In a post last Summer, I mentioned that our state public health laboratory Environmental & Analytical Chemistry unit has been selected as 1 of 8 chemistry laboratories across the country that would be examining commercial seafood for contaminants from the gusher in the Gulf. The goal was to find out whether commercial seafood has been [...]
We’ve got an exiting year in store for the Arizona State Hospital in 2011. One of the highlights will be our New Forensic Hospital which will open in the Fall. During 2010 our Forensic team reorganized their treatment groups to focus on both psychiatric symptom stability and pro-social skill development and engagement. During 2011 we’ll [...]
A few years ago it became pretty clear that we were facing some budget reductions. At the time, we had no idea that our budget reductions would be as extensive as they turned out to be. However, we did know that if we were going to maintain our laboratory capacity to protect the folks of [...]
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 became law this month. This reauthorization of the federal school nutrition program includes a number of elements that will help move the needle on childhood obesity. The Act recognizes the importance of school meals to the health and academic success of kids and gives school nutrition programs new [...]
One of our top priorities as we implement the AZ Medical Marijuana Act over the coming months is to ensure that we develop good Rules (called Administrative Code) so we can regulate medical marijuana effectively. Rules that are clear, objective, well-researched, and that balance competing interests are absolutely critical in order to effectively implement a responsible [...]
Everyone knows that physical activity is good for kids, actually its good for everyone. However, partly because of the increasing pressure to include more academic work in the classroom, most kids aren’t getting the recommended levels of physical activity at school. Now, there’s growing evidence that physical activity and academic achievement go hand in hand. A [...]
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (also known as H.R. 1256) went into effect last summer. The law basically gives the FDA the power to regulate some aspects of the tobacco industry. A signature element of the law imposes new warnings and labels on tobacco packaging and their advertisements, with the goal of discouraging [...]
Public health threats are always present. They include natural disasters; biological, chemical, and radiological incidents; and explosions. The impact of these threats can range from local outbreaks to incidents with national or global ramifications. Last year’s influenza pandemic underscored the importance of communities being prepared for potential threats. Being prepared to prevent, respond to, and [...]
Last week, I outlined goals and priorities for the Licensing Division in the coming year. This week I’ll hit on the Division of Behavioral Health… One of our primary objectives will be to better integrate behavioral health, physical health, and wellness at the "retail" level (i.e. at the point of care). By strengthening integration and [...]
When taken as directed for legitimate medical purposes (and prescribed appropriately) prescription drugs can be safe and effective at treating illnesses and conditions. However, the increasing rates of prescription drug abuse are a growing and now urgent problem, especially among young people. Powerful prescription drugs are often available and easily accessible in many, if not [...]
