Will Humble Firearm Safety, Wills Blog

Suicides and Firearms in Arizona: A Data Review & Policy Call to Action

Understanding Suicide and Firearms in Arizona: What Every Arizonan Should Know

Suicide is a serious and growing public health issue in Arizona. In a new brief report, Suicides and Firearms in Arizona: A Data Review & Policy Call to Action, AZPHA member Allan Williams, Ph.D. lays out clear data showing how often suicide happens in our state, especially when firearms are involved, and why this matters for families, communities, and public health.

Suicides and Firearms in Arizona: A Data Review & Policy Call to Action 

Across the US tens of thousands of people die by suicide each year. In Arizona, the rate of suicide is higher than the national average. Over recent years, suicide deaths in Arizona have increased steadily.

One key finding from the report is that firearms play a large role in these deaths. When people use guns to attempt suicide, the attempt is almost always fatal. National research shows that more than 90 % of suicide attempts with a firearm result in death. Because of this, gun-related suicide deaths make up a large portion of all suicide deaths in Arizona.

The data in the report also shows differences between groups. Men are more likely to die by suicide with a firearm than women, and older men are especially affected.

Firearm suicide becomes more common with age, and rates among those 75 and older are particularly high. While firearms are the leading means of suicide for most groups in Arizona, there are some differences by race and age as well.

The cost of suicide is not just emotional. It is also economic. In 2023 alone, suicide deaths in Arizona were associated with billions of dollars in combined medical and lifetime costs.

So what can be done? Dr. Williams emphasizes that while mental health support is important, so are strategies that reduce access to the most lethal means of suicide, especially for people in crisis.

Research shows that policies and practices like safe storage of firearms in the home, child access prevention laws, waiting periods for firearm purchases, and extreme-risk protection orders can help lower the chances that someone in a moment of crisis uses a gun to take their life.

The full report lays out both the data and specific policy steps that could improve safety in Arizona. It also points to strong evidence from national research showing that limiting access to lethal means when people are at risk can save lives.

We encourage readers to read the full report by Allan Williams, Ph.D., to better understand the numbers behind suicide in Arizona and the ways public health approaches can make a difference. This is not just a statistic — these are people in our communities.

Suicides and Firearms in Arizona: A Data Review & Policy Call to Action 

Will Humble State Legislature, Wills Blog

Quick Legislative Session Update

This week is called ‘crossover week’ – meaning bills needed tp have already been heard in their house of origin in order to stay alive. There generally arent committee hearings next week (except for Rules and maybe Appropriations). The real action is in the caucus rooms and the floor votes in both chambers.

In early March the committees accelerate again. The infamous Director Nominations Committee hasn’t even met yet and I don’t see any agendas posted – so who kniows whether that work will ever even begin?

I’ll provide a more in depth assessment of the session in next week’s update, For the time being you can visit our tracking spreadsheet to get your own update on bills you’re most interested in at: AZPHA Bill Tracking Spreadsheet 2026

Will Humble Healthcare, Wills Blog

Privatizing Prison Health Care: A 14-Year Failed Experiment

In 2012, the Arizona Legislature made a major change in how health care was delivered in our state prisons. In a party-line vote, lawmakers decided to privatize prison health services. Governor Brewer signed the law in 2012.

Arizona Privatizes Health Care in State Prison System | Prison Legal News

What followed? The AZ Department of Corrections fired the state-employed doctors, nurses, and health staff, contracting the work out to private companies.

Then-ADOC Director Chuck Ryan was tasked with dismantling a decades-old, state-run system and replacing it with a contract model. Instead of directly providing care, the ADOC would write requests for proposals (RFPs), select vendors, and manage contracts.

That transition — from running health care to managing contracts — didn’t go well.

Over the next several years, complaints increased. Inmates and their families experienced and documented delayed treatment, missed medications, and preventable suffering. Lawsuits followed. The most significant case, now Jensen v. Thornell, has been in federal court for more than a decade. As the case drug on over the years the court repeatedly found serious deficiencies in care.

Now, after years of frustration and missed benchmarks, U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver appointed a court-controlled receiver to take over prison health operations. It reflects the court’s opinion that the state has been unable to fix the system on its own. Governor Hobbs believes good progress has been made on her watch. I don’t know whether that’s true or not but clearly Judge Silver doesn’t believe so.

Arizona state prisons lose control of health care after federal ruling

So what happened? Why did the privatization experiment fail?

A root cause points to the transition itself. Running a health system with your own staff and managing a vendor contract are two different skills. When Arizona privatized prison health care in 2012, it didn’t just switch providers. It changed the whole operating model.

The Department of Corrections had decades of experience delivering care directly. But contract oversight needs a different culture, staffing model, data systems, and ability.

Good contract management requires objective performance monitoring, clear accountability, and the ability and wherewithal to enforce penalties when vendors don’t meet demands in the scope of work. It also requires a solid contract that allows the state to actually provide the accountability needed including compliance and enforcement provisions.

In short… contract development and management are different from running a program yourself.

By nearly all accounts, that shift from service provision to contract management was poorly executed, especially during the Ducey administration. Whether privatization was a flawed idea from the start or whether it failed because the transition to contract management was mishandled is a legitimate debate.

The outcome isn’t.

For 14 years, incarcerated people have lived in a system under court supervision due to what the court believes is substandard care.

As Arizona moves forward under federal oversight, we owe it to taxpayers and to those in custody to learn from our policy mistakes.

We learned those lessons were learned the hard way.

Will Humble Behavioral Health, Professional Development, Wills Blog

AzPHA is Proud to Announce our 98th Annual Conference – “From Crisis to Care: Improving Outcomes in Arizona’s Behavioral Health System”


AzPHA is Proud to Announce our 98th Annual Conference
“From Crisis to Care: Improving Outcomes in Arizona’s Behavioral Health System“

Friday, May 1, 2026: Desert Willow Conference Center

AzPHA’s 98th Annual Conference will focus on strengthening Arizona’s behavioral health system and improving outcomes for people with mental and behavioral health needs.

Arizona’s behavioral health system sits at the intersection of public health, Medicaid, housing, courts, and community-based services.

This year’s conference will highlight innovative strategies, evidence-based practices, and policy approaches that move the system beyond crisis response toward sustainable, person-centered care. Our final agenda will be released in late February and will focus on:

  • Policy, Advocacy, and Systems Change
  • Serious Mental Illness & Population-Specific Needs
  • Integrated Care and Community Well-Being
  • Crisis Response and Civil Commitment Systems
  • Maternal Mental Health & Perinatal Care
View Our Sponsorship Opportunities & Benefits
Register to Sponsor or Exhibit Today!

2026 draft agenda

Will Humble Behavioral Health, Wills Blog

Arizona’s Unhoused Crisis and Severe Mental Illness: Why Housing Is Health Care

Amy Arias, MMS, MD/MPH candidate MS4 UACOMP

Arizona is growing fast — and so is its unhoused population. As housing costs rise, resources lag behind demand, and extreme heat becomes deadlier each year, the people most affected are often those least equipped to navigate the system: individuals living with severe mental illness (SMI).

Homelessness is not just a housing issue. It is a public health crisis, a mental health crisis, and a fiscal crisis for the state of Arizona.

https://azpha.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Arizonas-Unhoused-Crisis-and-Severe-Mental-Illness-Why-Housing-Is-Health-Care-Amy-Arias-Final.pdf

The Scope of the Crisis

As of January 2024, nearly 15,000 people in Arizona were experiencing homelessness, according to the state’s annual Point-in-Time count. While there has been a slight decrease in unsheltered homelessness, this data likely underrepresents the true scope of the problem due to difficulties with self-reporting, loss of follow-up, and limited outreach capacity.

At the same time, Arizona faces a shortage of approximately 133,000 affordable housing units for low-income renters. Even someone working full-time may still be unable to afford fair market rent. For families, the math becomes impossible.

Children are not spared. One in five unhoused individuals in Arizona is a child, and the majority of unhoused adults are between the ages of 18 and 64.

Why Arizona’s Climate Makes Homelessness More Dangerous

Arizona’s environment turns homelessness into a life-threatening condition.

In Maricopa County alone, 45% of all heat-related deaths in 2023 occurred among people experiencing homelessness, with heat-related mortality increasing more than 50% from the prior year. Extreme heat doesn’t just worsen chronic illnesses, it increases overdose risk, worsens psychiatric symptoms, and overwhelms emergency departments.

For individuals with severe mental illness, exposure to extreme weather compounds already elevated health risks.

Severe Mental Illness and Homelessness: A Vicious Cycle

Arizona’s Medicaid program (AHCCCS) currently serves over 65,000 individuals with a severe mental illness designation, a number that has increased by more than 50% since 2015. More than 11% of people with SMI experienced homelessness in a single year.

Mental illness makes housing stability harder to achieve due to:

  • unemployment and poverty,
  • difficulty adhering to treatment plans,
  • long waitlists for housing,
  • and high rates of hospital readmission.

At the same time, homelessness worsens psychiatric illness, increases substance use, disrupts medication access, and raises mortality risk.

The result is a self-perpetuating cycle: untreated mental illness leads to homelessness, and homelessness worsens mental illness.

Substance Use, Injury, and Early Death

Unsheltered homelessness is strongly associated with increased substance use — particularly alcohol — and higher rates of dual diagnosis (mental illness plus substance use disorder).

Arizona spent over $776 million on substance use disorder treatment in 2024, much of it funded through Medicaid. Alcohol-related treatment was the single largest category.

Mortality data paints an even starker picture. Individuals with SMI who are unhoused die younger and at much higher rates than the general population. Accidental death, suicide, overdose, and chronic liver disease are all more common — especially among unsheltered individuals.

Men with SMI experience particularly high mortality rates, suggesting a need for more targeted housing and support services.

Hospitals Are Becoming the Safety Net of Last Resort

When housing is unavailable, hospitals absorb the consequences.

Emergency departments and inpatient psychiatric units often house individuals who are medically or psychiatrically stable but cannot be safely discharged due to lack of housing. The median waiting time for permanent housing for someone with SMI in Arizona is one to two years.

This leads to:

  • prolonged hospital stays,
  • high 30-day readmission rates,
  • increased inpatient psychiatric spending,
  • and avoidable strain on healthcare workers and systems.

Inpatient psychiatric expenditures for SMI patients in Arizona totaled hundreds of millions of dollars in 2024 alone.

The Financial Case for Permanent Supportive Housing

Arizona currently spends nearly $17,000 per person per year on care for individuals with SMI — much of it on crisis services, inpatient treatment, and emergency care.

Yet evidence consistently shows that permanent supportive housing reduces hospitalizations, emergency visits, incarceration, and overall public spending. Housing improves medication adherence, stabilizes mental health, and saves lives.

Despite this, Arizona’s investment in permanent supportive housing stays insufficient, and waitlists continue to grow.

Existing Programs — and Their Limits

Arizona has made meaningful efforts:

  • emergency shelters,
  • rapid rehousing programs,
  • street outreach,
  • prevention initiatives,
  • and pilot data-tracking tools.

But these programs cannot compensate for a fundamental shortage of housing units.

Proposed investments in new data systems and secure behavioral health facilities may improve coordination, but data alone does not house people. Without sufficient housing stock, individuals with SMI will continue to cycle through hospitals, shelters, and the streets.

A Path Forward

Addressing Arizona’s unhoused crisis — particularly among those with severe mental illness — requires prioritizing housing as essential infrastructure for health.

That means:

  • expanding permanent supportive housing,
  • reducing waiting times,
  • investing in affordable housing development,
  • and pairing housing with integrated mental health and substance use services.

This is not just a moral imperative. It is a financially responsible strategy that reduces strain on hospitals, lowers Medicaid expenditures, and improves quality of life statewide.

Housing Is Health Care

Arizona’s unhoused crisis cannot be deferred. With continued population growth and worsening climate conditions, the cost of inaction will only rise — in dollars and in lives.

When we house our most vulnerable residents, we don’t just provide shelter. We improve health outcomes, reduce public spending, and build a more resilient Arizona.

Housing is health care — and Arizona cannot afford to ignore that any longer.

Will Humble Vaccination, Wills Blog

Kennedy’s FDA Refuses to Review Moderna’s mRNA Flu Vaccine Application:

his decision leaves us more exposed during the next influenza shift

This week, the FDA declined to even consider Moderna’s application to license its new mRNA influenza vaccine.

This, despite strong clinical trial results. Those results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine was more than 20% more effective than a traditionally produced influenza vaccine in adults.

Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of Modified mRNA Influenza Vaccine | New England Journal of Medicine

So why refuse to even review it?

Kennedy has made no secret of his opposition to mRNA technology. He has publicly criticized mRNA vaccines… not only for infectious diseases, but also as a promising platform for cancer treatments, including pancreatic cancer. He also directed the National Institutes of Healthto cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in mRNA-related research grants.

Most traditional influenza vaccines are grown in fertilized chicken eggs. That process takes months. Scientists must first find the strain, adapt it to grow in eggs, scale up production, purify it, and distribute it. It works… but it’s slow.

mRNA vaccines are different. Once scientists know the genetic sequence of a new influenza strain, they can design and produce an mRNA vaccine in weeks.

That difference in speed could be decisive if a big late Southern Hemisphere antigenic shift.

If (when) we experience a major antigenic shift… especially one that appears during the Southern Hemisphere winter (our summer) we face a compressed timeline before the Northern Hemisphere flu season begins. With egg-based vaccines, we won’t have enough time to develop, produce, and distribute a matched vaccine before the virus spreads widely.

An mRNA platform could respond far faster. That means a better chance of having an updated, protective vaccine ready in time.

Refusing to even review a more effective and more adaptable flu vaccine increases our vulnerability during the next three years.

Kennedy’s blocking of this technology does more than stall one product. It signals to researchers and investors that the US is no longer a stable environment for mRNA innovation. That delays advances mRNA not only in infectious disease prevention but also in cancer treatment and other therapeutic areas.

And yet… scientific progress has a long arc. mRNA technology has already proven its value. Researchers across the globe continue to advance use of this promising technology. When leadership changes and Kennedy is finally gone, research momentum will return.

Public health preparation depends on evidence, speed, and flexibility. Turning away from a faster, more effective influenza vaccine (without even reviewing the application) is foolish.

Yet – that’s the world we’re living in (for now).

Will Humble Oral Health, State Legislature, Wills Blog

Bill Spotlight Healthy Mouths, Healthy Births: Why Medicaid Dental Coverage for Pregnant Women Improves Birth Outcomes

HB2958 passed out of House Health Committee last week. If it makes it across the finish line, it will create a pilot project to provide comprehensive oral health coverage for pregnant Medicaid members in Arizona.

Strong public-health evidence shows that poor oral health (especially gum disease) during pregnancy is linked to serious complications and worse birth outcomes. Expanding dental coverage during pregnancy is a proven prevention strategy that protects mothers and babies.

Why Oral Health Matters During Pregnancy

Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic infection that causes inflammation and bleeding. During pregnancy, inflammation can affect the placenta and trigger early labor. Bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of pregnancy complications. Low-income women are more likely to have untreated dental disease and less access to care, making Medicaid coverage especially important.

What the Evidence Shows

The strongest evidence comes from a peer-reviewed systematic review: peer-reviewed systematic review meta analysis. A systematic review combines results from many high-quality studies using clear rules, making it more reliable than a single study.

The review found that pregnant women with periodontal disease had significantly higher risks of preterm birth (60% higher risk), low birth weight (70% higher risk), preeclampsia (more than double the risk), and preterm low-birth-weight infants (over three times the risk).

The authors estimated that treating periodontal disease could prevent up to 38% of preterm births, 41% of low-birth-weight births, and 55% of preeclampsia cases (preeclampsia is marked by high blood pressure that can cause stroke, seizures, placental failure, premature birth, low birth weight, and even death).

How Dental Coverage Helps

Comprehensive dental coverage during pregnancy allows early treatment of gum infections, reduces inflammation, and lowers the risk of complications that lead to NICU stays and high Medicaid costs. Dental care is safe during pregnancy and recommended by major medical and dental organizations.

Bottom Line

HB2958 is a data-driven, prevention-focused policy. Covering oral health care for pregnant Medicaid members can improve birth outcomes, advance health equity, and reduce preventable medical costs in Arizona.

Will Humble State Legislature

Legislative Session Update: Where Things Stand Before ‘Crossover’

We’re approaching crossover week, meaning the bills start crossing to the other chamber if they’ve passed their chamber of origin. Most bills must pass at least one committee in their chamber of origin by this week to stay alive. Many won’t make it. Some will be revived through procedural maneuvers. That’s how this place works.

We see real progress in Medicaid dental access, behavioral health reform, licensing modernization, and workforce development. At the same time, there’s sustained pressure to weaken vaccine policy, and narrow SNAP flexibility.

Crossover week will narrow the field, and our list will get smaller… but the session is far from over. Below is where things stand—organized by policy area—with our positions clearly noted.

Remember, you can check on the status of any of these on the Legislature’s RTS system at Introduced Bills.

AHCCCS & Medicaid Policy

We Support

HB2051 – Breastfeeding & Lactation Coverage
Passed House Health
Expands AHCCCS coverage for inpatient and outpatient lactation services and addresses reimbursement gaps that have limited provider participation.

HB2542 – Preventive Dental Care
Passed House Health
Allows the existing $1,000 emergency dental benefit to be used for preventive services—an important modernization step.

HB2958 – Dental Care for Pregnant Members
Passed House Health
Requires AHCCCS to cover comprehensive dental services during pregnancy, funded through prescription rebate dollars.

SB1372 – Medicaid Dental Study Committee
Senate Health 2/18
Creates a committee to evaluate feasibility of a broader adult dental benefit.

HB2177 – American Indian Waivers
Passed House Health
Restores tribal waiver services discontinued in 2010, improving access to culturally appropriate care.

SB1169 – Graduate Medical Education
Passed Senate Health
Provides $18M in funding authority for residency expansion to strengthen the workforce pipeline.

We Oppose

SB1236 – AHCCCS Enrollment Verification Expansion
Passed Senate Health
Adds additional quarterly and monthly data-sharing and verification layers, increasing bureaucracy without clear evidence of improved integrity.

Behavioral Health & Serious Mental Illness

We Support

HB2673 – Mental Health Screening in Jails
Up in House Health this week

Requires screening, assessment, and treatment for incarcerated individuals when indicated.

HB2923 – Court-Ordered Treatment Reform
Up in House Health this week

Clarifies judicial standards and strengthens due process protections.

SB1716 – Clozapine Monitoring
Up in Senate Health this week

Prevents dangerous medication interruptions for individuals with serious mental illness.

SB1813 – State Hospital Governance Reform
Up in Senate Health this week

Extracts the Arizona State Hospital from ADHS and establishes independent governance to resolve conflict-of-interest concerns.

Vaccination & Public Health Authority

We Oppose

HB2005 / SB1194 – Vaccination Status; Unprofessional Conduct
Prevents clinicians from declining electively unvaccinated patients.

HB2248 – Medical Interventions; Prohibition
Sweeping anti-vaccine bill micromanaging private and medical entities.

HB2086 – Mask & Vaccine Mandate Prohibition
Restricts businesses and governments from requiring vaccination or masks.

HCR2056 – “Right to Refuse” Constitutional Amendment
Would amend the Arizona Constitution to prohibit vaccine or treatment requirements across nearly all settings.

SB1011 – Vaccination Status on Death Certificates
Requires medical examiners to record vaccination status on death certificates.

SB1212 – Vaccine Incentive Payment Restrictions
Prohibits insurers from tying vaccine administration payments to performance measures.

SNAP & Public Benefits

We Oppose

HB2206 – SNAP Error Rate Mandate
Requires reduction of SNAP payment error rate to 3% and imposes forensic audit requirements.

HB2396 – SNAP Allowed Purchases Changes
Requires DES to seek waiver altering eligible foods.

HB2448 – SNAP Work Requirement Waivers
Restricts the state’s ability to request federal waivers.

HB2797 – SNAP/TANF Verification Expansion
Adds substantial administrative burden to eligibility processes.

We Support

HB2683 – SNAP Shutdown Contingency Fund
Creates $5M reserve to protect benefits during federal shutdown.

HB2224 – Produce Incentive Program ($2M annually)
Invests in healthier food access.

Health System Oversight & Licensing

We Support

HB2176 – ADHS Licensing Reform
Prevents “license swapping,” improves notice standards, and formalizes dispute resolution.

HB2194 – Prior Authorization Appeal Transparency

HB2195 – Nursing Facility Survey Reform

HB2914 / SB1564 – Electronic Monitoring in Long-Term Care

HB2178 – Licensed Chief Medical Officers

Immigration & Civil Liberties

We Oppose

SB1051 – Hospital Immigration Status Reporting

Will Humble Behavioral Health, Professional Development, Wills Blog

AzPHA is Proud to Announce our 98th Annual Conference

“From Crisis to Care: Improving Outcomes in Arizona’s Behavioral Health System“

Friday, May 1, 2026: Desert Willow Conference Center

AzPHA’s 98th Annual Conference will focus on strengthening Arizona’s behavioral health system and improving outcomes for people with mental and behavioral health needs.

Arizona’s behavioral health system sits at the intersection of public health, Medicaid, housing, courts, and community-based services.

This year’s conference will highlight innovative strategies, evidence-based practices, and policy approaches that move the system beyond crisis response toward sustainable, person-centered care. Our final agenda will be released in late February and will focus on:

  • Policy, Advocacy, and Systems Change
  • Serious Mental Illness & Population-Specific Needs
  • Integrated Care and Community Well-Being
  • Crisis Response and Civil Commitment Systems
  • Maternal Mental Health & Perinatal Care
View Our Sponsorship Opportunities & Benefits
Register to Sponsor or Exhibit Today!
Will Humble Social Determinants, Wills Blog

Know Your Rights in Arizona: A New State Resource to Protect You & Your Neighbors from ICE and CBP

With only weeks to go before ICE and CBP may descend on Arizona en masse – it’s important for people to know their rights when they’re being profiled, challenged and detained by agents.  

As such, Governor Hobbs launched a new state website called Know Your Rights this week which outlines the rights people have during those interactions.

When federal agents come into towns or neighborhoods, people can feel scared, confused, or unsure of what to do. Knowing rights ahead of time makes it easier to act calmly and protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors.

Here are some of the key things the new resource walks you through:

1. Your right to remain silent

You don’t have to answer questions about your immigration status, where you were born, or how you entered the country. Staying calm and quiet can protect you legally.

2. Your right to refuse entry into your home

ICE and other agents cannot just walk into your house. They must have a valid warrant signed by a judge — not just anything they claim is a warrant. You can ask to see it before you open your door.

3. Your right to ask for a lawyer

If you’re stopped, detained, or questioned, you have the right to a lawyer. You can say, “I want to speak with a lawyer,” and then remain silent until you do.

4. Your rights as a protester or observer

Arizona law recognizes the right to peacefully protest, observe law enforcement, and express views — as long as it stays lawful and non-violent.

Protect Yourself and Others

Take a few minutes today to visit: Home | Know Your Rights and become familiar with these rights before you ever need them.

Knowing what you’re legally entitled to do — and when to stay silent — can make all the difference in a frightening moment. It’s a tool that every Arizonan should carry in their head and heart.

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