Last week we celebrated National Public Health Week with public messaging and social media, as well as internal workshops, brown bag opportunities, and an agency-wide virtual town hall. The American Public Health Association has recognized National Public Health Week for more than 25 years to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of public health professionals. The [...]
The Arizona State Public Health Laboratory protects you and your loved ones in ways you may not realize. In addition to licensure and certification services for laboratories across Arizona, the state lab tests air, food, water, and clinical samples for a murderer’s row of public health threats, including tuberculosis, heavy metal toxins, pesticides, and radioactive [...]
The old adage “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” is also true for preparedness. As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, it’s a great time to make sure your family is prepared. Take the opportunity to prepare now before an emergency happens so [...]
In 2020, while many around her were concerned about the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the impact it would have on their lives, Lynae Hoyne saw something more. She saw the importance of having medical facilities that were prepared to help in any circumstance. That realization led her to the Arizona State Hospital, where today [...]
The Arizona monsoon season is in effect. We can expect strong winds, dust storms, heavy rain, flooding, and other extreme weather hazards to be the norm during this time of year. ADHS recognizes the many health threats that come with the monsoon season. To prepare for these hazards, ADHS brought together health safety tips in [...]
During a disaster, local, state, and federal governments can declare a state of emergency to free up emergency funding and waive certain regulatory requirements that can impede rapid response. The steps for issuing such a declaration are often complicated by differing laws at the various levels of government. Additionally, it is not always clear how [...]
Recent events such as Hurricane Harvey have illustrated the importance of information sharing during a disaster response. Communication and coordination between first responders, health care facilities, emergency management, public health, and other responders is critical to protecting the health and well-being of disaster victims. After action reports and lessons learned from previous responses almost always [...]
Our Bureau of Public Health Emergency Preparedness in partnership with State Emergency Management, Ability360, and independent living advocates joined forces to strengthen disaster readiness for persons with disabilities. The statewide Emergency Preparedness Task Force on Access and Functional Needs held the biannual preparedness summit on June 8 that brought together communities, individuals, and organizations working [...]
In 2013, our Licensing and Infectious Disease Services teams partnered with the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Program to develop a day-long ADVICE Collaborative conference aimed at improving infection control practices. The ADVICE Collaborative brings together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners and public health professionals to find new ways to promote infection control, build relationships, and identify how public health can [...]
Since 2002, the CDC public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement has provided funding to health departments in Arizona for the advancement of our capacity to respond to a range of public health threats. The PHEP annual funds support staff on the ground in state, county, and tribal communities who assist with preparedness and response [...]
