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.

A letter by the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association is the latest in a string of concerns over cuts by a state Medicaid contractor that stem from the state’s attempts to avoid a projected budget shortfall.

Idaho Medicaid contractor to cut critical services for people with severe mental illness

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’t immediately clear whether the cuts are already in effect.

In a Monday letter to Gov. Brad Litt

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