Bill > HB2980

This bill establishes a new program within the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to provide home and community-based services for adults with serious mental illness, aiming to offer an alternative to institutionalization. The program, referred to as the "home and community-based service program for adults who are seriously mentally ill," will require AHCCCS, known as the "Administration," to seek federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to offer these services, which can include assistance with daily living, medication management, and structured community support. Eligibility will be based on a determination of serious mental illness, meeting a specific "serious mental illness level of care" defined by behavioral, functional, and safety criteria, and financial eligibility, with income limits set at three hundred percent of the federal Supplemental Security Income benefit rate, allowing for the use of a "qualified income trust" to meet financial requirements. The program will initially be limited to 500 members, with priority given to individuals under court orders, guardianship, recently discharged from institutions, or facing homelessness, and will cover services comparable to existing long-term care options but tailored for behavioral health needs. Providers will have specific requirements, including eviction-prevention protocols, and AHCCCS may offer enhanced reimbursement rates for individuals with high-acuity needs, while the Administration will report annually on program outcomes, including enrollment, utilization, and housing stability.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85321