A key aspect of identifying and reducing health disparities is data collection, which is an area of focus for Arizona healthcare leaders. State health officials met at the 2023 Arizona State of Reform Health Policy Conference last month to discuss improvements to data collection across the state. Siman Qaasim works as the assistant director for … Read more
In this edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” in Arizona, we take a look at some of the health-related legislation moving through the legislature. We also include updates on the state’s Medicaid redetermination plan and the delay in Gov. Hobbs’s appointment for the new director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. If you have … Read more
After a Feb. 9th Arizona Senate Nominations Committee hearing, where members considered Dr. Theresa Cullen’s appointment as the director of the Department of Health Services, Gov. Katie Hobbs withdrew her nomination and expressed disappointment in the decision. Hobbs nominated Cullen late last year after she won the governor’s race. She has 27 years of public … Read more
In November, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Bureau of EMS and Trauma System launched the 911 Call Volume Dashboard to track and understand trends in EMS and trauma data at the state and regional levels. According to ADHS, the Bureau of EMS and Trauma System collects, analyzes, and reports on data … Read more
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday! This month’s edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” in Arizona health policy features information about the new community health worker certification process, the anticipated positive impacts of a recently passed bill to support the state’s nurse workforce, and an overview of ADHS’s “Talk Heals” campaign to deter … Read more
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has officially launched the community health worker voluntary certification portal, where community health workers in the state will be able to apply to become a certified professional through the ADHS Community Health Workers Program once they meet certain standards and successfully complete an approved training program. … Read more
The Arizona Department of Health Services’ (ADHS) newly released 2022 Trauma Report identifies opportunities for preventing injuries and premature deaths in the state and highlights future resource needs for maintaining Arizona’s trauma system preparedness. The State Trauma Advisory Board published the report in collaboration with the ADHS Bureau of EMS and Trauma System. … Read more
At the Arizona House’s Teen Mental Health Ad Hoc Committee meeting last week, representatives from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) presented data on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) in the state, as well as ADHS’s action plan to reduce children’s exposure to ACEs and mitigate the adverse outcomes associated … Read more
A new community health worker (CHW) training curriculum has been approved to be part of the Arizona Health Start Program, a program that uses CHWs to provide education, support, and advocacy services to pregnant and postpartum women in historically underserved communities throughout the state. Families enrolled in the program receive home visits and case management … Read more
Mike Sheldon has been named the new CEO for the Arizona State Hospital (ASH), building on more than a decade of behavioral health administrative experience in both the private and public sectors. Sheldon has served as interim CEO at the 360-bed facility in Phoenix since May after serving as the chief operating officer since 2017. … Read more