Vigilant Guard Epilog
That largest exercise in Arizona history wrapped up last weekend, but now the work begins. Vigilant Guard featured a pseudo tropical storm, flooding and a nuclear bomb blast in downtown Phoenix. Arizona cities, counties, state and federal agencies participated in the exercise - testing emergency and evacuation plans, as well plans to transport and prioritize patients. 5,000 participants were working [...]
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most serious tickborne disease in the US. AZ has recorded 38 cases so far this year compared to 17 in all of 2010. Most of the cases are in the eastern part of the state. The disease’s symptoms include a nasty “spotted” rash that usually starts 2-5 days after a fever starts. Early antibiotic treatment is critical, because [...]
AZ Carecheck
It’s been a while since I mentioned to you that our Division of Licensing has a really good web site called AZ Care Check. Our website provides a 3 year history of survey results, complaint investigation results and if any of our licensed facilities (nursing homes, assisted living, hospital and other medical facilities, childcare or behavioral healthcare services) including any [...]
Saving Kid’s Lives
The death of a child is a tragedy not only for their family, but also for our communities- and finding ways to save kids' lives is a sentinel public health goal. But- as is always the case- finding solutions and implementing effective public health interventions requires solid data collection and analysis. That’s where the annual Child Fatality Review Report comes [...]
Painkiller Overdoses
I know I read like a broken record- but prescription painkiller misuse and abuse is a huge public health issue not just here- but nationally. The newest edition of CDC Vital Signs presents information about prescription painkiller overdoses in the United States and highlights promising strategies for addressing the issue. Please share this information broadly with your colleagues and partners and [...]
Helping Folks with Disabilities
Part of my job as the Director is to be the Chair of the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council- which expands resources through planning for folks with developmental disabilities and their families. The Council advocates for folks of all ages to achieve the highest possible level of independence while being included in the life of the surrounding community. We rolled out our new Five Year State Plan this week-focusing on employment [...]