Last month I told you about a rare cluster of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) along the US-Mexico border near Yuma, AZ. Since then, we’ve identified 8 more cases for a total of 24 (7 in AZ, 17 in Sonora). GBS is a rare condition that results in paralysis of the legs, but can sometimes affect the arms and [...]
This is the time of year that public health folks start watching the flu reports from the southern hemisphere. We’re watching for a couple of things – the circulating strains and how it’s spreading. The Australian Government Department of Health is reporting 6 times as many cases as they had at this time last season. [...]
We’ve probably all heard the saying “life happens”, right? Sometimes our lives get really complicated with work, bills, family demands and other stress that makes our ability to cope day to day challenging. This kind of increased stress over time can take a toll on our minds and bodies, so we head off to the [...]
Regardless of what you think about tattooing and body piercing- it’s clearly popular. Tattooing and body piercing are obviously invasive- which brings up the question: do these (now common) practices pose a health threat? Are they safe? The answer is simple. Like just about everything else in life- it can be safe as long as [...]
Please join me in welcoming three folks from the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission to the ADHS team today. The Legislature and Governor made a statutory change last cycle that moved the Commission to us, and their mission is a good fit. The Commission basically awards contracts for projects researching the causes, epidemiology and diagnosis, formulation [...]
We were excited to roll out the new cottage industry food law last week because it provides new fundraising and self-employment for folks. Our brand-new cottage industry food website lays out some of the information folks will need to turn the key- including sample recipe’s and labels, ingredient templates, and how to get a food handler [...]
In the fall of 2009, faced with a 3 billion dollar budget shortfall, the state of Arizona eliminated funding for licensing services from the budget of the Arizona Department of Health Services. We were given the authority to self-fund these services by passing the costs of providing this critical public health service back to the [...]
Our Emergency Medical Services team created a new guidance document last week to inform interested parties about the criteria we use when reviewing contracts between EMS providers and local jurisdictions. The document provides an overview of our goals relating to political subdivision contracts; our statutory and regulatory authority related to political subdivision contracts; the process and methods used by the Department for [...]
Our 2010 Annual Behavioral Health Consumer Survey results are in, and the outcomes are encouraging! Each year, we conduct 2 surveys based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) consumer surveys: They are the Adult Consumer Survey and the Youth Services for Families. The surveys request feedback [...]
A survey team from our assisted living office went into an Assisted Living Center in Mesa in response to multiple complaints and concerns from family, residents and from the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) providers last December. As a result of the four day inspection, the facility was put on a provisional license pending [...]
