PHOENIX – The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) today released a new State Olmstead Plan, a strategy document that outlines priorities within the health care delivery system directed toward individuals at risk of institutionalization, including those living with behavioral health needs and members enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS).
The 1999 United States Supreme Court Olmstead decision provided a legal framework for the efforts of federal and state governments to integrate persons with disabilities into their communities. Olmstead is intended to remove unjustified segregation of individuals from the broader community and to ensure that individuals receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
Arizona first created an Olmstead Plan in 2001 so that advocates, agencies, individuals served by the health care system, and community stakeholders could work together to further improve access to services and ensure individuals receive services in the most appropriate integrated setting in their community. The new Olmstead Plan advances these efforts through strategies including person-centered care planning, integrated service delivery, and community-based treatment and care.
Find the new Arizona Olmstead Plan on the AHCCCS Olmstead web page. The plan will be presented at various community meetings in the coming months. Watch the AHCCCS Calendar for links to register and attend.
Comments and feedback about the Olmstead Plan may be submitted to Olmstead@azahcccs.gov.
