May was Hepatitis Awareness Month and our staff worked with several partners to promote awareness about hepatitis and hold testing events during the week of National Hepatitis Testing Day. The work paid off with our partners hosting 13 sites in Arizona, only one state in the country hosted more. More than 200 people were tested for hepatitis C in Maricopa, Pima, [...]
On November 7, 2006, Arizona voters approved Proposition 201, the Smoke-Free Arizona Act. The Act went into effect on May 1, 2007, and prohibited smoking inside and within 20 feet of entrances, open windows, and ventilation systems of most enclosed public places and places of employment in Arizona. Our Smoke-Free Arizona Program's continued success is [...]
The 2015 Water Drive has been extended through June 19th. As Phoenix heats up, we need your help raising money to purchase life-saving water for those most at risk for heat-related deaths and illnesses. Thanks to you, last year ADHS was the second largest water donator to the Heat Relief Network and in the last two years, [...]
Tuba City Regional Medical Center and Canyon Vista Medical Center recently achieved designation as level III trauma centers. From a trauma system perspective, adding these two facilities to the list of level III trauma centers addresses two important realities about trauma. First, the majority of injured patients (88%) don't require care at the highly specialized level I trauma centers. Their [...]
The newly formed HIV Statewide Advisory Group (SWAG) is recruiting up to 12 new members to represent people living with HIV, those affected by the disease, and HIV care and social service providers statewide. The SWAG is charged with providing planning and guidance for the delivery of services funded by the SWAG and Ryan White [...]
Students Taking a New Direction (STAND) is gearing up for its sixth annual youth conference. Each year STAND members from around the state converge in Phoenix to celebrate their efforts for the year and to learn about new ways to combat tobacco. The celebration highlights a three-day conference designed by STAND members to increase leadership [...]
Back in 2013, our Licensing team partnered with our Infectious Disease Services team and the Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee to put together a day-long conference aimed at improving infection control practices. The ADVICE Collaborative brought together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners and public health professionals to find new ways to promote infection control, build relationships, and identify [...]
We're currently busy planning our 6th annual Arizona Infectious Disease Training and Exercise, which will take place from July 21st-23rd this year. This event brings together nearly 400 infection control practitioners, public and community health nurses, health educators, epidemiologists, sanitarians, correctional facility representatives, animal control agencies, preparedness coordinators, laboratorians, border health counterparts, and university faculty and students to [...]
Arizona is one of America's leading states in developing a plan for Crisis Standards of Care. Crisis Standards of Care are those standards that are implemented when a catastrophic event occurs and there are shortages of space, supplies, and staff within the hospital and healthcare community. These protocols can serve as a planning platform from [...]
Our epidemiologists in the Office of Infectious Disease Services have been working with local and federal public health partners on an outbreak investigation of a rare strain of Salmonella, called Salmonella Paratyphi B. Most ill people in Maricopa County report eating sushi containing raw minced or ground tuna at restaurants. As of May 20, there are 51 cases nationally [...]
