Behavioral Health

/Behavioral Health

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.

2011 Department Priorities Spotlight – Arizona State Hospital

By | December 22nd, 2010|Behavioral Health|

We’ve got an exiting year in store for the Arizona State Hospital in 2011.  One of the highlights will be our New Forensic Hospital which will open in the Fall.  During 2010 our Forensic team reorganized their treatment groups to focus on both psychiatric symptom stability and pro-social skill development and engagement.  During 2011 we’ll [...]

2011 Department Priorities Spotlight- Behavioral Health

By | December 13th, 2010|Behavioral Health|

Last week, I outlined goals and priorities for the Licensing Division in the coming year.  This week I’ll hit on the Division of Behavioral Health… One of our primary objectives will be to better integrate behavioral health, physical health, and wellness at the "retail" level (i.e. at the point of care).  By strengthening integration and [...]

2011 Department Priorities Spotlight- Assurance & Licensing Services

By | December 7th, 2010|Behavioral Health, Licensing|

I thought I’d do a piece each week between now and the end of the year that outlines our goals for the coming year.  I’ll start with Licensing this week… We’ll continue on our quest to make the most of our time and effort during our surveys.  We’re already doing a good job now, but as [...]

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Raise Your Voice Forums

By | November 30th, 2010|Behavioral Health|

Our Raise Your Voice Behavioral Health Forums are going quite well.  You’ll remember that our objective for the Forums is to help us transform our behavioral health system for the better.  Our behavioral health team has been traveling to most parts of the state to hold focus groups including 14 in Maricopa County and focus [...]

Behavioral Health Licensing Rule Change Suspended

By | November 22nd, 2010|Behavioral Health, Uncategorized|

A couple of weeks ago I planned to open the docket to overhaul the Administrative Code (Rules) that we use to evaluate and monitor health and safety in licensed behavioral health facilities in AZ. That plan was based on the assumption that the Medical Marijuana Act was going down to defeat because at that time [...]

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Action Plan for Integrating Acute & Behavioral Health Care

By | November 18th, 2010|Behavioral Health, Prevention|

Arizona citizens with a serious mental illness have a life expectancy that’s 30 years less than the general population.  These folks don’t die early because of their mental illness; rather, they die from preventable physical health conditions like obesity, smoking, lung disease, stroke and heart disease.  That’s why the Department is partnering with the Milbank [...]

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Raise Your Voice, Arizona!

By | November 12th, 2010|Behavioral Health|

If you or one of your family members receives behavioral health services in Arizona, it’s time to raise your voice and be heard.  Over the next few weeks our ADHS Behavioral Health System Transformation Team will be sponsoring a series of forums so that folks can express their opinions about how we should shape the [...]

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Behavioral Health Services in SE Arizona

By | September 27th, 2010|Behavioral Health|

Folks that receive publicly-funded behavioral health services in Cochise, Santa Cruz, Greenlee and Graham Counties will soon transition to a new Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA).  In March, ADHS awarded contracts for all of the areas outside of Maricopa County.  We awarded the contract for Cochise, Santa Cruz, Greenlee and Graham Counties to Cenpatico Behavioral [...]

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AHCCCS Acute Care Enrollee’s to be Automatically Enrolled in RBHAs

By | September 14th, 2010|Behavioral Health|

Beginning October 1, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System will automatically enroll all Acute Care members into their local Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) or Tribal RBHA (T/RBHA).  The plan eliminates the need for a separate administrative enrollment with the T/RBHA (and the associated paperwork) and streamlines the delivery of services, better integrate physical & behavioral health care. [...]