Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-15-306 - Behavioral Health Care Provider Health Service Priority

A. The Department shall review an application and assign points based on the following factors to determine the health service priority:

1. The applicant is a resident of Arizona according to A.R.S. § 15-1802:

a. Yes = 4 points, or

b. No = 0 points;

2. The applicant's service site is:

a. The Arizona State Hospital or a behavioral health residential facility licensed under 9 A.A.C. 10, Article 13 = 10 points;

b. A behavioral health hospital in a rural county = 7 points;

c. A behavioral health hospital in an urban county, other than as specified in subsection (A)(2)(a) = 5 points;

d. A behavioral health residential facility in a rural county = 3 points; or

e. A behavioral health residential facility in an urban county = 1 point;

3. The applicant is providing direct patient care in a site that has a mental health HPSA score or at the Arizona State Hospital:

a. Arizona State Hospital = 35 points; or

b. If in a HPSA, the most current mental health HPSA score for the site = 0 through 25 points;

4. The applicant's years of service at the current service site:

a. Less than 1 year = 0 points,

b. 1 to 3 years = 4 points,

c. 3+ to 7 years = 6 points, or

d. 7+ years = 8 points;

5. The length of time the applicant has held the applicable license in Arizona:

a. Less than 1 year = 0 points,

b. 1 to 5 years = 4 points, or

c. 5+ years = 6 points;

6. The applicant is a graduate of an accredited Arizona health professional school or program:

a. Yes = 4 points, or

b. No = 0 points; and

7. The applicant has health service experience with a medically underserved population:

a. Yes = 4 points, or

b. No = 0 points.

B. The Department shall determine an applicant's health service priority by calculating the sum of the assigned points for the factors described in subsection (A).

C. The Department shall apply the factors in subsection (D) if the Department determines there are:

1. More than one application that have the same health service priority and there are funds available for only one application; or

2. Except for when the service site is identified as the Arizona State Hospital, two or more applications that have the same health service priority for:

a. A service site and there was already another applicant with a higher health service priority approved to participate in the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program at the same service site during the same allocation process, or

b. An employer and there were already three other applicants with the same employer and with a higher health service priority approved to participate in the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program during the same allocation process.

D. To determine participation in the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program for an applicant in subsection (C), the Department shall apply the following to each applicant's application:

1. If only one application is for an applicant who has a service site at the Arizona State Hospital, the Department shall approve the applicant for participation;

2. If only one application is for an applicant who is a resident of Arizona and whose service site is not at the Arizona State Hospital, the Department shall approve the applicant for participation;

3. If more than one application is for an applicant who is a resident of Arizona or whose service site is at the Arizona State Hospital, the Department shall apply each of the following factors in descending order until no two health service priority scores are the same and all available loan repayment funds have been allocated:

a. The highest score reported in subsection (A)(3);

b. How long the applicant has been providing services at the current service site;

c. How long the applicant has held a professional license in Arizona;

d. Whether the applicant has health service experience to a medically underserved population; and

e. The total number of hours the applicant has health service experience to a medically underserved population if reported in subsection (D)(3)(d).

E. If more than one application for an applicant in subsection (C) remains after the Department's determinations in subsection (D) and there are limited loan repayment funds available, the Department shall randomly select one application and approve the applicant for participation in the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.

F. When the Department holds a random selection to determine one application identified in subsection (E), the Department shall:

1. Assign an Assistant Director from a division within the Department, other than the division responsible for the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, to be responsible for random selection, and

2. Invite all the applicants whose applications are identified to participate in the random selection.

G. The Department shall notify an applicant of the Department's decision according to R9-15-305.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-15-306

New Section made by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 2823, effective August 9, 2001 (Supp. 01-2). Repealed by exempt rulemaking at 22 A.A.R. 852, effective 4/1/2016. Adopted by emergency rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3684, effective 11/15/2022. Amended by emergency rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 1274, effective 5/14/2023. New Section made by final rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 3837, effective 12/6/2023.