During the first full week of April each year, the American Public Health Association brings together communities across the United States to observe National Public Health Week as a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation’s health. This is a great week to showcase the work public health does in our communities every day to improve the overall health and wellness for all Arizonans.
ADHS would like to invite you to join us and our county public health partners in this year’s National Public Health Week, April 2-8, as we celebrate the power of prevention, advocate for healthy policies, share strategies for successful partnerships, and champion the role of a strong public health system. Arizona is nationally recognized for our public health prevention and preparedness efforts. In recognition of all of Arizona’s public health achievements, Governor Doug Ducey proclaimed this week Public Health Week in Arizona.
Each day of NPHW, we will recognize a different important public health topic:
- Monday, April 2: Behavioral Health
- Tuesday, April 3: Communicable Diseases
- Wednesday: April 4: Environmental Health
- Thursday, April 5: Injury and Violence Prevention
- Friday, April 6: Ensuring the Right to Health
Today’s theme for NPHW is Behavioral Health: Advocating and Promoting Well Being. By encouraging people with mental illness to seek treatment and destigmatizing mental health diagnoses, we can improve our communities’ overall well-being. ADHS plays a key role in supporting mental health services in Arizona. Our Division of Public Health Licensing Services licenses healthcare institutions that offer the entire spectrum of behavioral health services from outpatient treatment facilities to inpatient psychiatric care. A few years ago, ADHS worked on revising our rules that allow facilities to integrate physical and behavioral health services in order to treat the whole person. Our Public Health Statistics team conducts surveillance of important public health issues such as substance abuse and suicide. Based on this data, the Arizona Health Improvement Plan identified several leading health issues to address, including Behavioral Health, Suicide and Substance Abuse. ADHS also operates the Arizona State Hospital, a facility that provides the highest level of inpatient psychiatric care to Arizona’s most vulnerable patients. Through our Request for Proposal (RFP) to create a Center of Psychiatric Excellence, ADHS looks to increase the support for our families and patients and enhance the behavioral health services to our communities statewide.
Every day during National Public Health Week, we will continue to celebrate how public health keeps our communities and families healthy. Stay informed by visiting our blog, Facebook, and Twitter to learn about the great work we do to protect public health across Arizona.
