Phoenix - The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) joins Governor Doug Ducey and other state agencies in recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Through the combined efforts across many state agencies, the State of Arizona is working to increase awareness and understanding of mental health, support prevention efforts, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health conditions.
Statistics indicate nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosed mental health condition in any given year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death in Arizonans ages 10-34 in 2019.
Behavioral health crisis services are available to any Arizona resident, regardless of health insurance coverage. If you or someone you know is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, please see the AHCCCS crisis web page for national and county resources.
Arizona Project AWARE provides free, evidenced-based suicide prevention training for educators. The training is approved by AHCCCS and meets legislative requirements, per A.R.S. 15-120. Learn more at azed.gov/wellness/projectaware.
Since June 2020, AHCCCS has allocated grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide free COVID-19 crisis counseling services to every Arizonan who needs it. Managed by Solari Crisis and Human Services, the ResilientArizona.org Crisis Counseling Program offers connections to crisis counseling providers via the existing 2-1-1 statewide information and referral phone number, in English and Spanish.
“The mission of Resilient Arizona is to assist individuals and communities in recovering from the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through community-based outreach, emotional support, and educational services. We have helped more than 10,000 people and we are ready to assist many more,” Justin Chase, President/CEO of Solari, said.
Crisis counselors help enhance social and emotional connections to others in the community, and promote effective coping strategies and resilience. Additionally, the counselors work closely with community organizations to familiarize themselves with available resources to better refer and connect individuals and families to other necessary services in their area.
For more information, visit ResilientArizona.org.
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ABOUT AHCCCS
Founded in 1982, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System serves 2.1 million children and adults in Arizona who meet qualifications for acute or long-term federal Medicaid healthcare coverage. Built on a system of competition and choice, AHCCCS is a $14 billion program that operates a mandatory managed care system. Contracted health plans coordinate medical services delivered by more than 100,000 healthcare providers.
ABOUT SOLARI CRISIS AND HUMAN SERVICES
Solari Crisis and Human Services is a Tempe-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals by Inspiring Hope and Empowering Transformation from HOPE to HEALTH through a continuum of health care services.
