New AZ Opioid Prescribing Guidelines
Last week we proudly released new Arizona Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Arizona clinicians. They’re a voluntary, consensus set of principles and best practices for prescribing opioids. The Guidelines were built using the expertise of practitioners from across Arizona including representatives from professional associations, health plans, academic institutions, federal healthcare providers, and many others. The new guidelines balance appropriate treatment of pain [...]
Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Preliminary Report Released
On October 21 Governor Brewer issued Executive Order 2014-08 establishing the Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. The Council was charged with developing and implementing a coordinated comprehensive plan to ensure Arizona's public health infrastructure is prepared for the potential outbreak of infectious diseases, such as the Ebola virus, influenza, enterovirus, tuberculosis, and other emerging infectious diseases, and can [...]
Thanks for Volunteering
A couple months back, I sent a note to staff letting you know about an opportunity to help out kids in our hood…students at Capitol Elementary School. Several of you volunteered and will be tutoring the kids a couple days a week in math and reading. As Winston Churchill said:, “We make a living by what we get, but we [...]
Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving
The holiday season can be challenging if you're trying to eat healthy and limit sodium. Fortunately, you don't have to give up all of your favorite dishes in the name of heart health. Be sure to check out these six tips for a healthier Thanksgiving. Also, click here to visit the Million Hearts Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Resource Center to find [...]
Community Profiles Dashboards (Part IV of IV)
I’ve been blogging about our Community Profiles Dashboards over the last few weeks. They’re a powerful new tool for public health professionals, city planners, non-profit organizations, and medical providers, and anyone interested in heath data. We’ve showcased several of the functions of the Dashboards and how they can help visualize and analyze health data. The final blog in this series [...]
Take the Title V Needs Assessment Survey
Our Women’s and Children’s Health Team is working on the 5-year Needs Assessment for the Maternal and Child Health Title V Block Grant. The needs assessment helps us tailor how we spend the federal funding to improve the health and well-being of Arizona’s women, children, and adolescents. You can help narrow down the 10 health priorities by taking the online [...]