To promote, protect, and improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities in Arizona
Health and Wellness for All Arizonans
Published by Arizona Department of Health Services
Office of the Director
150 N. 18th Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
The Arizona Department of Health Services is committed to the health and wellness of all Arizonans as we provide public health services for their entire lifecycle. Many people often don't recognize the impact that public health has on every facet of our daily lives. Through this report, we will show the many ways we help improve the lives of all Arizonans by:
We also operate the Arizona State Hospital (ASH), which provides high acuity, inpatient psychiatric services to our state's most vulnerable residents. ADHS is proud to be a part of Arizona's strong public health system, providing safe parks, clean air, clean water, safe meals and a healthy environment to raise our families. The work we do truly adds value to our state and brings health and wellness to all Arizonans.
The Strategic Map provides ADHS with a clear strategic direction over the next five years, a path for implementing the strategy and an effective approach for community involvement. The Strategic Map allows the entire agency to come together under the single public health umbrella concentrating on activities and resources that will achieve better outcomes.
July, 2016
The Arizona State Laboratory’s Zika Testing Surge Capacity plan is selected by the Association of Public Health Laboratories and CDC as a national model. Our laboratory plan collaborates with the partners in the Four Corners State Labs to provide each other with support for Zika surge capacity testing.
July 2016
The Arizona State Laboratory receives a 100 percent on a Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) External Quality Assessment from the CDC.
July 13, 2016
As part of a collaboration between the Arizona Department of Agriculture and ADHS, the statewide Food Desert Summit brings together state agencies and private, public and non-profit community partners to help decrease food deserts across Arizona.
July 25, 2016
The free AZ Infectious Disease resource app enables Arizona healthcare providers to rapidly access the latest news and public health recommendations about infectious diseases in the state.
July 26-28, 2016
Nearly 400 partners from a wide variety of organizations join together to learn and share about current infectious disease trends in Arizona and surrounding states. ADHS hosts speakers from local Arizona jurisdictions, other states, CDC, and Sonora, Mexico.
July 26, 2016
The launch of the 2016 Viral Hepatitis Epidemiologic Profile for Arizona helps promote awareness about hepatitis and inform policies to help prevent transmission.
August 4, 2016
ADHS and community partners review new technology, update work plans and transition to a Colorectal Cancer Task Force that will move forward to increase colorectal cancer screening rates across the state.
August 8, 2016
Three months after it began, the largest measles outbreak in 2016 ends with 22 confirmed cases. The cases originated from a private detention facility in Eloy, Arizona. The outbreak infected 13 detainees and nine staff members from the facility.
News Release:
August 15, 2016
Implementation of an electronic Outbreak Module that links existing infectious disease cases to an outbreak, allows for faster analysis and identification of outbreaks in Arizona and nationally.
August 16, 2016
More than 40 high school students gather for an interactive One Health Career Exploration Day to learn about the connection between human, animal, and environmental health.
August 24, 2016
The Arizona Department of Health Services, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, and the University of Arizona kick off the second annual Great Arizona Mosquito Hunt. The Great Arizona Mosquito Hunt began as a collaborative project in 2015 to teach high school students about mosquito biology and emerging mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.
August 31, 2016
Partners from all sectors across the state, including EMS, public health, healthcare, government, and law enforcement come together to proactively plan and prepare for events that may occur in our communities.
September 13, 2016
ADHS receives an award at the National Immunization Conference in Atlanta, GA for improving statewide vaccination coverage rates for teens.
September 20-21, 2016
More than 900 home visitors attend ADHS’ 2016 Strong Families AZ Professional Development conference, The Balancing Act of Home Visiting. This year’s theme provides an opportunity for home visitors to become better prepared to provide high-quality home visiting services by addressing the impact of the work on these early childhood professionals and their well-being.
September 27, 2016
Adult smoking rate in Arizona drops to historic low at 14 percent. The 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System report shows the percentage of Arizona adults who smoke has dropped from 19.3 percent in 2011. This decrease translates to more than 200,000 Arizonans who quit smoking over the last five years.
News Release:
September 18, 2016
The department earns two first place Health Education Media Making Yearly (HEMMY) awards from the Arizona Public Health Association for our work in developing the Arizona Infectious Disease Resource (IDAZ) mobile app and our healthy swimming campaign.
October 2016
Arizona drivers who have ordered the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness specialty license plate have helped raise nearly $2 million for cancer screening in the past decade. A portion of the funds from the Pink Ribbon plates is allocated for our Well Woman HealthCheck Program which helps pay for screening for breast and cervical cancer for uninsured women in Arizona.
October 4, 2016
ADHS along with other state agencies, boards, and commissions come together to invest in the quality of life in our Arizona communities, nation, and world by contributing to the SECC. ADHS staff raised $34,995 this year for the many critical needs of our communities.
October 17, 2016
ADHS, the Department of Economic Security, AHCCCS, and community partners work with Liberian Vice President Joseph Boakai to identify solutions in public health and healthcare and find solutions to help Liberia recover after the 2014 Ebola crisis.
October 20, 2016
ADHS attends the binational forum on Zika in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. The forum brings together epidemiologists, laboratory, vector control, and health promotion personnel from Baja California, California, Arizona, and Sonora.
October 22, 2016
ADHS partners with the Colon Cancer Alliance's local and national offices to provide the Undy Walk/Run. The successful event raises more than $100,000 and hosts 1,042 runners/walkers. Proceeds from this event support screening and treatment services for uninsured Arizonans.
October 2016
ADHS concludes the processing of 750 medical marijuana dispensary applications, awarding 31 new dispensary licenses.
November 1, 2016
The March of Dimes 2016 Premature Birth Report Card shows Arizona continues with a "B" grade for babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy while the national preterm birth rate worsened for the first time in years.
November 5, 2016
ADHS and Maricopa County public health officials partner with the Phoenix Zoo to host a free flu vaccine clinic accompanied with outreach on disease prevention and education on One Health.
November 8, 2016
The Nemours Children’s Health System recognizes ADHS for implementing a National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) in Arizona and leading the way in childhood obesity prevention.
November 15, 2016
ADHS conducts its first emergency preparedness tabletop exercise at the Arizona State Hospital to evaluate our level of preparedness in the face of emergencies such as severe weather or a prolonged power outage.
November 15, 2016
The 2016 Child Fatality Report shows that deaths due to prematurity, unintentional injury, unsafe sleep, transportation, and drowning decreased in 2015 while deaths due to maltreatment, suicide, and firearms increased.
November 15-17, 2016
The 10th Annual Tribal Cancer Collaborative Conference brings together ADHS, Hopi Cancer Resources, Navajo Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, Tohono O’odham Nation, Gila River Health Care, and San Carlos Apache communities to increase capacity to address cancer issues and share best practices.
November 17, 2016
"Coaches on Coaching" campaign focuses on the importance of good coaching to help people achieve their goals, just like our coaches at the ASHLine.
News Release:
November 19, 2016
Supporting Arizonans in their legal process to become a family, the ADHS Vital Records team processes nearly 300 birth certificates on National Adoption Day.
December 2016
ADHS hosts a Zika Capability Assessment Workshop attended by more than 100 tribal, county, state, and federal partners as part of the Arizona Zika-preparedness collaborative. Attendees work together to identify current response activities, document plans for future efforts, and identify areas for improvement.
December 7, 2016
ADHS successfully streamlines processes to reduce the time it takes to review and approve architectural plans for healthcare institutions by 50 percent, from 55 days to 28 days.
December 9-10, 2016
More than 20 ADHS staff give their time and professional support during the annual Dental Mission of Mercy event at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Organizers estimate that nearly 2,000 patients in need were provided free dental care and education, some of them receiving dental care for the first time. This event helps reduce health risks from dental disease and improve individuals' lives.
December 20, 2016
Based on the expertise of the Arizona State Hospital (ASH). ADHS is selected as the first public psychiatric hospital solution site in the nation to provide feedback on the electronic health record (EHR) system which is used by multiple inpatient psychiatric hospitals around the nation. ASH will also provide assistance in addressing issues and collaborate to recommend and develop system improvements.
December 20, 2016
Focusing on the patient experience, the Human Rights Committee creates an atmosphere of holiday wonder at the Arizona State Hospital.
December 26, 2016
The list of names given to babies born in Arizona during 2016 shows two new names top the list. Just over 400 boys were named Liam while nearly 420 girls were named Emma. The top baby names come from birth certificates submitted to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ Office of Vital Records.
December 27, 2016
The CDC recently featured the Active School Neighborhood Checklist, developed jointly by ADHS and the Arizona Department of Transportation, in their Physical Activity and Community Design Facilitated Peer Networking Call.
January 2017
ADHS has made it easier for clinicians to find public health resources and guidelines in Arizona.
January 9, 2017
Governor Doug Ducey highlights the ADHS Infant at Work Program in the annual State of the State Address to the Arizona Legislature, expanding the program to all state agencies. In addition, the Governor addresses the importance of adding Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome (SCID) to the Arizona Newborn Screening Program.
January 11, 2017
Governor Doug Ducey and his team visit ADHS to meet with parents and babies who have participated in the ADHS Infant at Work Program.
January 13, 2017
Kingman Police Department receives the first statewide recognition for Public Health Excellence in Law Enforcement. This program is designed to recognize law enforcement programs helping to reduce opioid deaths in Arizona.
January 27, 2017
The report provides statewide numbers and rates of vital statistics including Arizona births, reportable diseases, and hospital discharges. Public health uses the data to understand statewide trends and determine high-risk geographical areas within our state to address public health issues.
January 30 – February 3, 2017
The week-long convention style event provides an opportunity for staff to showcase accomplishments, become more familiar with other projects and programs, and network with colleagues. It serves to further expand the knowledge of our workforce about the agency and how each program, bureau, and division contribute to making a difference in the lives of Arizonans.
February 15, 2017
The first set of four interns start their internship at the Arizona State Hospital. ASH is the only inpatient facility utilized by Glendale Community College as part of a program where students earn a Certificate as a Behavioral Health Technician or an Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences with an emphasis on behavioral health.
February 22, 2017
While celebrating unprecedented success in lowering tobacco use among adults (14%) and youth (10%), our partners across Arizona pledged to achieve further success in tobacco cessation and reduction efforts.
February 24, 2017
ADHS sponsors a four-hour Traffic Incident Management (TIM) class, training 54 Arizona first responders on methods to avoid being struck while responding to highway incidents. Arizona has trained 21 percent of its 22,500 first responders, ranking eighth nationally of the states with 20,000 or more first responders and 27th of all states and the District of Columbia.
February 27, 2017
ADHS participates in a think tank with eight other states created by CDC and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors to discuss and plan the rebranding of the CDC funded screening programs. Program focus has shifted to population health, improvement in cancer screening rates, and timeliness of services provided.
February 28, 2017
ADHS presents on a national webinar for the National EMS for Children Innovation and Improvement Center's learning collaborative. The presentation included working with partners to plan and implement Arizona's Pediatric Prepared Emergency Care Program. Arizona is recognized as one of 11 states that have a facility recognition program for pediatric readiness with emergency departments.
March 2017
ADHS joins community partners to educate the public about Alzheimer's disease and the growing challenge in our state. A direct result was a public awareness program called All In for Alzheimer's.
March 2017
The Arizona Biomedical Research Centre (ABRC) awards more than $4 million dollars to 20 new researchers, and more than $7 million dollars to established researchers, to help further Arizona’s goal to become a biomedical technology industry leader.
March 2017
Arizona disease detectives at ADHS and county health departments investigate a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157 linked to four children in child care centers in Arizona. Through the investigation, Arizona identified that the sick children were all served the same brand of product.
March 7-8, 2017
The department participates in a full-scale exercise with Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona Department of Emergency Management, and Maricopa County. The drill is graded by the Regulatory Commission to test our response to an emergency at the power plant.
March 7-8, 2017
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton kicks off the third annual HIV symposium, announcing Phoenix had become the 12th U.S. city to join the UNAIDS Fast-Track Cities Initiative. The HIV Statewide Advisory Group formally unveiled Victory Over HIV, a plan to end the epidemic in Arizona.
March 29, 2017
ADHS coordinates a summit of more than 80 stakeholders to review draft guidelines and make recommendations to help hospitals improve discharge planning for patients that enter emergency departments or have hospital stays related to opioid use.
March 29, 2017
The Journal of Emergency Medicine features the ADHS study “The Impact of a Pediatric Emergency Department Facility Verification System on Pediatric Mortality Rates in Arizona” that demonstrates certification of hospitals under Arizona’s Pediatric Prepared Emergency Care program is associated with lower mortality rates among children.
March 30-31, 2017
For the 5th year, ADHS partners with the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers to host the annual Recruitment and Retention Forum to discuss successes and challenges in recruiting and retaining health care professionals in Arizona.
April 2017
ADHS, the Arizona Biosafety Alliance, and guests meet in the Arizona State Laboratory Auditorium to share novel techniques, best practices, and cutting edge research in the areas of biosafety and biosecurity.
April 11, 2017
The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act has been in effect for six years and has issued 130,000 current active cardholders and 130 dispensary certificates since the program began in 2011.
April 14, 2017
For the first time, Arizona participates in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to collect information to inform public health on the health of pregnant women in Arizona. Last year, CDC awarded Arizona with nearly $175,000 in grant funding to implement public health surveillance of newly delivered mothers and work to identify ways to improve birth outcomes for Arizona's babies.
April 19-20, 2017
Nearly 400 partners from doctor’s offices, healthcare clinics, and state, local, and tribal agencies come together to learn and share best practices and current information about vaccination. These immunization heroes devote their time daily to ensure they are shielding Arizona communities from dangerous vaccine preventable diseases.
April 18, 2017
ADHS successfully launches the expansion of the Arizona Statewide Falls Prevention Coalition to include a Western Regional Chapter. The Yuma, La Paz, and Mohave county health departments play a key role in this new endeavor.
April 24, 2017
ADHS premiers a new public awareness campaign to encourage residents and visitors to take precautions to prevent the spread of Zika in Arizona.
News Release
April 25, 2017
ADHS launches the Bullying Prevention website that provides resources for schools, families, and communities to help alleviate or eliminate effects that bullying has on children and their environments.
April 28, 2017
ADHS joins five other states in a national collaborative to advance team-based care using pharmacists to help patients manage high blood pressure. The collaborative is coordinated by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the CDC.
April 28-29, 2017
ADHS teams canvas the towns of Hayden and Winkelman to talk to residents about community blood lead testing, following a report issued by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry that raised concerns. Communication and testing help to raise awareness of current blood lead levels and potential home sources, as the home is the predominant location of blood lead poisoning exposure.
April 30, 2017
May 1, 2017
The Smoke Free AZ Act went into effect May 1, 2007, prohibiting smoking inside buildings and preventing exposure from secondhand smoke.
May 5, 2017
The State Loan Repayment Program has been legislatively approved to receive an additional $350,000 of state funding for FY2018 bringing the total state budget to $1 million. This allows ADHS to support more health care providers in underserved areas of Arizona.
May 8-14, 2017
In partnership with the Arizona Department of Administration, ADHS organizes presentations and health screenings to support the national call for women to focus on their health at any age. More than 350 state employees attend the event at the State Capitol.
May 10 and 11 2017
We love our employees! Governor Ducey declares May 10th as Arizona State Employee Recognition Day and the ADHS leadership and recognition committee celebrate our amazing workforce.
May 13, 2017
Wade Carpenter Middle School seventh grader Grecia Solorio submitted her winning artwork to the department to show how we all can prevent skin cancer by being SunWise. The Arizona Diamondbacks joined us in featuring Grecia’s winning artwork on the pre-game LED video scoreboard and then asked her to throw the opening pitch for the Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game!
May 23, 2017
ADHS and Maricopa County Ryan White Programs win a National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award in the Health category for their Ryan White Joint Application and Integrated Eligibility project, which streamlined the application and requirements for the two programs.
May 24, 2017
The Arizona Community Protection and Treatment Center (ACPTC) at ASH was found to have no deficiencies by the Bureau of Medical Facilities during a complaint investigation and a compliance inspection.
May 24, 2017
Governor Doug Ducey signs legislation to allow ADHS’ Public Health Laboratory to test for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). The disease is a rare, genetic disorder that can be fatal if not detected and treated early in a newborn.
June 1, 2017
ADHS releases its latest data on opioid overdoses in Arizona showing the highest number of deaths in ten years. In 2016, 790 Arizonans died from opioid overdoses – an average of more than 2 deaths per day. The trend shows a startling increase of 74 percent over the past four years.
News Release:
June 2, 2017
Chic Older is recognized for his advocacy and contributions to public health in Arizona.
June 21, 2017
ADHS collaborates with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, APIC Consulting Inc., Health Services Advisory Group, and other state partners to provide a two-day Arizona Healthcare-Acquired Conditions (HAC) and Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Summit focused on evidence-based practices in preventing infections and reducing harm.
June 5, 2017
Governor Doug Ducey signs his first public health emergency declaration to address the growing number of opioid related deaths in our state. Newly released data in the ADHS 2016 Opioid Report showed 790 Arizonans died from opioid overdoses – an average of more than two people per day.
June 15, 2017
June 15, 2017
ADHS has been awarded a platinum award, the highest award available, from the Healthy Arizona Worksites Program. At the annual recognition event, one hundred businesses from across the state were recognized with copper, silver, gold, and the new platinum awards for their worksite wellness program strategies. Additionally, 28 "FitPHX Businesses," Phoenix businesses that attended Healthy Arizona Worksites trainings through the city’s partnership with HAWP, are honored.
June 19, 2017
The Arizona WIC team successfully launches the pilot to transform the WIC program from the use of paper checks to electronic cards, known as eWIC. The clinic in Casa Grande is the first to pilot the new approach that will make shopping for nutritious foods easier for moms, as well as for stores participating in the WIC program.
June 29, 2017
The ADVICE Collaborative brings together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners and public health professionals. They work together to promote infection control, build relationships and identify how public health can assist our providers to successfully and safely treat some of the most challenging dialysis patients.
June 20, 2017
ADHS hosts a Zika Action Plan Workshop and Tabletop Exercise for approximately 80 partners representing more than 25 local, tribal, and state organizations. The workshop events include an overview of Zika virus, which highlights new information learned in the past year, and a summary of public health actions that should take place if local transmission occurs.
June 26, 2017
Under the Governor’s enhanced surveillance order, ADHS collects five main categories of data, including opioid-related overdoses and deaths, naloxone doses both administered and dispensed, and cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Within the first week, ADHS received reports of 191 suspected opioid overdoses, 15 of which were fatal.
June 26, 2017
ADHS brings together over 170 statewide experts to identify solutions to Arizona’s Opioid Crisis. This was the kick-off session for the innovative work the Goal Council and its subgroups will do to achieve the goal of reducing deaths due to opioid overdoses.
This report is provided as required by A.R.S. § 36-137
Note: ADHS is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except state holidays.
Any documents contained on this Web site that are translations from original text written in English are unofficial and not binding on this state or a political subdivision of this state. To learn about how ADHS collects information about website users, please review our Website Privacy Policy. Los documentos que son traducciones al Español y que se encuentran en esta página Web no tienen validez oficial ni legal en este Estado o en alguna entidad politica del mismo. © 2009 - 2017 Arizona Department of Health Services