Turning the Tide on Prescription Drug Abuse
Arizona continues to battle the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. On average, an Arizonan dies every day from an overdose due to prescription pain relievers . We’ve been on the battle lines with partner organizations, such as the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith, and Family, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, and the Board of Pharmacy, as part of a multi-systemic approach in the Arizona [...]
Stakeholder Meeting Examines Preventive Health for Adolescents
Adolescence is a critical period of change. It is a time when teens develop life skills needed to successfully transition from childhood to adulthood that includes physical, intellectual and emotional changes. Adolescents who receive preventive health care are more likely to graduate from high school, and are more prepared to make that successful transition to adulthood. During these preventive visits adolescents [...]
Smoke-Free Arizona Annual Report Highlight Program Accomplishments
On November 7, 2006, Arizona voters approved Proposition 201, the Smoke-Free Arizona Act. The Act went into effect on May 1, 2007, and prohibited smoking inside and within 20 feet of entrances, open windows, and ventilation systems of most enclosed public places and places of employment in Arizona. Our Smoke-Free Arizona Program’s continued success is highlighted in the 2016 Smoke-Free Arizona Annual Report. In [...]
It’s Getting Hot in Here!
The scorching heat is right around the corner this weekend with heat warnings for nearly all of Arizona (Coconino, Yavapai, Graham, Pima, Cochise, Greenlee, Santa Cruz, Pinal, La Paz, Maricopa, Yuma, and Mohave Counties). Temperatures may reach 108 to 115 °F. High outdoor temperatures aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re dangerous. Year after year, nearly 2,000 people visit Arizona emergency rooms [...]
Arizona State Hospital Campus Seeks Public Private Partnership
Many of you know that the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) operates the Arizona State Hospital (ASH), where we provide inpatient psychiatric care to persons with serious mental illness who are in need of long term behavioral health care. ASH personnel provide state-of-the-art inpatient psychiatric and forensic care to patients with the highest acuity of behavioral health needs. Interdisciplinary [...]
Early Intervention for Speech and Hearing is a Vital Component of Public Health
The role of early intervention is key in public health, especially when it comes to speech and hearing. May was Better Speech and Hearing Month and the theme this year was "Communication Takes Care." An estimated 40 million Americans experience speech or hearing disorders. In Arizona, hearing screening statutes mandate all educational institutions, including private, charter and public schools, to provide hearing [...]