Stranded

Non-emergency medical transportation gets people to pharmacies, physical therapy appointments, counseling sessions—the kinds of preventive care that can ultimately mean the difference between life and death. In rural areas in southern Arizona, some people who receive this service are speaking up and reaching out, claiming that—despite their best efforts—the transportation they rely on isn’t working as it should.

Mental health reporter Gisela Telis traces the problem back to changes in how local mental health agencies are paid for the services they provide, and finds that although the Arizona state Medicaid system, AHCCCS, is aware of an uptick in transportation problems, it has not yet found the cause or a solution.

Producer: Gisela Telis
Videographers: Steve Riggs, Bob Lindberg, Martin Rubio
Editor: Steve Riggs Tweet