Integrity at the center.
Stand alongside legitimate providers who believe responsible practice and public trust belong at the heart of behavioral health.
Arizona Behavioral Health Providers Association
About AzBHPA.
AzBHPA is a nonprofit membership association providing education and advocacy for owners, clinical professionals and non-clinical professionals in behavioral health.
What we stand for
Integrity brings
us together.
A shared voice
moves us forward.
One organization.
A shared standard.
A stronger voice.
The future of behavioral health depends on more than good intentions. It depends on providers who do the right thing—and a community that stands beside them.
Fraud and misconduct have damaged trust in Arizona’s behavioral health system. Yet legitimate providers continue to do essential work. Their commitment deserves to be seen, their concerns deserve to be heard, and their voices deserve to carry further than any one practice can reach alone.
AzBHPA brings those providers together. We are the connective force between individual practices and a shared purpose: integrity in our field, fair and equitable regulation, and quality services for the people of Arizona.
We have built trusted relationships with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), AHCCCS and major health organizations. Those relationships create a foundation for constructive dialogue—not a substitute for the independent voice of our members.
Our agenda begins with the issues providers face. We identify priorities for discussion and action, offer education, and help members shape the policies and rules that affect their services. Our goal is to represent every legitimate provider: one organization speaking with clarity, grounded in truth, on behalf of the many.
What membership brings
Shared principles.
Real value.
A place to belong. A voice in what comes next.
A voice that carries.
Bring the challenges of your practice into a collective agenda for fair policy, equitable regulation and meaningful advocacy.
Knowledge to move forward.
Gain education and shared perspective to navigate an evolving regulatory, economic and professional landscape.
Connection with purpose.
Meet peers, exchange perspectives and build the relationships that make a stronger provider community possible.
Where we’re headed
A growing network.
A more connected future.
As our network grows, our vision is to become a hub for information sharing and client referrals—helping providers learn from one another and helping people find appropriate care. We are building toward that future with a clear purpose: stronger connections, a trusted voice and greater value for every member.
Help shape what comes nextOur leadership
Meet the Board
of Directors.
Chair & President
Ernest Amponsah
Chief Administrative Officer, Paradise Lodge LLC
Ernest, Chief Administrative Officer at Paradise Lodge LLC, specializes in Behavioral Health Consulting for Residential, Counseling, Outpatient, and Inpatient Facilities. He is highly knowledgeable in Arizona’s healthcare regulations (Title 9, Chapter 10), AHCCCS policies (ACOM, AMPM), and compliance standards. Ernest has successfully implemented policies for licensing and operating Behavioral Health Facilities in accordance with federal and state laws.
Treasurer
Sheli Jensen
MAS, MFT, LMFT
Sheli, MAS, MFT, LMFT is the Owner, Clinical Director, and therapist at Agave Center for Behavioral Health, PLLC. Since 2007, she has worked in various counseling settings, specializing in trauma, dissociation, and attachment. Sheli integrates EMDR, DBT, Somatic Experiencing, Sand Tray Play Therapy, IFS, and Structural Dissociation Theory to support clients. Passionate about collaboration, she advocates for program improvements in Arizona, believing, *"If we help the professional, we help the client."*
Board Member
Dr. Chris M. Azode
DNP, MSN-Ed., PMHNP-BC, MBA
Dr. Azode, DNP, MSN-Ed., PMHNP-BC, MBA is the Board Chair of the National Association of Nigerian Nurse Practitioners, USA (NANNPU) and Founder & Former President of its Arizona Chapter. He is the CEO of NGC Integrated Healthcare, Inc., providing medical and mental health services in Arizona. He has served as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Crisis Consultant at Horizon Health and Wellness and Community Bridges Inc. (CBI) in Yuma, AZ. Dr. Azode is also a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), Arizona State Nurses Association (AZNA), and American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA).
Secretary
Jennifer Wassermann
Partner, Davis Miles law firm
Jennifer is a Partner at the Davis Miles law firm in Tempe and a Realtor® affiliated with West USA Realty. Jenn uses her business and legal experience in the fields of regulated residential housing; healthcare; professional licensing and employment law, to help Behavioral Health providers navigate the lifecycle of their business operations, including regulatory compliance issues and AHCCCS provider agreement matters.
Board Member
Terry Maloney
LIAC, BHP
Terry, LIAC, BHP serves as a Clinician and Community Liaison for Amity Foundation at Circle Tree Ranch, an Arizona Department of Health Services licensed and CARF accredited Behavioral Health Residential Facility in Tucson, Arizona. The primary focus of her work is working with individuals with substance use disorders and dually diagnosed individuals. She has worked with juveniles and adults in outpatient, residential and correctional settings for the past 38 years in Arizona, California and New Mexico. Additionally, she has worked extensively with tribal communities in Arizona, Washington and North Dakota. She is very knowledgeable about the Arizona Administrative Code relevant to residential and outpatient treatment and AHCCCS regulations.
Your voice belongs here
Let’s move behavioral
health forward. Together.
Be part of a unified association advocating for Arizona’s providers.