Potential 2026 Ballot Measures: A Public Health Perspective
Once the budget deal is done, expect a fast-moving wave of ballot referrals. These measures don’t go to the Governor. If they pass both chambers, they go straight to voters. That makes them one of the Legislature’s most powerful tools to shape policy without the risk of a veto. Here are the key referrals with public health or civic health implications that have already cleared at least one chamber: Potential
Hantavirus on a Cruise Ship: Serious, But Not a Pandemic in the Making
There’s been a lot of hype over the last couple weeks about hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship that left Argentina on April 1 and later reported several severe illnesses and deaths linked to a hantavirus. It’s good to take this seriously. Hantavirus can be dangerous for the people who get sick. But let’s keep this in perspective: this is not the beginning of a pandemic. The strain is
Suicide: A Public Health Crisis Behind Bars
Guest blog from AzPHA member Andy Hall, MS, PhD Many are aware of the class-action litigation over healthcare in Arizona’s prisons that began in 2012, and many know that the system’s healthcare program was recently placed in receivership after years of failure to meet Constitutional standards. Meanwhile, a healthcare crisis in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) jails has gone largely unnoticed. I paid the jails no attention until the Arizona Republic ran a
Maricopa County Activates Heat Relief Network
May 1st launched the 2026 Heat Relief Network season for Maricopa County. The heat relief season runs from May 1-September 30th, with countless organizations opening their doors to anyone in need of a place to cool off. This year, more than 200 sites have already begun welcoming folks, including offering water. Some sites welcome pets, while others provide respite 24 hours. This year, Maricopa County Department of Public Health is making two notable
AHCCCS Preps for Work Requirements: Looking for Reinforcements to Help with Member Communications
AHCCCS has another new solicitation out that’s good. It’s focused on finding a vendor (already on state contract) to help them communicate with members about the upcoming work and community engagement requirements under H.R. 1, which are set to kick in January 1, 2027. Rather than trying to do the comms themselves AHCCCS recognizes they’ll need some help to get it right, which is a good thing. You can dig
Secure Behavioral Health Facilities Are Finally Back on the Table – with an AHCCCS RFP
Arizona is facing, and has faced for a long time, a major gap in our mental health care system: the lack of secure residential treatment settings (ABHRFs) for folks with serious mental illness resistant to treatment. These are sometimes folks with conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who, because of their illness, won’t engage in voluntary treatment. Their families are left watching loved one’s cycle through emergency rooms, jails, and