Phoenix and the surrounding Maricopa County region are home to roughly 4.5 million people. Arizona uses one of the most distinctive public mental-health structures in the country: the Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA), a single contracted entity that manages public behavioural-health services across an entire region. In Maricopa County, that contract is held by Mercy Care. This guide walks through what that means for families navigating schizophrenia.
In Phoenix, public schizophrenia care is coordinated by Mercy Care RBHA for adults with serious mental illness, paid through AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), with major hospital systems at Banner Health, Valleywise Health, and HonorHealth, academic anchors at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, and 24/7 crisis access via 988 and Mercy Care's Crisis Line.
Public insurance: AHCCCS
Arizona's Medicaid program is called AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System; pronounced "access"). Arizona expanded Medicaid; eligibility for adults extends to 138% of the federal poverty level. People with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness designated by an SMI determination receive enhanced behavioural-health benefits through the RBHA. Information is at azahcccs.gov.
The RBHA model: Mercy Care
Mercy Care holds the AHCCCS Complete Care – RBHA contract for the central region (Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila counties). Mercy Care contracts with a network of community providers to deliver assessment, psychiatry, ACT, supported housing, employment, and crisis services to adults with SMI. Members are assigned a Health Home (a community provider) that coordinates all care. The Mercy Care Crisis Line — (602) 222-9444 or 1-800-631-1314 — is the 24/7 entry point for behavioural-health crises in Maricopa County.
Hospital systems
- Banner Health — operates Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner Behavioral Health Hospital in Scottsdale; Banner is the largest hospital system in Arizona.
- Valleywise Health — Maricopa County's safety-net hospital system, which operates Valleywise Behavioral Health hospitals (Phoenix, Mesa, and Maryvale) — among the largest free-standing public psychiatric hospitals in the country.
- HonorHealth — psychiatric inpatient services across the East Valley.
- Dignity Health (CommonSpirit) — Mercy Gilbert and other facilities with psychiatric beds.
Academic psychiatry
- University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix — Department of Psychiatry on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, with residency training based at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.
- Mayo Clinic Arizona (Scottsdale) — Department of Psychiatry and Psychology with outpatient and consult services.
- Creighton University School of Medicine – Phoenix and Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine — psychiatry training tied to St. Joseph's, Valleywise, and other partners.
- Arizona State University — Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation has a Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging and behavioural-health research programs.
Community providers
- Terros Health, Lifewell Behavioral Wellness, Copa Health, La Frontera EMPACT, Southwest Behavioral & Health Services — major Mercy Care–contracted providers operating Health Homes for adults with SMI.
- Recovery Innovations International — peer-run wellness centres and crisis recovery services.
- Stand Together and Recover Centers (STAR), Hope Lives - Vive La Esperanza — peer-run support and outreach.
Advocacy: NAMI in Phoenix
NAMI Valley of the Sun serves the greater Phoenix area with Family-to-Family classes, support groups, and a helpline. NAMI Arizona coordinates statewide advocacy. The Mental Health Coalition of Arizona and the Arizona Center for Disability Law are other major statewide players.
Crisis services
- 988 — routes to Solari Crisis & Human Services, Arizona's contracted 988 operator.
- Mercy Care Crisis Line: (602) 222-9444 / 1-800-631-1314 — Maricopa County's primary crisis number, 24/7, dispatches mobile crisis teams.
- Crisis Response Network — operates many of the region's mobile crisis teams under contract with Mercy Care.
Arizona has one of the most developed crisis systems in the United States, with no-refusal Crisis Stabilisation Units, sub-acute facilities, and 23-hour observation chairs as alternatives to ER psychiatric boarding. Connections AZ runs the Urgent Psychiatric Center; Recovery Innovations runs additional crisis recovery centres.
Your loved one is voicing thoughts of suicide, threatening violence, or unable to keep themselves safe — call 988, the Mercy Care Crisis Line at (602) 222-9444, or 911 and request a CIT-trained responder. Crisis Stabilisation Units in Phoenix accept walk-ins 24/7.
Civil commitment in Arizona
Arizona civil commitment is governed by Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, Chapter 5. Anyone can apply to the county screening agency for a court-ordered evaluation; if criteria are met, a person can be petitioned for inpatient or outpatient court-ordered treatment of up to 365 days. Maricopa County's screening agency is run through Mercy Care–contracted providers; the Arizona State Hospital is the long-stay public psychiatric facility for the most acute and forensic cases.
Practical first steps
- Call the Mercy Care Crisis Line at (602) 222-9444 for any behavioural-health crisis or to request an SMI evaluation.
- If insured by AHCCCS, request a referral to a Mercy Care Health Home or other contracted provider.
- For first-episode psychosis, ask Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix or the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix about their early-psychosis programs.
- Connect with NAMI Valley of the Sun for Family-to-Family classes and peer support groups.
- For an inpatient psychiatric emergency, Valleywise Behavioral Health or any Mercy Care–contracted Crisis Stabilisation Unit accepts walk-ins.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified mental health professional. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 in the US, or your local emergency number.