Two lawsuits challenge Idaho's cuts to ACT, peer support for SMI population

Idaho's Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program — long considered a “last resort” for people with severe mental illness at high risk of hospitalization, homelessness or incarceration — was officially dismantled on Dec. 1. The move by Magellan of Idaho to eliminate ACT, peer support and other specialized services has sparked two lawsuits, one filed by mental health clinics and another by patients, both arguing the cuts will have devastating consequences for vulnerable individuals.