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This Week’s Lawsuit

By | March 14th, 2014|Uncategorized|

We were sued this week by a group of same-gender couples in Arizona- challenging Arizona's ban on gay marriage. The lawsuit challenges Arizona's marriage criteria which excludes same-gender couples from marriage. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by seven same-gender couples and two people whose partners had died. We haven't analyzed [...]

Remembering Alan

By | April 26th, 2012|Licensing, Uncategorized|

Alan Oppenheim was an excellent leader and manager- but much more importantly- he was a really good person.  He always cared about others and asked lots of questions about what was going on.  He was a team player- he had everybody’s and the team’s best interests in mind…  and was wholeheartedly committed to our mission [...]

What’s Debilitating?

By | April 20th, 2012|Uncategorized|

The voter approved language in the AZ Medical Marijuana Act directs us to periodically accept and evaluate petitions to add new debilitating medical conditions.  We’ve made it through the first phase of considering whether to add 4 new debilitating conditions… 1) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; 2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder; 3) Migraines; and 4) Depression.  You’ll [...]

Dispensary Application Timeline Forecast

By | February 6th, 2012|Uncategorized|

As you know from earlier blog posts a judge ruled in a state case that had challenged our dispensary applicant selection criteria.  The judge’s decision basically struck down several of the selection criteria we had been planning to use to for competitive areas of the state (areas where there will be more than 1 applicant [...]

Successful Disaster Drill

By | December 10th, 2010|Uncategorized|

The Phoenix National Disaster Medical System conducted a successful Full-Scale Exercise on Thursday.  We sponsored the exercise (with our federal cooperative agreement funds) along with the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System.  The NDMS is a federally coordinated system that supplements the Nation’s medical response capability when local resources are overwhelmed during disasters.  The exercise [...]

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Behavioral Health Licensing Rule Change Suspended

By | November 22nd, 2010|Behavioral Health, Uncategorized|

A couple of weeks ago I planned to open the docket to overhaul the Administrative Code (Rules) that we use to evaluate and monitor health and safety in licensed behavioral health facilities in AZ. That plan was based on the assumption that the Medical Marijuana Act was going down to defeat because at that time [...]

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New ACPTC Program Activities

By | November 16th, 2010|Uncategorized|

Ever since our Arizona Community Protection and Treatment Center (on the grounds of the Arizona State Hospital) opened in 1998, we’ve been providing treatment to sexually violent persons who have a mental disorder and who have been convicted (or found guilty except insane) of a sexually violent offense or were charged with a sexually violent offense and [...]

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Suicide Prevention

By | November 4th, 2010|Uncategorized|

Suicide is one of the most challenging and sensitive public health issues that we face, partly because so many folks have a hard time talking about the subject.  It’s especially challenging for families that experience suicide first hand.  1,060 Arizonans died from suicide in 2009 the highest number ever, making it the 6th leading cause [...]

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Visit Your Local Farmers Market

By | October 28th, 2010|Uncategorized|

Now that the weather has finally broken here in the desert you can visit your local farmers market without having to get up at the crack of dawn. Check out our Farmers’ Market Locator to find the nearest farmers market.  Simply go to the application link and put in any address and city and push “Find Market”.  The program will [...]

Emergency Room Care

By | October 28th, 2010|Uncategorized|

Thanks to the 2009 Vital Statistics report, we also know that AZ residents went to the ER more than 1.8 million times.  The top reasons (about 25%) for those visits were abdominal pain, acute upper respiratory infection, chest pain, cuts, mental disorders, and spinal disorders.  More than 1,300 Arizonans were treated in an emergency room for [...]

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