Last year 3,663 refugees resettled in Arizona from 45 different countries (about 1/3 were from Iraq). Refugees have a variety of pressing social, economic and health needs when they arrive. That’s where our ADHS Refugee Health Program comes in. Our Refugee Health Coordinator, Zachary Holden, works with partners to ensure that refugees arrive healthy and maintain good [...]
Good question. Disasters and public health emergencies can stress health care systems to the breaking point and disrupt delivery of vital medical services. For example- hospitals and long-term care facilities may be without power; trained staff, ambulances, medical supplies, and beds could be in short supply; and alternate care facilities may need to be used. [...]
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 [...]
Our Behavioral Health team is working hard this month keeping up with all the changes and the transition. Check out the Behavioral Health blog for an update.
Objective evaluation is critical to assessing and improving the performance of any public health system- including the behavioral health system that we manage. One of the ways we assess our behavioral health system is to conduct a “Quality Services Review”, which identifies strengths, service capacity gaps, and areas for improvement at a system-wide level. A [...]
The formal protest process regarding our award of the Regional Behavioral Health Authority contract in Maricopa County is finally winding down. The oral part of the hearing in front of the Administrative Law Judge was completed a couple of weeks ago. The final legal filings are due next week and the responses to those filings [...]
With one of the worst wildfire tragedies in history happening last weekend, our Health Emergency Operations Center was active all week. First making sure that there was enough behavioral health support through the Regional Behavioral Health Authorities, then helping provide some specific assistance to the shelters in Prescott and Wickenburg. On Tuesday, we pulled special beds [...]
Last week the AZ Department of Administration decided to ask the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings to conduct an official hearing regarding our October 1 contract award for the Regional Behavioral Health Authority in Maricopa County. You may remember that the ADOA issued a stay last month that stopped the transition process. We received a notice [...]
In our April issue of Recovery WORKS you’ll find inspiring recovery stories, behavioral health news, resources, and information from our community. Our featured peer success story this month is about MedHat Zekri, a peer who’s been able to overcome severe depression, anxiety and stress and is being very successful in achieving his life's goals. In our [...]
We're getting near the end of the long journey of our licensing regulatory reform. Last Wednesday we posted the revised draft rules for Chapter 10 (Health Care Institutions - Licensing) and Chapter 20 (Non-licensing approval). Our goals is to simplify and streamline our rules so they align with our strategic plan and map to improve public health [...]
