Idaho Cut Mental Health Services, Deaths Tripled Among Schizophrenia Patients
Idaho cut Medicaid-funded mental health services for people with severe mental illness like schizophrenia. Deaths among the 200 patients in the program jumped from one death in 18 months before the cuts to three deaths after the program ended.
Idaho eliminated a Medicaid-funded program that delivered medical care to people with the most severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia. The state made the cuts as a cost-saving experiment.
The results were deadly. In the 18 months before the program ended, one person among the roughly 200 patients statewide had died. After Idaho cut the services, three patients died.
The program provided outreach services to people with severe mental illness who often struggle to get regular medical care on their own. These patients typically need ongoing support to take medication and stay healthy.
When mental health providers across Idaho learned about the planned cuts, they warned state officials about the risks. Their concerns proved correct as bad outcomes quickly followed the elimination of services.
The cascade of problems was so severe that Idaho officials have now scrambled to reverse the cuts and restore the mental health services.
This shows what happens when states cut mental health funding to save money. People with severe mental illness need ongoing medical care and support to stay alive and out of hospitals.
Watch for Idaho to announce how it will restore the mental health services and prevent future deaths.
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