A ‘self-inflicted’ crisis: Sheriffs and providers warn lawmakers about dangerous mental health cuts
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Law enforcement and mental health specialists are sounding the alarm after state cuts are eliminating services for individuals with serious mental illness.
Six local lawmakers met with providers today at the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office to hear concerns about the elimination of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program in Idaho on December 1.
“We deal with the extremely mentally ill people in our community," said Tom Tueller, owner of Tueller Counseling. "... Without this program, we want the counties to understand that their budgets will go up extremely high."
The cuts will eliminate “community-based care,” he said, which allows providers to travel and assist individuals who otherwise would not come to office visits.
The end of the program also cut funding for peer support specialists; employment specialists; and nurses who provide medication compliance, delivery, injections and support.
Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse warned that eliminating support programs has a cost far beyond dollar signs.
“The truth is, if we can't keep people stable in the community, then they're going to end up in the crisis services – that means the emergency rooms, that means our jails, and that puts an increased burden on law enforcement."
Hulse also serves as president of the Idaho Sheriffs' Association, which recently released a letter to Gov. Brad Little and leaders in the Idaho Legislature, warning of a "significant public-safety concern."
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Ric Boyce told lawmakers the $13 million Idaho saves by eliminating the ACT program will ultimately cost the state's counties and taxpayers $150 million in property taxes for increased incarcerations, hospitalizations and legal services.
"Now the state comes in with a wrecking ball because they mismanaged the budget, and they train wreck everything," Hulse said Friday. "Then they anticipate that they're not going to have problems. We're here to tell you as sheriffs, you're going to have problems, and some of these problems are not going to be measured on a spreadsheet about budgets, but they're going to be measured in human cost.”
The legislators said they recognize the importance of the mental health services, but warned of a political climate in Boise where a majority of lawmakers are looking to "DOGE" or cut entire programs and potentially repeal Medicaid expansion.
Tueller said he's hopeful the Legislature will take action to restore mental health services for those who need it most.
