Quakes Remind Us to Prepare
As many Arizonans know, a cluster of small earthquakes occurred near Black Canyon City last night causing minor shaking across parts of the state. Although no major damage or injuries were reported, this seismic event reminds us that emergencies and disasters can occur when and where we least expect it. There are some basic things you and your loved ones [...]
Supporting services for refugee populations
For the past two years, CyraCom, one of the leading providers of language interpreting services to healthcare, hosted a language services summit here in Phoenix. The three day summit acted as a platform for healthcare systems to share information related to their language access programs, challenges, and needs seen in various communities in the U.S. This year, Stella Kiarie from [...]
Food Safety Tips for Halloween
Halloween is loved by children and adults alike. As Halloween approaches, the Arizona Department of Health Services encourages families to celebrate in a safe and healthy way. Parents should talk to their children about Halloween food safety. Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs [...]
Transitioning Behavioral Health Services
The only true constant is change, particularly when you are part of a team committed to continuously improving the health and wellness of all Arizonans. October 1 was an important day for the behavioral health system in Arizona with four significant system transformations occurring simultaneously. The Division of Behavioral Health Services, with a lot of support from other team members [...]
Pediatricians Promoting Food Security for All Children
It seems hard to believe that one in every five children in the United States lives in a home where there isn’t access to enough healthy food for an active, healthy life for all household members. Here in Arizona, the numbers are estimated to be even higher, affecting as many as one in three children. The American Academy of Pediatrics [...]
Lead Poisoning Prevention Awareness
In Arizona, more than 800 children each year are identified with elevated blood lead levels. Even at low blood lead levels, children's intelligence, behavior, hearing and growth can be irreparably damaged. To increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning prevention, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued a proclamation to kick off Arizona’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Week October 25-31. We join a national [...]