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FACT BRIEF

Did patients lose access to care when Arizona authorities closed St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center?

By Carmela Guaglianone
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NO

Arizona’s Medicaid agency, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), stated that all St. Luke’s patients under treatment were transferred to other facilities within 24 hours of the behavioral health center’s closure. Aurora, Quail Run and Oasis Behavioral Health centers all accepted St. Luke’s patients.

St. Luke’s shuttered its Behavioral Health Center after inspectors from the Arizona Department of Health Services cited concerns about insufficient staffing, a failing air conditioning system and health violations, among other issues. The facility’s license was suspended with an emergency order and staff were put on unpaid leave in late August.

Tempe St. Lukes had a capacity of 88 beds, 52 of which are designated for patients in need of court-ordered psychiatric treatment.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Tempe.gov St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center - A Steward Family Hospital
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Gmail - Media Inquiry — Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.pdf
Arizona Department of Health Services License Suspension Order
Arizona Republic St. Luke’s hospital license still in question as hearing postponed
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.