AHCCCS

Address:  801 N. 18th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85007

Must Reside in Arizona.

Salary: $90,000 - $93,500 

Grade: 25

FLSA Status: Exempt

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the agency’s business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures. However, you will be required to attend meetings when necessary and drive around the State of Arizona to visit carceral settings and AHCCCS providers who are our Re-entry partners. 

Under the supervision of the Deputy Assistant Director of behavioral Health, the Adult Re-Entry Initiatives Administrator serves as AHCCCS’s lead for all adult-focused activities under Arizona’s Re-Entry Section 1115 demonstration, including implementation, monitoring, reporting, and cross-agency coordination. This position functions as AHCCCS’s primary subject matter expert on carceral settings (county jails and state prisons), adult behavioral health needs, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), Medicaid coverage processes for justice-involved adults, and community-based re-entry supports.

The Administrator provides independent decision-making, leads multi-agency work groups, coordinates with national partners, and ensures programmatic activities align with federal waiver requirements, state policy, and agency priorities. This position will serve as a key liaison across AHCCCS divisions, ADCRR, county sheriffs, courts, community providers, and federal oversight entities.

Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Oversight of Adult Re-Entry Demonstration Implementation: Lead day-to-day operationalization of the adult Re-Entry 1115 demonstration, including development of implementation plans, timelines, and performance requirements. Develop, monitor, and refine contract requirements, policy language, and deliverables related to adult re-entry services, coverage, care coordination, and data reporting. Partner with internal teams to ensure alignment with Medicaid eligibility, enrollment processes, health plan operations, and the Arizona Health Information Exchange.
• Monitoring and Compliance: Evaluate health plan and provider performance related to adult re-entry requirements; analyze data to assess impact on health outcomes and identify system improvements. Support the development and enforcement of accountability measures, corrective action expectations, and performance standards for Medicaid health plans and participating carceral facilities. Ensure compliance with CMS expectations, waiver terms & conditions, and state/federal reporting obligations.
• Cross Agency, Statewide, and National Coordination: Serve as AHCCCS’s primary liaison with: Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR), County sheriffs/jails, Courts and probation/ parole entities, Tribal justice partners and National partners. Represent AHCCCS in statewide and national re-entry work groups, federal demonstration learning collaboratives, conferences, and interagency committees. Provide subject-matter expertise on adult carceral systems, MOUD implementation, crisis and SMI services, and eligibility pathways.
• Technical Assistance, Stakeholder Engagement & Issue Resolution: Provide technical assistance to health plans, carceral facilities, community behavioral health providers, and stakeholders regarding adult re-entry program requirements. Troubleshoot member-specific issues, including continuity of care, access to MOUD, care coordination barriers, and information exchange challenges. Prepare written materials, presentations, and website updates to support stakeholder communication and transparency.
• Reporting, Evaluation, and Data Activities: Coordinate with internal AHCCCS teams and external partners to meet federal reporting requirements (CMS monitoring, evaluation design, performance metrics). Identify, analyze, and summarize data sources related to carceral populations, health outcomes, enrollment, and service utilization. Provide regular status updates to AHCCCS leadership, including identification of risks, successes, and proposed improvements.

Knowledge:
• Arizona carceral landscape including: ADCRR operations, release planning, probation/parole. County jail systems and booking/release processes
• Medicaid authorities (1115 Waivers, State Plan, coverage/eligibility), service delivery systems, and provider networks
• Behavioral health and SUD treatment models including MOUD, withdrawal management, crisis services, SMIs, and transition-of-care protocols
• Social determinants of health (housing, employment, transportation) impacting justice-involved adults • Strategic planning, process improvement, program evaluation, and change management techniques
• Health plan operations, contracting processes, and data/reporting systems

Skills:
• Complex project management, including developing work plans, managing timelines, coordinating multi-agency efforts, and tracking progress
• Strong public speaking and professional communication with diverse audiences (executive leadership, carceral partners, national organizations, federal agencies)
• Technical writing, including policy drafting, contracts, deliverables, briefings, and formal reports
• Data analysis, interpretation, and synthesis for decision-making and evaluation
• Building and sustaining collaborative relationships across agencies and systems

Abilities:
• Work independently with minimal supervision while also leading collaborative processes
• Manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in fast-paced environments
• Navigate complex systems, identify systemic barriers, and recommend feasible solutions
• Represent AHCCCS professionally in sensitive, high-visibility settings
• Maintain effective working relationships with carceral entities, community partners, and statewide stakeholders

Minimum:
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Public Administration, Justice Studies, Social Work, Psychology, Health Policy, or a related field, or Three (3) years of professional experience in corrections, jail operations, courts, probation/parole, health plan operations, or behavioral health/SUD program administration. Or a combination of education and experience that meets or exceeds these minimum thresholds.

Preferred:
• Five (5) years of experience working within Arizona carceral systems or re-entry programs, corrections-based healthcare, Medicaid policy, or adult behavioral health/SUD treatment.

• Successfully pass fingerprint background check, prior employment verifications and reference checks; employment is contingent upon completion of the above-mentioned process and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
• Travel may be required for State business. Employees who drive on state business must complete any required driver training (see Arizona Administrative Code R2-10-207.12.)

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Among the many benefits of a career with the State of Arizona, there are:
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Vacation and Sick time off (13 and 12 days per year respectively) - start earning it your 1st day (prorated for part-time employees)
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child. Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here.
• Other Leaves - Bereavement, civic duty, and military.
• A top-ranked retirement program with lifetime pension benefits
• A robust and affordable insurance plan, including medical, dental, life, and disability insurance
• Participation eligibility in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must meet qualifications)
• RideShare and Public Transit Subsidy
• A variety of learning and career development opportunities

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Lifetime Pension Benefit Program
• Administered through the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)
• Defined benefit plan that provides for life-long income upon retirement.
• Required participation for Long-Term Disability (LTD) and ASRS Retirement plan.
• Pre-taxed payroll contributions begin after a 27-week waiting period (prior contributions may waive the waiting period).

Deferred Retirement Compensation Program
• Voluntary participation.
• Program administered through Nationwide.
• Tax-deferred retirement investments through payroll deductions.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by emailing careers@azahcccs.gov.
Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.