Cenpatico and the University of Arizona Health Network Form Partnership

TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of Arizona has made a critical change to how it provides services to its most vulnerable populations. This approach favors a whole health integrated care model where one organization is responsible for providing both physical and behavioral health care services. To meet this best practice model, Cenpatico of Arizona (Cenpatico) and The University of Arizona Health Network (UAHN) have partnered to bring the behavioral and physical health systems together.   

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131210/NY31079LOGO-a)  
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131210/NY31079LOGO-b)

Over the past several months Cenpatico and UAHN have been evaluating the prospect of bringing the physical health expertise of UAHN to the behavioral health services administered by Cenpatico to improve outcomes in this very vulnerable population. After much evaluation and discussion, both Cenpatico and UAHN agreed that to ensure the strongest integrated delivery system, they needed to join their two well-established infrastructures of behavioral and physical health that each currently manage in Arizona.

Today Cenpatico and UAHN are pleased to announce that they have entered into formal negotiations for a partnership to seek opportunities to deliver an innovative and highly effective model for whole person health care in Arizona. Centene, through its subsidiary Cenpatico, has had a strong eight-year commitment to Arizona as well as extensive experience in behavioral health managed care nationally. UAHN provides physical health services in ten counties in Arizona. Together Cenpatico and UAHN will now begin building the organizational infrastructure that will deliver both behavioral health and acute care services in greater Arizona.

About Cenpatico of Arizona
Cenpatico is the Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties. Cenpatico facilitates the delivery of mental health and substance abuse services to behavioral health recipients under a contract with the Arizona Department of Health Services/Division of Behavioral Health. For more information, visit:  www.cenpaticoaz.com

About the University of Arizona Health Network
The University of Arizona Health Network is Arizona's first academic medical network. It includes the University of Arizona Medical Center - University Campus, the University of Arizona Medical Center - Diamond Children's, the University of Arizona Medical Center - South Campus, 40 clinics, over 500 physicians, a health plan division and the practice plan for physicians from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. It's been nationally recognized for providing exceptional patient care, teaching new health-care professionals and conducting groundbreaking research through the physician-scientists of the University of Arizona College Of Medicine. For more information, visit:  www.uahealth.com

University of Arizona Health Network/TogoRun
Contact: Thy-Ann Nguyen
[email protected]
(202) 828-5070

Cenpatico of Arizona
Contact:  Melinda Vasquez
[email protected]
(866) 495-6738 ext. 26105

SOURCE The University of Arizona Health Network