently impacting clinic stability across Idaho.
Advocating for Restored Mental Health Budgets in Idaho
When the Idaho Legislature faced projected budget shortfalls, lawmakers targeted several Medicaid programs for funding reductions. idahocapitalsun.com reported that Laura Scuri, co-owner of Access Behavioral Health Services in Boise, and Ric Boyce, director of Mental Health Specialists in Chubbuck, recognized the immediate fallout of these cuts. Scuri noted in coverage by idahocapitalsun.com that losing a client that you’ve worked with as closely as you do in Assertive Community Treatment is devastating. The mobile treatment program and peer support services were initially slashed after Magellan, the company running Medicaid mental health benefits in the state, had its pay reduced late last year following an executive order from Idaho Gov. Brad Little.
Following the elimination of the mobile treatment service, four patients died, a tragedy that hovered over subsequent legislative debates. newsfromthestates.com noted that the resulting public outcry from providers and some lawmakers intensified discussions around the state budget. Rather than relying solely on formal committee testimonies, Scuri and Boyce built direct working relationships with lawmakers. Boyce explained to idahocapitalsun.com that they formed individual connections with roughly half of the Legislature, supplying data and answering questions from community members and legislators alike.
Gov. Little Signs Bill Restoring Mental Health Funding
The advocacy efforts culminated on the final day of the legislative session when Gov. Little signed a bill temporarily restoring funding for the targeted mental health programs. idahocapitalsun.com highlighted that this rare budgetary reversal stood in contrast to general discussions about Idaho's Medicaid funding and policies. newsfromthestates.com reported that the tension around Medicaid traces back to 2018, when Idaho voters successfully passed a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid, closing a coverage gap for the working poor who made too much for traditional Medicaid but too little for health insurance exchange subsidies. According to newsfromthestates.com reporting, state lawmakers frequently debated repealing the expansion or enacting strict work requirements, creating an antagonistic environment for health care funding.
| Program Restored | Clinical Function | Primary Stakeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) | Mobile program for severe mental illness | Ric Boyce / Mental Health Specialists |
| Peer Support Services | Guided navigation of treatment | Laura Scuri / Access Behavioral Health Services |
NAMI Idaho Honors Providers Amid Privatization Shifts
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Idaho selected Scuri and Boyce for the Kathie Garrett Impact Award to recognize their efforts in restoring the vital funding. The awards will be presented at the World Mental Health Day Gala and Advocacy Awards. Looking ahead, both providers face a new regulatory hurdle. idahocapitalsun.com reported that the state is preparing to shift to privatized management of all Medicaid benefits, a process known as managed care. Scuri described this transition as one of the biggest things that’s gonna happen in health care in Idaho, while Boyce noted that ongoing funding cuts since December have left multiple regional clinics on the verge of closing.
References
- Idaho Capital Sun – Reporting on mental health program restoration and clinic owner advocacy.
- News From The States – Coverage of Idaho Medicaid history, ballot initiatives, and legislative budget reductions.
