Arizona has built alignment between the Medicaid agency, the regional behavioral health authorities who administer the state’s BH Services, and the child welfare agency in meeting the BH needs of foster children. Notable features of the state’s approach include:
- A single MCO serves foster children (Mercy Care DCS CHP).
• Inclusion of specialized Medicaid services in the array (Multisystemic Therapy) and high needs case management - Mandatory inclusion of the Wraparound process for all children receiving BH services including foster children
- BH providers required to undergo specialty training on “a day in the life in child welfare”.
- Regional Behavioral Health Authorities are mandated to contract with specialty child welfare providers to ensure access to trauma-informed, child welfare system-informed providers and these providers are required to be Medicaid-enrolled.
- The state’s Medicaid rate structure includes risk-adjusted capitation rates for children in care.
