Residents in our licensed Assisted Living facilities are supposed to have a “service plan” that identifies their care needs and provides information about how the facility intends to meet those needs. We’ve found that good service plans are crucial in providing quality service, but that facilities sometimes struggle to develop effective plans for all their [...]
The U.S. Attorney for Arizona wrote me a letter today about how the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act and our rules interface with federal law. As you know, Arizona voters passed the Act last November and ADHS created a program to clearly carry out the voters’ wishes. While we've done what we can to set the stage for a medical [...]
Age and risk factor appropriate screening for breast and cervical cancer is a key public health intervention that saves countless lives every year, because early detection and treatment for these cancers result in substantially better outcomes. That’s where Arizona’s Well Woman HealthCheck Program comes in… Our Well Woman HealthCheck was established in 1993 as part [...]
An article in the Arizona Republic on Sunday, May 1 included a couple of sentences regarding medical direction at dispensaries that are inaccurate, so I'm writing this to clear it up. The May 1 article suggests that "the presence of an outstanding medical director could be the biggest contributor to an applicant being chosen among competitors to operate a [...]
Prescription drugs can be safe and effective at treating illnesses and conditions, but they can also be tempting for experimental teens, and misuse and abuse of narcotic prescriptions is a growing and now urgent problem. Powerful prescription drugs are often available and easily accessible in many, if not most, homes and many parents don’t recognize [...]
ADHS joins the rest of the nation in recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to help communities and individuals learn how they can prevent sexual violence. The theme of this year’s campaign is “It’s time … to get involved,” which highlights the [...]
Our own Laura Nelson, MD has been named one of 25 of the Valley’s Most Admired CEOs by the Phoenix Business Journal. She'll be honored at an upcoming special dinner and featured in coverage in the Phoenix Business Journal on May 20. She was selected for her leadership, dedication and impact on the community. You can check out the full list of [...]
Preventing teen pregnancy could save the United States about $9 Billion per year.Teen mothers face higher rates of preterm birth, and their kids have higher rates of low birth weight, and infant death. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school and remain single parents.They’re more likely to be jailed at some time [...]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and there will be lots of exciting activities going on. To kick off the month, a Panel Presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 from 10:00-12:00 in the Governor’s Executive Tower, 2nd floor conference room. The panel will consist of our very own Dr. Laura Nelson, Bill Kennard (CEO, National [...]
The Legislature completed the Regular Session last week. They've passed numerous bills. The Governor has signed many of them, but some are still waiting for her consideration and signature. Below are the new laws that have been signed by the Governor that are related to our mission: HB 2585: Controlled Substances; Marijuana; Monitoring This law requires [...]
