This week we’re making 3 efficiency changes in our behavioral health system. Instead of having providers bill us and AHCCCS for different services, all the bills will go to AHCCCS- and we’ll get statements from them. It’ll be the same with enrollment- all paperwork is processed through AHCCCS and we’ll get a standard report that will keep the system up-to-date. The 3rd change should make it more efficient for determining whether someone has a Serious Mental Illness in the greater Phoenix area. The Crisis Response Network will evaluate the information based on our standards.
Once again – thanks to the amazing number of people who came together from IT and Behavioral Health to make these changes a reality including Ravi Pitti, Geetanjali Bandi, Nasrin Akhter, Laxma Veeravelly, Desi Grosso, and Vickie Kropp, Kumar Mani and Serghei Scafaru.
Cara M. Christ, M.D., M.S. became Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services in May 2015. Dr. Christ has served the agency for more than nine years. Among her many accomplishments at ADHS, Dr. Christ collaborated with health partners and stakeholders to develop strategic plans for infectious disease prevention and control including the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. She was involved in leading statewide efforts during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and worked with partners to find solutions to improve childhood vaccination programs. In 2012, Dr. Christ managed the development and implementation of 20 Articles of Arizona Administrative Code for Health Care Institutions allowing integration of physical and behavioral health services statewide. Dr. Christ obtained her master's degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Follow the Director on Twitter @DrCaraChrist.
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