Tackling Fragmentation of Medicaid Physical and Behavioral Health Services: Learning from Arizona's Decision to Consolid

The project team will conduct a review of the process of consolidating responsibility for physical and behavioral health services under the Medicaid director in Arizona, noting the rationale for consolidation, challenges encountered and the emerging advantages and disadvantages of consolidation in terms of enabling downstream integration. The team will conduct a literature review, and 10-12 interviews with state officials, plans, providers, consumer advocates and other stakeholders involved in the agency consolidation process.

The project will provide timely information to other state Medicaid directors, many of whom, like Arizona previously, do not currently have direct responsibility for behavioral health services yet are actively exploring options to facilitate better integration of physical and behavioral health services. This work will detail policy options and practical options to advance the integration of physical and behavioral health through such levers as agency consolidation, leadership and structural issues.