AZ Ebola Readiness Gap Analysis Underway
The CDC developed an Ebola self-assessment tool for states last week called Top 10 Ebola Response Planning Tips: Ebola Readiness Self-Assessment for State and Local Public Health Officials. The self-assessment (which is posted on the CDC’s Ebola Website) provides a tool for states to evaluate their overall Ebola readiness. Our team has been going through the checklist to identify additional interventions and [...]
Bids In for Integrated Behavioral Health Contracts
Now that we have a new integrated behavioral health care model in Maricopa County, we’ve set our sights on implementing a similar integrated care model in the rest of the state. Our Procurement Team closed the bidding for the Greater Arizona Behavioral Health RFP last Thursday afternoon. This important procurement solicited bids for providing integrated behavioral and physical health for folks with a [...]
ADHS Lab Ready to Test for Ebola
Our ADHS Public Health Laboratory has been authorized by the CDC to begin testing blood samples for the Ebola Virus as needed. We received an Ebola test kit on Tuesday, completed our proficiency testing Wednesday, and were approved yesterday (Thursday). The kit can test up to 9 clinical samples for the Ebola Virus. We used a few of the tests for our quality [...]
Help Your Health & Wallet
If you’re a “benefits eligible” state employee, you now have a new opportunity to improve your health and your wallet. This week Benefit Options Wellness launched a new health initiative called the Health Impact Program (HIP). It’s a point-based incentive program that encourages participation in a variety of wellness activities, while logging progress toward a goal of 500 “points”. People [...]
Continuing Medical Education for PTSD Treatment
A few weeks ago I issued a Director’s Decision that will authorize the use of marijuana (under the AZ Medical Marijuana Act) for patients undergoing treatment for PTSD. Medical marijuana certifications will be valid only for palliative care (not treatment). I delayed the implementation date until January 1 to allow time for certifying physicians, dispensary medical directors, and dispensary agents [...]
Newborn Screening Advisory Committee Recommendation: Add SCID
Newborn Screening consists of critical laboratory and bedside tests done on newborns to see if they have certain inherited diseases. Early detection for these specific diseases is critical for the babies, doctors and parents, because delays in treatment can result in irreversible developmental delays, sickness and even death. With the passage of HB 2491 last year, the legislature asked the [...]