Arizona Mental Health Rights Documents
Knowing your RIGHTS is powerful for you and helps your providers meet your individual needs. These documents are provided by AHCCCS’ Office Of Individual and Family Affairs (OIFA), the Center for Disability Law, and AHCCCS’ Office of Human Rights. We are providing these documents because we believe that self-advocacy is powerful.
You can sort this table by clicking the up/down arrows at the top of each column. 
| Entity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | Adult Family Support is Key to Recovery | Do you support someone with a mental health or substance use disorder? We can help you understand what a behavioral health diagnosis means and how the behavioral health care system works. | OIFA |
| Adult | Filing a Complaint Regarding Services for Adults with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) | When you file a complaint, you are saying that you are not satisfied with the services being provided or the way an AHCCCS member is being treated. Filing a complaint brings attention to the problem so that it can be resolved | OIFA |
| Adult | Guiding Principles for Recovery-Oriented Adult Behavioral Health Services and Systems | The Nine Guiding Principles below were developed to provide a shared understanding of the key ingredients needed for an adult behavioral health system to promote recovery. System development efforts, programs, service provision, and stakeholder collaboration must be guided by these principles. We must utilize these principles to guide our decision making process and our interactions with each other. | OIFA |
| Adult | How to Become a Peer Recovery Support Specialist | A Peer and Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) is someone with lived experience of behavioral health and/or substance use recovery who has received specialized training on how to use their experience to help others. A PRSS works with individuals during their recovery journey, sharing skills, coaching, and providing support. | OIFA |
| Adult | How To File A Grievance For Arizona Long Term Care Services (ALTCS) Members with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Determination | Members enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) who are determined to have a serious mental illness (SMI) are entitled to extensive rights, including, but not limited to: | OIFA |
| Adult | OHR SMI Appeals Process | The SMI appeal process is available to individuals determined to have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and to individuals disputing a SMI eligibility determination. This educational document covers who can file an appeal, what issues can be appealed and the steps involved in the process. | Office of Human Rights |
| Adult | OHR SMI Complaints Appeals and Grievance Education | If you have been determined to have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and have concerns about the treatment you receive from Arizona’s public behavioral health care system, you have access to several options to help you address your concerns. Deciding which option to use depends on the nature of the issue, what result you want, and how much time you can spend on the issue. This educational document provides basic information about what options are available to you and how to use them. | Office of Human Rights |
| Adult | OHR SMI Inpatient Rights Education | As a person determined to have a SMI, you have a number of rights. The Office of Human Rights educational document “Your Rights” outlines these and the Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 21 lists them in full. | Office of Human Rights |
| Adult | Sharing Health Information With Family And Friends Of Adult Members | The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the Federal law that protects your personal health information (PHI). HIPAA allows you to access health care with the assurance that your personal information will be kept confidential. | OIFA |
| Adult | SMI Designation – Frequently Asked Questions | SMI Designation – Frequently Asked Questions | Center for Disability Law |
| Adult | Your Rights as a Person with Serious Mental Illness -- A Self-Advocacy Guide | The purpose of this guide is to provide general information to individuals regarding their rights and protections under the law. It is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. You may wish to contact the Arizona Center for Disability Law or consult with a lawyer in your community if you require further information. | Center for Disability Law |
| Children | 12 Guiding Principles in the Children’s System of Care | The “Arizona Vision,” for children is built on twelve principles to which ADHS and AHCCCS are both obligated and committed. The Arizona Vision States: In collaboration with the child and family and others, Arizona will provide accessible behavioral health services designed to aid children to achieve success in school, live with their families, avoid delinquency, and become stable and productive adults. Services will be tailored to the child and family and provided in the most appropriate setting, in a timely fashion and in accordance with best practices, while respecting the child’s family’s cultural heritage. | OIFA |
| Children | AHCCCS Members Under 21 Years of Age Have Dental Coverage | All AHCCCS members under the age of 21 are assigned to a Dental Home by their health plan. A Dental Home is a dental office. | OIFA |
| Children | Appeal Rights for Title 19/AHCCCS Children’s Behavioral Health Services | The purpose of this guide is to provide general information to individuals regarding their rights and protections under the law. It is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. You may wish to contact the Arizona Center for Disability Law or consult with a lawyer in your community if you require further information. | Center for Disability Law |
| Children | Behavioral Health Respite in the Children’s System | Respite is a covered service meant to prevent a crisis or any negative physical or emotional effects for the family caregiver and child. It is designed to ensure the well-being of the family by providing a time for rest and relief for the family caregiver while engaging the child in meaningful activities. | OIFA |
| Children | Behavioral Health Services for Children in Foster, Kinship & Adoptive Care | AHCCCS is committed to ensuring the availability of timely, quality health care for children in out of home placement and adopted children. AHCCCS has behavioral health appointment standards in contract to ensure access to services are delivered in a timely fashion. | OIFA |
| Children | Crisis Services for Children in Foster, Kinship & Adoptive Care | A crisis is any situation in which a person’s behaviors puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or when they are not able to resolve the situation with the skills and resources available. | OIFA |
| Children | Family-Run Organizations Providing Children’s Services | As the caregiver of a biological, foster, kinship or adopted child, you have covered services available at no cost to you from many different agencies. Some of these agencies are family-run organizations. | OIFA |
| Children | Foster and Kinship Caregivers Resources | Ten page booklet providing information on rescources for Foster and Kindship Caregivers | OIFA |
| Children | Getting Transportation to and from Your AHCCCS Covered Services | Non Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) is a covered service for Medicaid members who do not have their own transportation or means to arrange for their own transportation | OIFA |
| Children | Medical Coverage for Youth Transitioning from Foster Care | Youth in foster care receive health care coverage from the Comprehensive Medical and Dental Program (CMDP) health plan. When a member in foster care turns age 18, AHCCCS will automatically assess whether the member qualifies for health care coverage under a different program. Members with a non-qualified immigration status will be approved for Federal Emergency Services coverage. | OIFA |
| Everyone | AHCCCS Oversight | There are several layers of oversight for the Medicaid program to fulfill its purpose. Each of these layers does its part and ultimately supports the end goal: Providing comprehensive, quality health care to those in need. | OIFA |
| Everyone | ALTCS Services & Benefits | The Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) is the State of Arizona’s Medicaid program that provides long term care services, at little or no cost, to financially and medically eligible Arizona residents who are aged, blind, disabled, or have a developmental, and/or physical disability | OIFA |
| Everyone | Appeal Process for Persons with A Serious Mental Illness - A Self Advocacy Guide | The purpose of this guide is to provide general informaiton to indivuals regarding their rights and protections under the law. | Center for Disability Law |
| Everyone | Are You Seeking Substance Use Treatment? | If you have used substances like prescriptions, alcohol, marijuana, opiates/heroin, and all other illicit/synthetic drugs in the last 12 months or are currently actively using these substances, treatment options are available, even if you are underinsured or uninsured. | OIFA |
| Everyone | Be Your Own Advocate | You Have Voice and Choice In Your Health Care Decisions | OIFA |
| Everyone | Court-Ordered Mental Health Evaluation and Treatment in Arizona: Rights and Procedures | The purpose of this guide is to describe the court-ordered evaluation and treatment process. This guide will also explain the legal rights people have who are going through that process. | Center for Disability Law |
| Everyone | Dual Eligible Members | AHCCCS is Arizona’s State Medicaid Program. AHCCCS Members who also have Medicare are called Dual Eligible Members. Being enrolled in the same health plan for Medicare and Medicaid is called “alignment.” | OIFA |
| Everyone | How A Hospital Discharge Plan Helps AHCCCS Members Return To Good Health | Discharge planning begins as soon as you are admitted to the hospital. It helps your health care providers coordinate your treatment and helps you make a smooth return to your community and your regular routine. | OIFA |
| Everyone | How to File a Grievance as a Person with Serious Mental Illness and a RBHA Member | A grievance is a way for a person to complain about something related to his or her mental health services. By filing a grievance, you are officially asking for someone to look into your complaint. | Center for Disability Law |
| Everyone | How to Keep Yourself and Others Safe When Calling 9-1-1 | Calling 9-1-1 for help during a mental health emergency can be very stressful. Law enforcement and other responders need to have all the right information in order to help you quickly and safely. Ask the 9-1-1 operator if a CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) officer, who specializes in responding to mental illness emergency situations, is available. Alternatively, you may consider calling the Crisis Line where an operator can assist with a Crisis Mobile Team if one is required | OIFA |
| Everyone | How to Update Your Mailing Address | AHCCCS sometimes sends information to your mailing address. It is YOUR responsibility to notify AHCCCS when your address changes. | OIFA |
| Everyone | Jacob’s Law Training | Arizona House Bill 2442 was passed into law in 2016, and helped to correct many issues facing foster, kinship and adopted children who receive behavioral health services. | OIFA |
| Everyone | No Medication Copays for Members With A SMI | Individuals with a Serious Mental Illness determination do NOT have to pay any copays or cost sharing for behavioral health medications (when dispensed by an AHCCCS-registered provider) even if you do not have Medicaid coverage (AHCCCS). | OIFA |
| Everyone | OHR Educational Handout | Providing advocacy to individuals determined to have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) to help them understand, protect and exercise their rights, facilitate self-advocacy through education and obtain access to behavioral health services in the public behavioral health system in Arizona. | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | OHR SMI Individual Service Planning | What is an Individual Service Plan (ISP)? The SMI Rules provide individuals in Arizona with a Serious Mental Illness the right to an assessment and an Individual Service Plan (ISP). | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | OHR SMI Rights Education | The intent of this brochure is to provide general information to individuals determined to have a Serious Mental Illness in Arizona’s public behavioral health system regarding their rights. It is not intended as a substitute for individual guidance or advice. Additionally, the AHCCCS/DCAIR, Office of Human Rights is not a law firm | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | OHR Special Assistance Determination | The criteria for Special Assistance designation are: · The Member must be determined to have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI); and, · The Member is unable to communicate preferences and/or participate effectively in ISP, ITDP, grievance and/or appeal processes; and, · The Members’ inability described above is due to a specific condition: a) cognitive ability/intellectual capacity; b) language barrier that cannot be addressed by a translator/interpreter; c) a medical condition (including severe psychiatric symptoms); and/or, d) an Arizona Court has determined Full and Permanent Legal Guardianship for the Member. | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | OIFA at AHCCCS | Since 2007, OIFA’s mission has been to ensure the voices of those who receive behavioral health services and their families are heard at every level of Arizona’s public behavioral health system. Each OIFA Team Member brings their unique lived experiences to their role as peers and/or family members involved with mental health, justice, substance use and foster care | OIFA |
| Everyone | Peer-Run Organizations | Peer-run organizations are service providers owned, operated and administrated by persons with lived experiences of mental health and/ or substance use disorders. These organizations are based in the community and provide support services. AHCCCS members have the right to request services provided by and/or participate in programs at a peer-run organization. | OIFA |
| Everyone | Services for AHCCCS Members Without a Serious Mental Illness | Covered behavioral health services include, but are not limited to: Counseling and Therapy; Skills Training; Supported Employment; Case Management; Personal Care Services; Family Support; Peer Support | OIFA |
| Everyone | Special Assistance FAQ | Special Assistance is the support provided by a designated representative, to a member who is unable, due to a specific condition, to communicate his/her preferences and/or to participate effectively in the development of his/her service plan, discharge plan, the Serious Mental Illness (SMI) appeal process and/or SMI grievance/investigation process. | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | Standards Appointment Availability For All AHCCCS Members | Your AHCCCS health plan is required to ensure that you can see medical professionals in a timely manner. The following standards apply to Primary Care Providers (PCP), Specialist, Dental, Maternity, and Behavioral Health providers. | OIFA |
| Everyone | Wait lists for AHCCCS Covered Behavioral Health Services are PROHIBITED | You have a right to receive the services you need, delivered within AHCCCS Policy established timelines. If an agency or specialist is unable to serve you, the agency or specialist should refer you to your AHCCCS Health Plan to locate a provider near you. | OIFA |
| Everyone | What is Special Assistance? | Special Assistance is a term used to describe additional supports reserved for those with a Serious Mental Illness who are determined by the Clinical or Inpatient Team and meet specific criteria. | OIFA |
| Everyone | What is the Office of Human Rights Office? Power Point | Power Point explanation of the AHCCCS Office of Human Rights. | Office of Human Rights |
| Everyone | Your Rights as a Patient of a Behavioral Health Facility | Knowledge is Power Your Life Your Treatment | Center for Disability Law |