Preparedness

Items in the Preparedness category will cover everything from Emergency Medical Services to vaccination programs. This division at ADHS tracks contagious disease, coordinates emergency preparedness activity, licenses EMTs and Paramedics, regulates ambulance companies, authorizes special hospital designations like cardiac care center and Level IV trauma center, issues birth and death certificates, and tracks critical health data through various sources including hospital discharge information.

EMS Overdrive

By |2017-02-10T09:51:19-07:00February 3rd, 2012|General, Preparedness|

This month has been a doozy for our Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System team.  This week we finished the 2nd of 2 high-profile and important decisions.  A couple of weeks ago I made a decision to let Yuma City take over part of the ambulance response in that town.  I thought the city [...]

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Build Your Inventory of Emergency Response Skills

By |2012-01-26T08:20:30-07:00January 26th, 2012|General, Preparedness|

Maricopa County Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Response is conducting a full-scale emergency preparedness exercise that will test the strength and completeness of County and City plans during a simulated Anthrax attack.   Pre-registered volunteers will drive their cars through the site as simulated medications are dispensed. We anticipate each driver will make several [...]

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Update

By |2017-02-10T09:51:20-07:00January 19th, 2012|Licensing, Preparedness|

  With the recent ruling in Maricopa Superior Court, ADHS is analyzing the best way to responsibly begin accepting applications for medical marijuana dispensaries. Last week, the Governor instructed ADHS to proceed with the dispensary portion of the AMMA. One of the stumbling blocks was the pending Compassion First vs. Arizona case, which challenged some [...]

Keeping Families Together in Emergencies

By |2012-01-18T08:16:50-07:00January 18th, 2012|Preparedness|

Families often get split up when there is an emergency– but they shouldn’t have to split up at a shelter.  ADHS, along with the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council and other partners, found a way to reduce that problem.  Using CDC grant funds, we purchased special equipment that will let people with functional needs stay [...]

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New Debilitating Medical Condition Applications

By |2012-01-17T06:38:37-07:00January 17th, 2012|Licensing, Preparedness|

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (36-2801.01) directs us to accept and review applications to add new debilitating medical conditions that qualify folks to hold patient registration cards.  We outlined the requirements and review procedures in the Rules we adopted (R9-17-106)- which say that we’ll accept applications every January and July.  We’re planning to accept applications during the last [...]

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Application Process to Proceed

By |2012-01-13T11:01:32-07:00January 13th, 2012|Preparedness|

Last May (after receiving a threatening letter from the Arizona U.S Attorney’s Office) the Governor suspended the dispensary portion of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act with a genuine concern that state employees would be federally prosecuted.  Last year, we asked the federal court to provide us with guidance regarding the obvious conflicts between the Arizona [...]

Home Baked and Confectionery Goods Program

By |2017-02-10T09:51:20-07:00January 13th, 2012|Preparedness|

Our Home Baked and Confectionery Goods Program enrolled our 1000th participant this month- providing new opportunities to more than 1000 families to bake food at home and be able to sell it commercially.  This week also marks the 6 month anniversary of this innovative new program.  We also recently completed the official rules- which will go [...]

Our Unwelcome Winter Visitor Returns

By |2017-02-10T09:51:24-07:00December 16th, 2011|Preparedness, Prevention|

Just in time for the holidays, we’re got our first lab confirmed case of influenza – actually two cases.  Influenza has probably been in the state for a while now, but we don’t officially start counting the cases until there is a case confirmed at our lab.  The vaccine was approved this summer and fights 3 [...]

Acing the Readiness Test

By |2011-12-12T08:20:34-07:00December 12th, 2011|Preparedness|

Disease detection and swift and effective public health interventions are essential to saving lives in a public health emergency.  According to a new report from the CDC on Public Health Preparedness, Arizona's public health system is ready and well-prepared. The CDC report outlines the Department’s ability to detect and respond to a wide range of public [...]

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A Virus is Born

By |2017-02-10T09:51:25-07:00December 5th, 2011|General, Preparedness|

The CDC confirmed the birth of a new influenza virus in this week’s MMWR Weekly Report.  The newborn is named “Swine-origin Triple Reassortant Influenza A (H3N2) (S-OtrH3N2)”.  The hybrid virus was found in a handful of school-age kids in Iowa recently- and luckily the kids recovered and none were hospitalized.  Nobody outside the initial cluster has been infected [...]

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