CALOCUS Communication
Applicable To: Mercy Care DCS CHP, Mercy Care Complete Care, Mercy Care RBHA, Mercy Care Long Term Care, Mercy Care DD
AHCCCS has sent some recent communications on September 27, 2021 and on October 8, 2021 regarding clarification on the CALOCUS. We are passing this important information along to our Children’s Provider Network. The AHCCCS communications are being sent on behalf of the AHCCCS Integrated Care/Systems of Care unit.
In addition to the below communications from AHCCCS, an accommodation has been made that if an employee has been trained to administer the CASII, but has yet to complete the CALOCUS training, they are permitted to administer the CALOCUS for the time being but must complete the CALOCUS training by 11/30/21. The CALOCUS went live on 10/1/21 and will begin to be monitored.
For Children’s Providers serving children in the Department of Child Safety Comprehensive Health Plan, Mercy Care asks to prioritize the completion of the CALOCUS for youth that are either living in a DCS funded Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) or are being considered to go into a QRTP.
AHCCCS Communication from 10/8/21
AHCCCS has previously communicated information to Contractors' Workforce Development (WFD) Administrators regarding training requirements for the Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS). Initially, it was thought that individuals who were previously trained on the Child Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument (CASII) would not need to complete training for the CALOCUS, given the similarity between the two instruments.
Due to more recent discussions between AHCCCS, Mercy Care's Workforce Development (WFD) Administrator, members of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and American Association of Community Psychiatrists, it has been determined that individuals who have previously taken the CASII training, will also need to complete the CALOCUS training. This will ensure consistent alignment with AHCCCS contractual requirements for CALOCUS training, establish a baseline level of CALOCUS understanding for those that administer the tool, and also enhance efforts to maintain fidelity to CALOCUS administration.
If there are questions regarding CALOCUS training requirements related to the AHCCCS contract, provider agencies should be instructed to please reach out to the Contract Compliance Officer at the contracted health plan.
As a point of clarification, please be aware that there are no training costs to the provider agencies. A specific training discount code would have been given to the provider organization when the initial user agreement was signed.
AHCCCS Communication from 9/27/21
AHCCCS communicated information to Mercy Care in June 2021 regarding the Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS). The information included instructions on how provider agencies should sign up with Deerfield Behavioral Health (Deerfield). The due date for signing up was July 1, 2021. Since then, it has come to AHCCCS' attention that some providers are experiencing challenges in receiving CALOCUS Training Completion Certificates through Deerfield. Our understanding is that many trainees are:
- participating in screen sharing sessions;
- have not registered to attend the training; or
- are not attending the training individually
All trainees are required to individually register and individually attend the training. One person cannot log in and have others participate with them during the training.
AHCCCS’ contract states that the CALOCUS may be administered by anyone who has training in the use of the instrument. This is verified and tracked through the certificate of completion obtained at the conclusion of the CALOCUS training offered by Deerfield. Training certificates will not be provided to those that are not registered AND logged in as attendees. Deerfield reviews this policy at the beginning of each training. This serves to allow verification of exactly who attended and length of that attendance and to ensure certificates are provided only to those that attend and complete the training.
To meet compliance requirements for CALOCUS training, AHCCCS is hereby informing Mercy Care and their subcontracted providers that the CALOCUS training requirements specified by Deerfield shall be followed as required by any and all staff who will be administering the CALOCUS. In order to obtain a certificate of completion, those staff who have not registered for and completed the CALOCUS training individually will each be required to do so, even if they took the training previously as part of a shared process.
If you have questions regarding CALOCUS training requirements related to AHCCCS contract, please reach out to the Contract Compliance Officer at Mercy Care with whom you have a contract. If you have questions regarding the Deerfield training itself, please contact Matthew Monago at mmonago@journeyhealth.org.
As a point of clarification, please be aware that there are no training costs to you or your agency. A specific training discount code would have been provided to your organization signed in the initial user agreement.
Please don't hesitate to contact Sarah Hauck from our Workforce Development department at HauckS@mercycareaz.org with any questions or comments. You can find this notice and all other provider notices on our Mercy Care website.
Thanks for all you do!
