The behavioral health system transformation that we’re working on as part of the Maricopa County behavioral health services contract will go a long way toward better integrating primary and acute care and behavioral healthcare for folks with a serious mental illness.  But…  our success is also dependent on our regulatory reform within our Licensing shop.  In fact, our current Rulemaking process to overhaul how we regulate the provision of behavioral health services may have a more profound impact on better outcomes than the new contract in Maricopa County.  It’s probably the most important Rulemaking package (in terms of system change, outcomes & leverage) that we’ve undertaken in the last 20 years. 

That’s why it’s so important for folks in our behavioral health provider community and other Stakeholders to help us craft our new Rules over the next year.  We had a great Workgroup Meeting on Tuesday, March 27^th.   The workgroup is reviewing and providing input on the draft rules for Article 3 – Behavioral Health Inpatient Facilities, Level 1 Sub-Acute and Residential Treatment Center facilities. Folks can review the draft rules online please click on this link.

We’ll have another meeting on April 17th at ADHS, 150 N. 18th Avenue, Phoenix, at 9 a.m.