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 [...]
The FDA approved the 2011-2012 influenza vaccine this week. The strains in this year’s vaccine were recommended by the CDC and the World Healthy Organization after studying virus samples collected from around the world to find the influenza viruses that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season. The strains selected [...]
The next time you’re in Mexico- keep your eye out for their “Cinco Pasos” wellness program. The federal secretary of health and each of the state health departments in Mexico are actively participating in the new wellness campaign. It’s an easy-to-understand 5-step program that encourages their citizens to take simple steps to improve their health [...]
June was a milestone for the future of medicine in Arizona. Maricopa Integrated Health Services (MIHS), the District Medical Group (DMG) and the University of Arizona School of Medicine Phoenix Campus joined forces to enhance medical education in AZ. MIHS will be the primary training and teaching hospital for the students at UA Phoenix medical campus. [...]
CDC has developed new and easy-to-use resources for preventing infections in outpatient treatment facilities. The Infection Prevention Guide and Prevention Checklist is posted on the new CDC website for outpatient care facilities.
