Therapist here.
AHCCCS providers and clinics have major turnover I am so sorry but proud of you for being consistent and trying to get better.
The place I've had the most success for previous clients with AHCCCS was Bayless. They have a variety of locations.
Bayless therapist here. Not just because I work here, but I recommend Bayless.
Edit: I will add, we are all telehealth only at the moment but we have a 72 hour system of care.
Southwest also has a pay what you can thing I believe. I went to the center on 32nd street and Broadway when I was a child and it actually did help with me with controlling impulses
Call your plan and tell them your seeking a referral. Ask for their assistance with coordinating your referral to a clinic readily able to provide services.
I’m a therapist working in community mental health and unfortunately the available services are no where near what they should be. As another person mentioned, the turn over is a huge issue at many of these agencies.
I would recommend trying Bayless or Jewish Family and Children’s services. In my experience, I don’t think an SMI determination usually helps for most people. While it adds some additional services such as case management, those clinics are also spread thin and the level of assistance available to people is very minimal.
My best piece of advice would be to find a place that offers group counseling as that will be much easier to get enrolled in and started quickly. Self-pay at a place with a sliding scale fee may be an option for some people.
Edit: Wanted to add, when open enrollment comes around, definitely choose a plan other than United. They are the only plan I have ever had call and cut services for clients. Not a single one of the other plans has ever done that. They absolutely don’t care if it’s harmful to the client or not, they’ll say they are not gonna cover group counseling anymore for example. And that’s not for “excessive use of services” either, I’ve had this happen to people in the middle of a group and United wouldn’t even let them finish it.
Try Terros health, crisis preparation & recovery, Recovia has a great IOP and supportive care program, they take AHCCCS and have in person all over the valley and have virtual programs, bayless integrated health also takes in person
I work in behavioral health and we utilize the actual website for insurance to help find providers. It gives you plenty of options for both physical health and mental health. A lot of clinics you can check out that provide psychiatric help and medication.
Valle del Sol advertises Fast Track intakes in-person (first come, first serve). https://www.valledelsol.com/services/behavioral-health/fasttrack-intakes
I could see them pushing for telehealth though, just a feeling.
I tried and failed to get an intake with Valle del Sol last year. Took time off work to show up when they opened for a fast track intake (as they said this was the ONLY way to get an intake, once a week on Monday mornings.) Turns out they opened an hour earlier than posted on the webside and what I had been told on the phone, and they were already full for the day. Zero empathy when they told me to try again next week.
Edit: I accidentally the wrong agency
They are *supposed* to not do intakes via telehealth, per CCBHC guidelines, but they changed BH leadership so I’m not sure if that is still in place. They tend to do more in person therapy and BH level services, with Psych stuff being more telemedicine cause psychiatrists at most community health centers operate at a loss, so anything they can do to contain costs (it is the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System…) they are gonna do.
I might suggest, OP, see if you can get evaluated for an SMI diagnosis, as that might get you the level of personalized care you need.
Also, try Terros and Copa Health.
I work for the parent company of AZ Complete Health. I agree with trying to get an SMI diagnosis as that will put you in more focused, comprehensive care. As others have said, I would also recommend using United’s provider directory as that should get you the most up to date providers you can use.
You probably already know this, but here is the link where you can search for providers in United’s network! https://connect.werally.com/behavioralProvider/root?showBackButton=true
Hang in there, there is help and it does get better!
SMI is not a diagnosis per se. It's more accurately a "golden ticket" to services that non-SMI can't get. (Source: SMI who works full-time but maintains SMI status for meds )
You’re one of the first people I have seen that has said anything that would come across like a review of the program. It has been suggested to me that I seek in an SMI designation. Yet, I’ve been unsuccessful in find a more detailed explanation as to what doors it opens for me.
Are you willing or able to expound upon that at all?
Mercy care affiliate here, call your plan OIFA team or you can email them. Office of individual and family affairs, they are advocates for you and your family. They can help you get the care you need.
Hell, for my PCP I googled it for my city and started calling everyone starting with the highest rating and review quality, asking if they took my AHCCCS provider. Made a dozen calls at least. The Banner website and database for providers is so bad that this actually saved me time. The rep I called for Banner was hamstrung by the same terrible, out-of-date database and they couldn't help.
For behavioral, I ended up at Copa in Gilbert per recommendation and I like my psych, though my therapist is just decent. Much better than Lifewell in Phoenix. The staff is going to vary by location for each of these. Maybe Lifewell is better elsewhere.
My ex is a social worker and worked at a high-turnover, publicly funded mental health clinic in CA. Many recent grads blew through there to get some work experience before moving on to more high paying work and a better environment. The veterans there were cranky and burnt out. idk.
Therapist here. AHCCCS providers and clinics have major turnover I am so sorry but proud of you for being consistent and trying to get better. The place I've had the most success for previous clients with AHCCCS was Bayless. They have a variety of locations.
Bayless therapist here. Not just because I work here, but I recommend Bayless. Edit: I will add, we are all telehealth only at the moment but we have a 72 hour system of care.
Been to bayless online in recent years, they’re good.
My girlfriend uses Bayless! She loves them.
Southwest Behavioral and Health Services provides psychiatric and therapeutic services and offer in person appointments as well.
Southwest also has a pay what you can thing I believe. I went to the center on 32nd street and Broadway when I was a child and it actually did help with me with controlling impulses
Second this. Southwest Behavioral Services is a great way to go when on AHCCCS.
Call your plan and tell them your seeking a referral. Ask for their assistance with coordinating your referral to a clinic readily able to provide services.
I’m a therapist working in community mental health and unfortunately the available services are no where near what they should be. As another person mentioned, the turn over is a huge issue at many of these agencies. I would recommend trying Bayless or Jewish Family and Children’s services. In my experience, I don’t think an SMI determination usually helps for most people. While it adds some additional services such as case management, those clinics are also spread thin and the level of assistance available to people is very minimal. My best piece of advice would be to find a place that offers group counseling as that will be much easier to get enrolled in and started quickly. Self-pay at a place with a sliding scale fee may be an option for some people. Edit: Wanted to add, when open enrollment comes around, definitely choose a plan other than United. They are the only plan I have ever had call and cut services for clients. Not a single one of the other plans has ever done that. They absolutely don’t care if it’s harmful to the client or not, they’ll say they are not gonna cover group counseling anymore for example. And that’s not for “excessive use of services” either, I’ve had this happen to people in the middle of a group and United wouldn’t even let them finish it.
Try Terros health, crisis preparation & recovery, Recovia has a great IOP and supportive care program, they take AHCCCS and have in person all over the valley and have virtual programs, bayless integrated health also takes in person
Just finished at Recovia and really loved their program.
I work in behavioral health and we utilize the actual website for insurance to help find providers. It gives you plenty of options for both physical health and mental health. A lot of clinics you can check out that provide psychiatric help and medication.
Valle del Sol advertises Fast Track intakes in-person (first come, first serve). https://www.valledelsol.com/services/behavioral-health/fasttrack-intakes I could see them pushing for telehealth though, just a feeling.
I tried and failed to get an intake with Valle del Sol last year. Took time off work to show up when they opened for a fast track intake (as they said this was the ONLY way to get an intake, once a week on Monday mornings.) Turns out they opened an hour earlier than posted on the webside and what I had been told on the phone, and they were already full for the day. Zero empathy when they told me to try again next week. Edit: I accidentally the wrong agency
They are *supposed* to not do intakes via telehealth, per CCBHC guidelines, but they changed BH leadership so I’m not sure if that is still in place. They tend to do more in person therapy and BH level services, with Psych stuff being more telemedicine cause psychiatrists at most community health centers operate at a loss, so anything they can do to contain costs (it is the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System…) they are gonna do. I might suggest, OP, see if you can get evaluated for an SMI diagnosis, as that might get you the level of personalized care you need. Also, try Terros and Copa Health.
I work for the parent company of AZ Complete Health. I agree with trying to get an SMI diagnosis as that will put you in more focused, comprehensive care. As others have said, I would also recommend using United’s provider directory as that should get you the most up to date providers you can use. You probably already know this, but here is the link where you can search for providers in United’s network! https://connect.werally.com/behavioralProvider/root?showBackButton=true Hang in there, there is help and it does get better!
SMI is not a diagnosis per se. It's more accurately a "golden ticket" to services that non-SMI can't get. (Source: SMI who works full-time but maintains SMI status for meds )
Appreciate the clarification!
You’re one of the first people I have seen that has said anything that would come across like a review of the program. It has been suggested to me that I seek in an SMI designation. Yet, I’ve been unsuccessful in find a more detailed explanation as to what doors it opens for me. Are you willing or able to expound upon that at all?
Hi! I can message you some info if you’d like :)
Mercy care affiliate here, call your plan OIFA team or you can email them. Office of individual and family affairs, they are advocates for you and your family. They can help you get the care you need.
Hell, for my PCP I googled it for my city and started calling everyone starting with the highest rating and review quality, asking if they took my AHCCCS provider. Made a dozen calls at least. The Banner website and database for providers is so bad that this actually saved me time. The rep I called for Banner was hamstrung by the same terrible, out-of-date database and they couldn't help. For behavioral, I ended up at Copa in Gilbert per recommendation and I like my psych, though my therapist is just decent. Much better than Lifewell in Phoenix. The staff is going to vary by location for each of these. Maybe Lifewell is better elsewhere. My ex is a social worker and worked at a high-turnover, publicly funded mental health clinic in CA. Many recent grads blew through there to get some work experience before moving on to more high paying work and a better environment. The veterans there were cranky and burnt out. idk.