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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
social workers; documentation; dialysis centers
Purpose
Prescribes documentation requirements for social workers that provide dialysis services at an outpatient treatment center.
Background
The Department of Health Services (DHS) licenses and oversees health care institutions in Arizona, including outpatient treatment centers. DHS must adopt rules to establish minimum standards and requirements for constructing, modifying and licensing health care institutions necessary to ensure the public health safety and welfare (A.R.S. §§ 36-405 and 36-406).
An administrator of an outpatient treatment center that is authorized to provide dialysis services must ensure that a social worker is employed by the outpatient treatment center to meet the needs of a patient receiving dialysis services, including: 1) conducting an initial psychological evaluation of the patient within 30 calendar days of admission; 2) participating in reviewing the patient's need for social work services; 3) recommending changes in treatment based on the psychological evaluation; 4) assisting the patient and the patient's representative in obtaining and understanding information for making decisions about the medical services provided to the patient; 5) identifying community agencies and resources for the patient and the patient's representative to utilize; 6) documenting monthly notes related to the patient's progress in the patient's medical record; and 7) conducting a follow-up psychological evaluation of the patient at least once every 12 months after the date of admission into the treatment center (A.A.C. R9-10-1018).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Prohibits DHS from requiring a social worker, who is employed by an outpatient treatment center that is authorized to provide dialysis services, to document the progress of a patient who receives dialysis services in the patient's medical record more frequently than on a quarterly basis unless otherwise required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to meet the needs of the patient.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
· Specifies that DHS may not require a social worker, who is employed by an outpatient treatment center that is authorized to provide dialysis services, to document of the progress of a patient who receives dialysis services in the patient’s medical record more frequently than on a quarterly basis unless otherwise required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to meet the needs of the patient.
Senate Action
RAGE 2/18/26 DP 7-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 4, 2026
JT/HD/ci