Clostridium difficile
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health has discovered a pretty significant outbreak of a bacteria called Clostridium difficile this week. This organism can cause severe diarrheal illness, and is commonly associated with antibiotic use and healthcare facilities. Most people who come into contact with Clostridium difficile do not develop disease. Being on long-term antibiotics can clean out the naturally [...]
New Strategies to Reduce NaCl Intake
Last Wednesday, April 21, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a new report on high blood pressure entitled Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States. The report was sponsored by the CDC, FDA, and NIH. High blood pressure is one of the nation’s leading causes of death, responsible for roughly one in six deaths among adults annually. Nearly [...]
Interesting Support for Overhauling Breakfast & Lunch Programs
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, passed legislation out of their Committee to reauthorize WIC and the other Child Nutrition Programs last week. It’s called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The bill includes the reauthorization of the free and reduced lunch and breakfast programs along with better nutritional [...]
Interesting Support for Overhauling Breakfast & Lunch Programs
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, passed legislation out of their Committee to reauthorize WIC and the other Child Nutrition Programs last week. It’s called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The bill includes the reauthorization of the free and reduced lunch and breakfast programs along with better nutritional [...]
Medical Marijuana
A group called the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project turned in signatures in support of a proposed “medical marijuana” voter initiative for the November 2 ballot. Election officials will be busy over the next couple of months to determine whether enough of the submitted signatures are valid. If enough of the signatures are valid, if it passes, and if it [...]
New Childcare Center Licensing Rules
Our child care licensing & rules team, along with a long list of Stakeholders, have been working very hard over the last few months to put together a new list of criteria for operating a child care center. This week, their hard work paid off- and we were able to post a draft of our Child Care Facilities Rulemaking. The [...]