I know that many of you are getting questions from your stakeholders about healthcare reform. The website that HHS posted recently should help, as it provides the latest information on the health care reform law. It’s seems to mainly be focused on consumer awareness etc. For example, the website provides information about the new option [...]
In the next 2 decades Arizona’s population will age rapidly, increasing the demand for services related to management of chronic illnesses and disability, as well as increase health care and long term care costs. That’s why we need to focus efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of all older adults in Arizona. Our new [...]
We’ve got a lot to be proud of over the last year and an half. It’s been hard, I know because of all of the budget reductions and the lower staffing level. On the other hand, we’ve got an incredible mission and we’re doing a good job. I often tell people that we work in [...]
One of our top priorities in behavioral health over the coming years will be to better integrate physical health and mental health services in Arizona. Why is this a priority you ask? It’s because folks with the most serious mental illnesses die at least 25 years earlier than the average Arizonan (this is consistent across [...]
One of our top priorities in behavioral health over the coming years will be to better integrate physical health and mental health services in Arizona. Why is this a priority you ask? It’s because folks with the most serious mental illnesses die at least 25 years earlier than the average Arizonan (this is consistent across [...]
Our Division of Behavioral Health Services is the point guard for substance abuse prevention & treatment in Arizona (also referred to as the Single State Authority for Substance Abuse Services at the federal level). One of those concerns is the abuse of marijuana- which continues to be in high demand and abused in our state. [...]
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, an Initiative called the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act will be on the Ballot this November. We organized several teams (behavioral health, substance abuse, public health, licensure, rules, IT, and administrative council etc.) to examine the Initiative over the last few weeks. You can read a news article this week [...]
I’m happy to announce that Laura Nelson, M.D. will be taking on some additional responsibilities in her expanded role as the ADHS’ Chief Medical Officer. She will continue in her role as the Deputy Director for Behavioral Health Services as well (notice the “Acting” label is gone now). As is the case with many of [...]
Daniel T. Cloud, Jr., M.D., one of Arizona’s most dedicated health and public health professionals, passed away last week. We’ll miss him, but his life work lives on. Dr. Cloud made his dream come true to establish a children's hospital in Arizona- and became the Founding President of Phoenix Children's Hospital in 1983. He was [...]
The proportion of people admitted for drug abuse treatment over 50 nearly doubled between 1992 and 2008. While alcohol still is the leading cause of admissions in this age group, sharp increases were noted in those needing treatment for heroin, cocaine and marijuana, according to the study published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health [...]
