Resources for Foster/Kinship/Adoptive Families

AHCCCS is committed to providing comprehensive, quality health care for children residing with licensed, kinship, or adoptive caregivers. Children in the legal custody of the Department of Child Safety (DCS) and placed in out-of-home care are eligible for medical, dental, and behavioral health care through the Mercy Care Department of Child Safety Comprehensive Health Plan (Mercy Care DCS CHP). Children who have been adopted out of foster care can enroll in an AHCCCS health plan.

For information about health plan enrollment and a list of available health plans, see the Available Health Plans.

How to Access Behavioral Health Services

Services for Children in Foster and Kinship Placements:

Mercy Care DCS CHP is the health plan for Arizona's children and youth in DCS legal custody and placed in out-of-home care. The plan provides behavioral and physical health care coverage. Children in DCS legal custody. Members enrolled with Division of Developmental Disabilities or ALTCS-EPD can contact AHCCCS member services for assistance determining the member’s assigned health plan.

Foster and kinship placements needing assistance with obtaining services can call Mercy Care DCS CHP member services; representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 602-212-4983 or 1-833-711-0776 (TTY 711).

The Office of Individual and Family Affairs (OIFA) works to promote resiliency and wellness for members with behavioral health concerns, including youth in foster care as well as youth adopted from the Arizona foster care system. The OIFA office also has one-page empowerment tools to help navigate behavioral health care needs and advocate for youth.

Jacob’s Law

On March 24, 2016, Governor Ducey signed Jacob’s Law, a crucial step forward in addressing the needs of foster and adopted children. AHCCCS has taken steps to simplify members’ ability to access behavioral health care services, including:

Requiring a designated point of contact for all families involved in the DCS system,
Clarifying that families can contact Mercy Care DCS CHP or AHCCCS directly anytime for help scheduling appointments or navigating the healthcare system,
Issuing a statement that licensed and unlicensed caregivers can consent to behavioral health services for children in their care,
Requiring Mercy Care CHP to form committees creating a pathway for regular communication and feedback from licensed and unlicensed caregivers,
Enforcing greater access to care and encouraging families to report providers who indicate they are unable to provide timely access to covered behavioral health services, and
Holding ongoing meetings to solicit feedback from stakeholders about how to improve the system.

Jacob’s law establishes timeframes for Behavioral Health appointments:

Timeframes	Requirement	Who to Contact
72 Hours	The health plan will dispatch an assessment team within 72 hours of being notified that a child has entered foster care.	If the child in your care is new to foster or kinship care and has NOT been assessed within 72 hours, you should call the Integrated Rapid Response hotline at 602-633-0763.
7 Days	The health plan must provide an initial evaluation of the child within 7 days after a referral or request for services.	If an evaluation is not provided within 7 days of a request for service, you should call AHCCCS Clinical Resolution Unit (1-800-867-5808) and the behavioral health plan’s Designated Point of Contact.
21 Days	As the result of an evaluation, if the health plan determines the child needs behavioral health services, the health plan must provide an initial behavioral health appointment within 21 calendar days.	If recommended services are not initiated within 21 days, you should call AHCCCS Clinical Resolution Unit (1-800- 867-5808) and the behavioral health plan’s Designated Point of Contact.
2 Hours	The health plan will dispatch an assessment team within 2 hours after being notified that the child has an urgent need.	If your child is in crisis, call 1-844-534-4673 or 988. If the crisis team is unresponsive within 2 hours, you should call the behavioral health plan’s Designated Point of Contact. Always call 911 in life-threatening situations.

If you are experiencing delays or difficulties, regarding the timelines outlined above, contact your Designated Point of Contact for your child’s health plan. The name of your child’s health plan can be found on their AHCCCS ID card.

Designated Points of Contacts for each health plan:

Health Plan	Email	Phone Number	Webpage
Mercy Care DCS CHP	DCS@MercyCareAZ.org	480-445-3500	DCS CHP
Health Choice Arizona/Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona	AdoptedChildrenBHS@azblue.com	623-246-2099	Health Choice Arizona/BCBS
Arizona Complete Health	AzCHDCS@azcompletehealth.com	520-528-0952	Arizona Complete Health
Banner University Family Care	CSOC@bannerhealth.com	520-262-8136	Banner Health
Mercy Care Plan	DCS@MercyCareAZ.org	480-445-3500	Mercy Care Plan AZ
United Healthcare Community Plan	uhccpdcs@uhc.com	1-800-348-4058	United HealthCare

After notification to your child’s health plan of delays, any AHCCCS registered provider may be seen for the recommended services even when outside of the health plan’s network.

The AHCCCS OIFA office provides presentations on Jacob's Law at regular intervals. To request a Jacob's Law presentation, please email Cynthia Burr.

Additional resources for foster and kinship placements:

Services for Adoptive Children

Adoptive parents have a choice of integrated AHCCCS health plans within their geographic area.

AHCCCS Programs and Covered Services
Children with special health care needs adopted from DCS custody may qualify for
Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS).
Children with developmental delays may qualify for additional services:

DDD Eligibility
For an evaluation of developmental delays for those over the age of three, contact your local school district
For more information about services for those under the age of three see the AzEIP web page

Arizona Department of Child Safety Post Permanency Supports

For help with requesting services, adoptive parents can call the health plan member number listed on the child’s AHCCCS ID card or the Designated Point of Contact listed above. Adoptive parents can notify AHCCCS of access to care or Jacob’s Law timeframe issues through the AHCCCS Clinical Resolution Unit (1-800-867-5808).

Child and Family Team Information

A Child and Family Team (CFT) is a group of individuals that work together with you to create a plan for support for children in need of behavioral health services. The CFT will include a CFT Facilitator who will assist with identifying team members and scheduling CFT meetings.

For more information about Child and Family Teams:

Consent for Behavioral Health Services

Licensed and unlicensed caregivers can consent to most services. Arizona law (A.R.S. 8-514.05(C)) allows foster parents, group home staff, relatives, or other people or agencies where a child is placed to give consent for (a) evaluation and treatment for emergency conditions that are not life threatening and (b) routine medical and dental procedures, including early periodic screening diagnosis and treatment services, and services by health care providers to relieve pain or treat symptoms of common childhood illnesses or conditions.

To ensure timely delivery of services, consent for intake and routine behavioral health services may be obtained from either the foster caregiver as specified in A.RS. 8-514.05 or the DCS Specialist, whomever is available to do so immediately upon request.

AHCCCS and DCS BHS Consent Clarification Letter

Therapeutic Foster Care

Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) is a covered behavioral health service that provides structured daily behavioral interventions within a home-based licensed family setting. This service is designed to maximize the members' ability to live in a family setting, participate in the community, and function independently. Services provided in a TFC address behavioral, physical, medical, and development needs including assistance in the self-administration of medication and any ancillary services (such as living skills and health promotion) as appropriately indicated in the member's Individualized Service Plan (ISP).

The requirements for the provision of care and services to members in TFC are documented in AMPM 320-W Therapeutic Foster Care for Children.

The child’s CFT must make a recommendation and referral for Therapeutic Foster Care. If you feel your child may meet the criteria for Therapeutic Foster Care, discuss this with your child’s case manager/CFT facilitator.

For more information about becoming a TFC Family Provider:

In 2018, Mercer Government Human Services Consulting (Mercer) analyzed the Home Care Training to Home Care Client (HCTC) also known as Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) and published their report:

Therapeutic Foster Care/Home Care Training to Home Care Client - Analysis and Recommendations

Foster Care Specific Reports & Data

Data Dashboard

Jacob’s Law Legislative Reports

Data and Information regarding behavioral health service delivery for individuals adopted and in legal custody of Department of Child Safety (DCS) can be found annually under Jacob’s Law Report.

Independent Analysis of an Integrated Health Plan for CMDP

Mercer analyzed the implementation of an integrated health plan for children in foster care to identify the operational and ongoing infrastructure requirements of an integrated health plan.

AHCCCS Analysis of an Integrated Health Plan - Revised with ACO Model

DCS Forms

Please see DCS website for necessary forms.

For more help contact PolicyUnit@azdcs.gov

Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments regarding services for foster/kinship/adoptive families you can contact AHCCCS via email at DCS@azahcccs.gov or by phone at 602-364-4558.

Revised 02/11/2026.