Edelmira Araya

The 'Empowered Transitions Resource Guide' provides comprehensive information for families of young people with disabilities to foster essential skills for a successful transition from childhood to adulthood. It addresses key areas including self-determination, post-secondary education, employment, and independent living, structured through age-specific skills and knowledge. Developed by the Arizona Community of Practice on Transition (AZCoPT), the guide aims to enhance transition outcomes by promoting system development, supporting high-quality transition services, and providing professional development and resources grounded in evidence-based practices throughout Arizona.

The Arizona Olmstead Plan is a comprehensive framework by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to integrate persons with disabilities into community living. It focuses on eight key strategies: providing permanent supportive housing, enhancing discharge planning from hospital and justice settings, expanding home and community-based services for aging individuals with serious mental illness, investing in workforce development, ensuring a high-quality provider network, strengthening person-centered planning, and utilizing aggregated population data for systemic review. The plan is designed to reduce institutionalization, improve access to services in the least restrictive environments, and foster community engagement for members.

The Medicaid Enterprise Systems (MES) Modernization Roadmap outlines a strategic plan for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and Hawaii Med-QUEST Division (MQD) to achieve compliance with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements. The plan focuses on modernizing and transforming their technology solutions and business processes across four key domains: operationalizing governance, replacing legacy infrastructure, improving data accessibility and quality, and developing operational assets. Key initiatives include PMMIS/HPMMIS transformation, ServiceNow optimization, and enterprise innovations, aiming to create a scalable, integrated MES that supports future advancements and efficient Medicaid service delivery.

This annual report provides a status update on three programs designed to address Arizona's nursing workforce challenges. The Nurse Education Investment Pilot Program (NEIPP) focuses on expanding nursing education capacity, increasing faculty, and boosting graduate numbers. The Student Nurse/New Graduate Clinical Placements and Preceptor Training Program aims to increase clinical placements, standardize preceptor training, and enhance nurse retention. The Transition to Practice Program (TTP) supports new graduate nurses, experienced nurses entering specialty areas, and nurse leaders to improve retention, confidence, and competency. The programs collectively aim to strengthen Arizona's healthcare workforce, enhance patient care quality, and ensure a resilient nursing professional pipeline.

This memo communicates the recommendations made by the AHCCCS Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Committee from the January 13, 2026 meeting regarding the Preferred Drug List. Seventeen non-supplemental rebate classes and two supplemental rebate classes were reviewed, along with four new drugs. The recommendations, which have been accepted by AHCCCS, are effective starting April 1, 2026. The document details the drug classes reviewed, including Antidepressants (Other and SSRIs), Antivirals (Topical), Bladder Relaxant Preparations, Bone Resorption Suppression and Related Agents, Bronchodilators (Beta Agonists), Enzyme Replacement for Gaucher Disease, Hypoglycemics (Metformins and SGLT2s), Immune Globulins, NSAIDs, Oncology (Oral - Hematologic), Ophthalmics (Anti-inflammatory/Immunomodulators), Oral and Inhaled Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Agents, Otic Antibiotics, Thrombopoiesis Stimulating Agents, and Ulcerative Colitis treatments. Specific preferred products, movements to non-preferred status, and public testimony for certain classes were documented. The committee voted unanimously in favor of all recommendations for both non-supplemental and supplemental rebate classes, as well as for the new drug recommendations which were designated as non-preferred.