Extreme Heat Video
Last summer we applied for funding from the CDC under the Climate-Ready Initiative to develop the Extreme Weather and Public Health materials. The program is focusing on heat related illnesses and ways to increase knowledge of healthy responses to excessive heat situations. The program worked with Kate Hoy and Dallas Teat to produce a training video targeting school children and [...]
Whooping it Up
When it comes to microbes- the whooping cough (pertussis) is a contrarian. Unlike most other pathogens- it does better in the summer than the winter. While most other infectious diseases are on the wane right now- whooping cough is whooping it up. We’ve been seeing an increase in whooping cough cases in Arizona this summer- but not enough top call [...]
The ABC’s of Medicare
By now you know all about our goal of improving integration of care for individuals with a serious mental illness. In looking more closely at this population, we noticed that about 50% of folks with a serious mental illness who are enrolled with Medicaid (AHCCCS) are also enrolled in Medicare… meaning that they’re “dual eligible.” As part of our recent RFI [...]
It’s Back to School for Teen Drivers
Back-to-school time means that a new bolus of high-schoolers that got their license over the summer are hitting the streets for the first time during the school year. All the data suggests that the first year of driving is an especially important time for safe driving skill development. Fortunately, our State has a “Graduated Drivers License” provision to help better [...]
Arizona State Hospital New Forensic Unit On Track
The new Arizona State Hospital forensic unit construction is on track and progressing nicely. We're in the home stretch now- and the contractors are putting the finishing touches on the project. The new facility will be a huge help and will be much more conducive to helping our patients on their recovery path. It'll also really improve the working conditions for our dedicated staff- and [...]
Medical Marijuana Lawsuits
We’ve had a few inquiries about the number, kinds, and the contents of the (six) lawsuits that have been filed regarding medical marijuana in Arizona. We created a new Lawsuits webpage for folks that want to read the active suits.