To best serve the residents of our state, especially some of our most vulnerable populations, we have restructured and expanded parts of our website to reflect recent changes to the Division of Public Health Licensing (Licensing). This updated structure will better serve the needs of Arizonans residing in, or receiving services at, an ADHS- licensed facility. To this end, we have eliminated the Bureau of Residential Facilities Licensing and created two new and more specialized units:  Bureaus of Behavioral Health Facilities Licensing (BBHL) and Assisted Living Facilities Licensing (BALF ..read more

Throughout the summer, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) will highlight info and share resources related to extreme heat safety and heat-related illnesses. Once the state begins to heat up, it can become dangerous quickly, and we plan to share relevant heat safety info regularly.  We plan to share steps you can take to keep you and your loved ones safe as temperatures rise. We will also share the larger-scale efforts and actions being taken by community organizations, the private sector, cities, counties, tribal nations, and state leadership to rise up to the challenge of a ..read more

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 week also highlights the ongoing work we do to address issues that are important to impacting the health of our state. This year’s focus was Protecting, Connecting, and Thriving: We Are All Public Health, looking a ..read more

People who use opioids, their loved ones, and the health care professionals treating them need multiple layers of support as we continue the fight against the ongoing opioid overdose epidemic. The Opioid Assistance and Referral Line, or OAR Line, is here to help everyone impacted by opioids. Medical experts offer patients, providers, and family members free opioid information, resources, and referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services are also available in an individual’s preferred language. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is proud to close out National Poison Preve ..read more

How many lives could be saved if more people carried naloxone and were trained to recognize the signs of overdose? Many of us know and care about at least one person who has struggled with substance use disorder.  Overdose statistics indicate that five people a day (more than 1,800 people each year) are dying from opioid overdose in Arizona. If treated in time, people experiencing opioid overdoses can be saved.  Our latest media campaign illustrates how all Arizonans can use naloxone to prevent deaths and give people with opioid use disorder a chance to seek treatment and recovery.&n ..read more

New data collected and analyzed by the Arizona Department of Health Services’ Maternal Mortality Review Program shows that people of color are experiencing pregnancy-related deaths at a disproportionate rate in Arizona and that mental health supports are critically needed in our state. Findings in the report on maternal mortality paint a concerning picture of rising mortality rates among pregnant and postpartum people. The report provides a closer look at the factors, including systematic issues, that contributed to these deaths. The report calculates differences in deaths rates in two year me ..read more

Heat-related illnesses in Arizona have been trending upward since 2013. Preliminary syndromic surveillance data suggest 2023 had the most heat-related emergency room visits in the last decade. To better support Arizona through extreme heat as part of the Governor’s Executive Order on Extreme Heat Planning and Preparedness and Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan, the Arizona Department of Health Services is releasing our ADHS Recommendations and Findings for the Arizona Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan. Arizona is experiencing increasingly longer periods of extreme heat, causing more Arizonans to expe ..read more

Recent data show that while Arizona’s rate of HIV infection has gone up slightly from the previous year, the rate of death from complications from the disease has decreased. This positive trend is due to multiple prevention methods, but most prominently the use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) improve outcomes at the highest rate. Access to medication is vital to reducing deaths due to this disease.  This important prevention and education is done by our Preparedness team members in the newly formed Office of HIV and Hepatitis C Services.  At the Arizona Department of Health Services, we’re ..read more

Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is excited to announce we have published the 2024-2025 update to the Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP).  The AzHIP provides a structure to collectively improve the health of communities and individuals throughout Arizona. The AzHIP 2021-2025 plan is now in the fourth year of its five-year implementation period. The AzHIP is bigger than ADHS alone. The plan’s development and implementation is community informed, data- driven, and includes participation by a broad set of community partners. This is Arizona’s Health Improvement Plan.  T ..read more

Eating disorders are complex illnesses that have serious effects on health and they can affect people of all genders, sexual orientations, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sizes, and shapes. This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week, an annual campaign to inform the public about the realities of eating disorders and to provide hope, support, and visibility to people and families affected by eating disorders. About 9%, nearly 1 in 10 Arizonans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. Prevention, early screening, and treatment are important, and full recovery from an eating disorder is ..read more