New National Public Health Indicator Tool
HHS launched a new web portal providing important health and health care indicator data. The Health Indicators Warehouse represents a vast collection of health and health care indicators like determinants of health, health care access, cost, quality, and use. Health indicator can be searched for specific populations, places, political jurisdictions, and geographic areas. The Warehouse includes nearly 1200 health indicators [...]
MY Fest 4
The 4th Annual MY Fest is scheduled for Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 11 am to 4 pm. This exciting event has once again been planned and produced by members of Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future Empowerment (MY LIFE) Arizona. The MY Fest youth festival will be at the Tempe Beach Park again this year and will feature live music, break [...]
Trace Levels of Iodine- 131 from Japan Detected in AZ
As I mentioned in my blog last Friday computer models developed by the international community and the federal government suggested that very low levels of radiation were crossing the Pacific Ocean late last week and that there could be very small increases in natural radiation in North America including Arizona this week. All the models suggested that the levels would [...]
A New Best Practice for Suicide Prevention
SAMHSA's Suicide Prevention Resource Center has added At-Risk for High School Educators to its Best Practice Registry for suicide prevention programs. At-Risk is an online interactive training simulation designed to prepare teachers to identify, approach, and refer students exhibiting signs psychological distress including depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. Users assume the role of a high school teacher and engage in [...]
NAMI Report
The National Alliance on Mental Illness released a report this month that included policy recommendations for states to consider including educating the public, families and peers about mental illness and incorporating behavioral health screening into primary care. The good news is that we’re on the mark here in Arizona as we’ve already begun to implement most of the national recommendations. [...]
Japanese Radiological Emergency
All of us are exposed to natural radiation on a daily basis. It mostly comes from space (called cosmic rays) as well as natural radioactive materials found in the soil, water and air. People can also be exposed to radiation from human-made sources like X-ray machines. Radiation doses are usually measured in units called milli-Sieverts. On average, people are exposed to [...]