Behavioral Health covers topics dealing with mental health in our state. This ranges from information about programs to help individuals have good mental health to Governmental topics like Regional Behavioral Health Authorities.
AHCCCS will host public meetings across the state to provide additional information regarding the future of Arizona’s Medicaid program. Here's the Public Meeting Schedule and more information.
We’re happy to announce that we’re officially adopting four evidence-based practice models endorsed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT); Supported Employment; Permanent Supportive Housing; and Consumer-Operated Services. We’re adopting these evidence-based best practice models because they resonate with our core commitment to a system of care [...]
I’m happy to announce that we’ve been able to draft Pat Benchik to serve as our new Assistant Director for Behavioral Health Services. Pat's had a long career in behavioral health here in Arizona. He started his career in the 1980s working as an administrator at La Frontera in Tucson. He worked at the Pima [...]
I’ve written several times about the importance of laying the strong foundation for integration effort through our rule making process. Three drafts in and countless hours later, the behavioral health integration rulemaking process is beginning to take shape. It was just last fall when we took the show on the road and traveled the state promoting [...]
Many of our Stakeholders and the folks that we serve have asked about how Arizona and Federal laws affect the kinds of services that the ADHS provides. The answer is (of course) “it depends.” It depends on what kind of benefit or service you’re talking about. Tom Salow, Lynn Golder and others have put together [...]
Our Quality Management Operations shop inside behavioral health has an incredibly complicated and important mission. They have responsibility for regulating and managing Information Management; Performance Improvement; Medical Management; and Quality of Care Monitoring and Oversight in AZ's public behavioral health system. These 4 critical areas work together to develop and implement a system of continuous quality improvement by establishing [...]
Now that the Supreme Court has spoken regarding the Affordable Care Act- States have a lot more clarity around the decisions they'll need to make and what they need to do to implement the law. The Governor kicked off a process to review the options and engage Stakeholders for their input this week. Additional meetings are being scheduled in the coming [...]
Thanks for your patience as we developed our continuity plan for leadership in our Division of Behavioral Health. I know you’re all anxious to hear the transition plan for after Dr. Nelson leaves on August 24. Fortunately, we are very lucky to have so many strong leaders here at the agency, including a really great [...]
One of our priorities over the last 3.5 years has been to ensure that we develop and train our workforce so that we maintain business continuity and have the ability to transition effectively to new leadership when the time comes (part of Strategic Map element E1). We’ll be putting our prep work to the test [...]
Our own Dr. Laura Nelson was recognized for her outstanding leadership and skills as President of National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Her service was rewarded at the annual conference for State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors where she received the presidents award for her work! While presenting the award, the president called Dr. Nelson, [...]
