Dana Flannery is a public health policy expert and leader recognized for designing innovative public health policy solutions that move state Medicaid programs toward more effective health outcomes for members.
In her 20-year career in public health, Dana has overseen $10B Medicaid program budgets, procured and implemented managed care contracts that secured $540M in federal funds to advance health care integration, negotiated 1115 waiver approval to address health related social needs, and designed successful programmatic changes that used federal funds to strengthened Home and Community Based Services and provider viability.
As states continue to integrate physical and behavioral health systems, Dana is often called on for her in-depth knowledge of the behavioral health system, having been a behavioral health provider herself and having familial lived experience of navigating the system. She was instrumental in the design of Arizona’s crisis response system, often recognized as one of the country’s strongest, and its national 988 implementation. In 2018, she led Arizona’s effort to integrate behavioral health within its Medicaid program, physically relocating staff and re-procuring managed care contracts that ended the behavioral health carve-out and streamlined the system for members, providers, and payors. She then strengthened the system by advancing effort to include peer support services and community health workers in Medicaid.
Dana understands the importances of stakeholder involvement and input in public policy development. In Arizona, she oversaw Medicaid’s tribal consultation processes, ensuring successful government-to-government relations between the state and its 22 federally recognized Tribes. She facilitated the development of more meaningful tribal consultation by working directly with tribal health and human service providers to ensure tribal-focused initiatives were led by tribal leaders and driven by their community needs.
As an ICF credentialed coach, Dana brings a unique ability to develop and lead people. Through formal succession planning, coaching and mentorship programs, and one-on-one relationship building, she has helped Medicaid programs develop “bench strength” and strategically plan for future growth. Dana is a member of the first cohort of the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) Medicaid Pathways program, and a graduate of the Valley Leadership Catalyze program and Arizona State University.