On June 2, our Office of Environmental Health sponsored a Land Recycling and New Tools for Creating Healthier Communities and Economic Growth workshop at the Flinn Foundation in Phoenix. The primary focus of the workshop was on how to improve community health through the reuse or redevelopment of property to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, increase access to healthy [...]
Governor Ducey proclaimed this week (June 12-17) as Monsoon Awareness Week in Arizona. While we haven’t yet been hit by the rain we expect during monsoon, we’re anticipating another summer of severe weather. Monsoons in Arizona can be associated with extreme heat, thunderstorms, dust storms, flash floods and wildfires. For public health, this means revisiting our preparedness plans and [...]
In the last several years electronic cigarettes have gained popularity, especially among youth, as a “safe” alternative to traditional cigarettes. A recent report from the CDC showed that while youth smoking rates are decreasing nationwide and in Arizona, there has been a significant rise in the use of e-cigarettes. The report showed that the rise in use [...]
Arizona has been among the nation’s leaders in helping its residents quit using tobacco, and even better, never start using tobacco. Thanks to our dedicated staff in the Bureau of Tobacco and Chronic Disease and countless partners in communities throughout Arizona, I’m pleased to report that our commitment to success has only intensified. In the past two [...]
Arizona continues to battle the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. On average, an Arizonan dies every day from an overdose due to prescription pain relievers . We’ve been on the battle lines with partner organizations, such as the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith, and Family, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, and the Board of Pharmacy, as part of [...]
Adolescence is a critical period of change. It is a time when teens develop life skills needed to successfully transition from childhood to adulthood that includes physical, intellectual and emotional changes. Adolescents who receive preventive health care are more likely to graduate from high school, and are more prepared to make that successful transition to [...]
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 highlighted in the 2016 [...]
The scorching heat is right around the corner this weekend with heat warnings for nearly all of Arizona (Coconino, Yavapai, Graham, Pima, Cochise, Greenlee, Santa Cruz, Pinal, La Paz, Maricopa, Yuma, and Mohave Counties). Temperatures may reach 108 to 115 °F. High outdoor temperatures aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re dangerous. Year after year, nearly 2,000 [...]
Many of you know that the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) operates the Arizona State Hospital (ASH), where we provide inpatient psychiatric care to persons with serious mental illness who are in need of long term behavioral health care. ASH personnel provide state-of-the-art inpatient psychiatric and forensic care to patients with the highest acuity [...]
The role of early intervention is key in public health, especially when it comes to speech and hearing. May was Better Speech and Hearing Month and the theme this year was "Communication Takes Care." An estimated 40 million Americans experience speech or hearing disorders. In Arizona, hearing screening statutes mandate all educational institutions, including private, charter and [...]
