mental illness

Expanded Integrated Behavioral Health Model set to Launch Oct. 1

By |2017-02-10T09:49:08-07:00September 28th, 2015|Behavioral Health, Preparedness, Prevention|

People with a serious mental illness have increased mortality that is largely from treatable medical conditions caused by risk factors like smoking, obesity, substance abuse, and not accessing primary and acute medical care. Research demonstrates that outcomes are improved for individuals with a serious mental illness when their whole health care, both physical and behavioral, [...]

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5 Years of Behavioral Health Innovation Paying Dividends (Part II)

By |2017-02-10T09:49:43-07:00April 22nd, 2014|Behavioral Health|

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll continue reflecting about some of the innovative strategies that we’ve implemented with our behavioral health community partners over the last several years to improve the health status of folks with a serious mental illness. Last week I wrote about the Integrated Health Homes initiative. Another success has been [...]

5 Years of Behavioral Health Innovation Paying Dividends (Part I)

By |2017-02-10T09:49:43-07:00April 15th, 2014|Behavioral Health|

People with a serious mental illness die more than 30 years earlier than people without those challenges.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be reflecting about some of the innovative strategies that we’ve implemented with our behavioral health community partners over the last several years to improve the health status of folks with a serious [...]

Troubled Teens: At Risk and Not Overlooked

By |2017-02-10T09:50:40-07:00February 19th, 2013|Behavioral Health, General, Licensing|

Our Vision at the Arizona Department of Health Services is ”Health and Wellness for all Arizonans”. Part of that Vision for folks living with behavioral health issues or a mental illness means achieving and maintaining self-reliance and independence.  To get there, some individuals simply need outpatient services occasionally.  Some need wrap-around community or home-based services. [...]

Integrated Care Responses On Deck

By |2017-02-10T09:50:47-07:00January 8th, 2013|General|

We all need to take care of both our physical and behavioral health needs in order to be healthy. The mind and body aren't separated- and neither should the health-care delivery system- especially for folks with a serious mental illness. Folks with a serious mental illness die more than 25 years earlier than the general [...]

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Get Trained in Mental Health First Aid Today

By |2017-02-10T09:50:48-07:00December 19th, 2012|Behavioral Health|

The tragedy in Connecticut has reminded us all about how important mental health and mental health treatment is to ensure that we have a society that functions in a way that we’d all like.  To be truly effective, a behavioral and mental health system needs to make sure parents, teachers, doctors and emergency department staff, [...]

Suicide Prevention: A Winnable Battle

By |2017-02-10T09:50:48-07:00December 18th, 2012|Behavioral Health, Prevention|

Back in 2009, AZ had the 9th highest rate of suicide in the U.S.  In that year 1,060 Arizonans took their own lives- so it’s easy to see why suicide prevention is an agency priority and is featured in our Strategic Map as a Winnable Battle.  Since we’re responsible for the state’s behavioral health system- [...]

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Integrating Physical & Behavioral Health Services to Save Lives

By |2017-02-10T09:50:55-07:00October 11th, 2012|Behavioral Health|

We all need to take care of both our physical and behavioral health needs in order to be healthy. The mind and body aren't separated- and neither should the health-care delivery system- especially for folks with a serious mental illness. Folks with a serious mental illness die more than 25 years earlier than the general [...]

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Dr. Nelson- Our Friend & Amiga

By |2012-07-25T14:00:33-07:00July 25th, 2012|Behavioral Health|

One of our priorities over the last 3.5 years has been to ensure that we develop and train our workforce so that we maintain business continuity and have the ability to transition effectively to new leadership when the time comes (part of Strategic Map element E1).  We’ll be putting our prep work to the test [...]

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Accolades

By |2012-07-16T10:11:54-07:00July 16th, 2012|Behavioral Health|

Our own Dr. Laura Nelson was recognized for her outstanding leadership and skills as President of National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Her service was rewarded at the annual conference for State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors where she received the presidents award for her work!  While presenting the award, the president called Dr. Nelson, [...]

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