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Here you will find topics ranging from current events that affect public health in Arizona to overall information about the Arizona Department of Health Services

National Nurses Month: ASH provides opportunities for nurses to grow

By | May 31st, 2023|Behavioral Health, General|

Sheila Holmen always had a calling to be a nurse. "I knew that I wanted to be a nurse at a very young age," said Holmen, a psychiatric nurse at the Arizona State Hospital (ASH). "It's not something that I can really explain or understand, it is just something that's inside of you. I had [...]

How ADHS regulates sober living homes and behavioral health residential facilities

By | May 24th, 2023|General, Licensing|

In Part 1 of our Licensing blog series, we shared what a sober living home (SLH) actually is. We also explained other types of homes that are often confused for sober living homes, including behavioral health residential facilities (BHRF), which are also licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). In this installment of [...]

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The time is right for women to prioritize their own health

By | May 19th, 2023|General, Prevention|

This week we celebrate National Women's Health Week - the perfect time to take a moment to consider how we might strengthen our health with an extra dose of self-care.  Many women act as the managers of their family’s health-maintaining records, scheduling visits, caring for sick loved ones, and taking their children to appointments at [...]

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Federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends – Vaccines, tests & data will remain available

By | May 11th, 2023|General, Preparedness|

Today marks the end of the national COVID-19 public health emergency, but most tools - including vaccines, testing, and treatment - will remain available in Arizona. More than two years after the public health emergency was declared, and more than three years after the virus began its rapid spread in 2020, the U.S. Department of Health [...]

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Nurses are vital to the health of all Arizonans

By | May 2nd, 2023|General, Licensing, Newborn Screening, Preparedness, Prevention|

At the Arizona Department of Health Services, our nurses are involved in the prevention, education, advocacy, activism, assessment, and evaluation of public health across our state. They play an essential role in preventing disease and educating the public to promote communities’ health and safety. We’re proud to have nurses in Newborn Screening who work to [...]

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Public Health Week: Improving public health across our state

By | April 14th, 2023|General|

As Arizona's statewide public health agency, we spent much of last week celebrating National Public Health Week by focusing on you and your community, wherever you are in Arizona. Our hope was to draw more attention to the issues that are important to improving the public's health and the power of community across our state. [...]

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ADHS initiatives are working to improve healthcare access in Arizona’s most rural communities

By | April 7th, 2023|General, Prevention|

Fourteen percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, in Arizona that number is much higher at 25%, likely due to the landscape and environment we live in. USDA Economic Research Service found that residents living in the United States’ most rural counties may have more difficulty finding and using health care services in [...]

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How Arizona is using data and community feedback to help address mental health in our state

By | April 6th, 2023|General, Preparedness, Prevention|

Like physical health, mental health is important throughout the lifespan. It continuously affects how we think, feel, and act. It also plays an important role in our physical and social well-being. Many factors can impact our mental health, including early adverse life experiences, experiences related to chronic medical conditions, biological factors, feelings of loneliness or [...]

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Happy National Public Health Week! Recognizing the contributions of public health professionals.

By | April 3rd, 2023|General|

National Public Health Week (NPHW) allows us to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation's health. For more than 25 years, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has served as the organizer of NPHW. Every year, APHA develops a national campaign to educate the public, policymakers [...]

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Highlighting public health dietitians during National Nutrition Month

By | March 15th, 2023|General|

March has been celebrated as National Nutrition Month for 50 years by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work in a variety of settings including health care, education, industry, and government. Public health nutrition is the application of nutrition and public health principles to design programs, systems, policies and environments that aim [...]

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