Mercy Care continues to work in collaboration with the Department of Child Safety Comprehensive Health Plan (DCS CHP) to ensure children and youth enrolled under DCS CHP are provided appropriate services to support their success. In the past Mercy Care has required Assigned Behavioral Health Clinics (ABHC) to keep all DCS CHP enrolled children open for a year from the date of behavioral health enrollment, unless services are refused by the guardian or the child is no longer in DCS custody.
Effective immediately, Mercy Care is updating our policy to align with the AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual (AMPM) 260 - The Unique Behavioral Health Services - Needs of Children, Youth, and Families Involved with DCS, on page 6, and will be reducing the length of time a DCS CHP enrolled youth is required to be enrolled in behavioral health services from 1 year to 6 months. The new requirement will be that the assigned ABHC must ensure ongoing screenings and assessments and provide behavioral health services for the youth enrolled with DCS CHP for a period of at least six (6) monthsfrom the date of behavioral health enrollment, unless services are refused by the guardian or the child is no longer in DCS custody.
Services must be provided to:
Address and reduce the child's trauma
Support the child's temporary caregivers
Promote stability and well-being
Address the permanency goals of the child and family
Mercy Care will be updating our Provider Manual to reflect this change.
As always, don't hesitate to contact your Mercy Care Network Management Representative with any questions or comments. You can find this Notice and all other provider notices on our Mercy Care website.
