Now that we have a new integrated behavioral health care model in Maricopa County, we’ve set our sights on implementing a similar integrated care model in the rest of the state. Our Procurement Team closed the bidding for the Greater Arizona Behavioral Health RFP last Thursday afternoon.
This important procurement solicited bids for providing integrated behavioral and physical health for folks with a serious mental illness – much like the Maricopa County contract. People in the general mental health or substance abuse categories will get behavioral health services from the RBHA and their physical health care from an AHCCCS acute care health plan.
The solicitation consolidated several of the current Geographic Service Areas. When the new contracts go live in October of 2015, we’ll have a total of 3 service zones (North, South, & Maricopa) – rather than the current 6. We’ve also ensured that tribal land aligns with the service areas. Of course, tribes wishing to continue as a Tribal Behavioral Health Authority would continue as-is. The solicitation makes it clear that awardees will only be able to hold a contract in 1 service area.
We received 3 bids for the Northern service zone (Magellan Health Services; Health Choice Integrated Care, LLC; and UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services, Inc). The Southern service area also had 3 bidders (Magellan Health Services; Cenpatico of Arizona LLC; and UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services, Inc.). We’ll be evaluating the bids over the coming weeks and awarding the contracts by the end of this year… with an October 1, 2015 start date.
