Arizona's mental health system is under scrutiny as it ranks near the bottom in care and accessibility, with a new infusion of funding proposed to tackle this issue. A staggering $50 million is earmarked to address Arizona's position as 49th in the nation for mental health services as identified by a study by Mental Health America, a national non-profit advocacy group. In response, the Arizona House has put forth a bill aimed at improving conditions for those battling mental health struggles and looking to expand access to care, as 12 News reported.
At the crux of the problem is the critical shortage of psychiatric treatment beds. According to Rachel Streiff of Arizona Mad Moms, "Statistically, for a population the size of Maricopa County, we should have around 2,200 beds for acute and long-term psychiatric treatment. And we don't. That's been reduced to 55 beds, which is nothing." Streiff and other advocates took their battle to the State Capitol, pushing for legislation to expand hospital capacity for those suffering from serious mental illness (SMI). House Bill 2782, a particular focus of their efforts, proposes such an expansion along with proactive measures to assist individuals experiencing homelessness, in a statement obtained by 12 News.
The effort to strengthen mental health care in Arizona comes amid a wider history of challenges and litigation. A landmark case, Arnold v. Sarn, filed in 1981, led to a 2014 agreement to bolster services in the community for the mentally ill across four key areas: Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Supported Employment (SE), Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), and Consumer Operated Services (COS). The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has been a significant player in supporting these improvements, details provided by the Arizona Medicaid agency's website.
Yet, advocates still see room for major improvement, particularly in the workforce to serve the mental health community. Kristina Sebetta, the Executive Director of NAMI Valley of the Sun Chapter, shared, "That's one of our biggest concerns is we don't have a workforce that we need." Their hope: Senate Bill 1036 will pave the way for licensed social workers from other states to fill gaps in Arizona. Simultaneously, groups like Arizona Peer and Family Coalition are urging the legislature to make well-informed decisions by learning about mental illness and its treatment history in Arizona, including the outcomes of the Arnold settlement, as per 12 News.
As Arizona confronts a daunting mental health landscape, the call for reform and the voices of those impacted grow louder. Stakeholders advise members of the community to reach out to their legislatures with their personal experiences. “We hear from representatives and senators all the time,” Sebetta told 12 News. “They don't hear from us. They want to hear from us. They want to hear from members of the community. They want to share your story.” The proposed legislation and budget infusion signal a potentially transformative moment for mental health care standards within the state, marking a critical juncture for policymakers and advocates alike to forge a path toward better health outcomes for Arizona’s most vulnerable citizens.
