Will Humble Behavioral Health, Professional Development, Wills Blog

Agenda Update: AZPHA Spring Conference – From Crisis to Care: Improving Outcomes in Arizona’s Behavioral Health System

From Crisis to Care:
Improving Outcomes in Arizona’s Behavioral Health System
May 1, 2026: Desert Willow Conference Center

The Arizona Public Health Association’s 2026 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

  • AI & Behavioral Health

  • Keynote address from Dr. Georges Benjamin, APHA Executive Director

View Our Agenda

Register

View Our Sponsorship Opportunities & Benefits

 

Will Humble Vaccination, Wills Blog

Mayes Sues CDC Over New Vaccine Schedule

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is challenging the way federal vaccine policy is being rewritten — and she’s right to do it.

Her lawsuit targets recent actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Kennedy that scaled back universal recommendations for seven vaccines: rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.

But this case isn’t just about the vaccines themselves.

It’s about the process.

As we wrote back in early January, the initial schedule changes created less immediate disruption than the headlines suggested. Insurance coverage didn’t end. School requirements in Arizona didn’t suddenly change. Pediatricians largely kept practicing according to long-standing evidence.

But we also warned that the real threat wasn’t the first round of changes.

The federal vaccine system depends on a structured, evidence-based process led by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. That committee reviews data, debates publicly, and makes formal recommendations. Those recommendations drive insurance coverage mandates, clinical practice, and public messaging.

According to the lawsuit, that process was bypassed (and it was).

Kennedy cleared out ACIP and replaced members. Then, without the standard evidentiary review, a new vaccine schedule was issued. The suit argues the decision memo relied on officials with no statutory role in CDC vaccine policy development.

That’s a shortcut. And shortcuts in public health policy matter… especially when they involve immunization infrastructure that protects millions of kids.

Here’s the bigger issue: Kennedy is likely to remain in this role for 2.8 more years. If process shortcuts go unchallenged now, the risk becoming legally normalized.

That’s why this lawsuit matters.

Even when the immediate policy change seems modest, defending the process is important. The judicial branch is one of the few institutional guardrails available right now. Challenging procedural violations slow down Kennedy’s unilateral actions.

Protecting evidence-based vaccine policy isn’t only about today’s schedule. It’s about preserving the decision-making framework for the next several years.

Kudos to AG Mayes for taking up the mantle and defending evidence based public health policy.

Will Humble Disease Control, State Legislature, Vaccination, Wills Blog

HCR 2056: The “Right to Refuse” Constitutional Amendment Dismantles School Vaccine Protections & Undermines Public Health Authority

The Arizona House is expected to pass HCR2056 next week. If that happens, the Senate becomes the last real opportunity to stop it. Because this is a referendum, the Governor can’t veto it. It would go straight to the November ballot.

On the surface, HCR 2056 sounds simple. It proposes a constitutional amendment recognizing a broad “right to refuse medical mandates.” The language is framed around personal freedom and bodily autonomy.

But here is what the measure actually does: It effectively ends school vaccine requirements, undermines public health authority, and takes away the ability of schools and preschools to protect students from exposure to a host of disease and infestation threats.

Arizona voters could decide future of vaccine mandates in November

The constitutional amendment (if approved by voters) would prohibit government entities from requiring individuals to accept medical products or treatments as a condition of employment, education, or access to public spaces. That includes schools.

While the proposal never explicitly says “this eliminates school vaccine requirements,” that’s what it would do. Arizona’s longstanding immunization requirements for school attendance would be unenforceable. Additionally, if the voters approve it, a judge will surely say the existing school vaccine requirements are unconstitutional and order them to stop.

Arizona bill would enshrine right to refuse medical mandates in state constitution | Arizona Capitol Times

Public schools could no longer require routine childhood vaccinations as a condition of enrollment.

But there’s more.

Under current law, county health officers have authority to exclude unvaccinated students from school during outbreaks of diseases like measles AAC 9 Title, Chapter 6 Article 33 AZ Administrative Code… a long-standing public health tool used to slow transmission and protect medically vulnerable children.

A tool that will be increasingly important as measles again becomes endemic because of falling vaccination rates (even without a constitutional amendment ending school vaccine requirements).

If this constitutional amendment passes, that authority would disappear too. During a measles outbreak in a school, local health officials couldn’t exclude unvaccinated students while the outbreak is being contained (until they get vaccinated).

Likewise, schools wouldn’t be able to protect students from exposures to diseases and conditions like Meningococcal meningitis, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Scabies, and even Lice.

Using the lice example, a school or preschool would no longer be able to send a kid home from school or preschool pending application of anti-lice medication (pediculicide). Same thing for the other diseases listed above.

Again, the proposal doesn’t say this directly, which is why it’s so sneaky.

HCR2056 Is a Constitutional Amendment — Not a Statute

Ending school vaccine requirements and the associated ability of schools and county health departments to respond to outbreaks would be in the Arizona Constitution making it nearly impossible to fix later.

Statutes can be adjusted as circumstances change. Constitutional amendments cannot. This would permanently limit Arizona’s ability to respond to future infectious disease threats.

The Political Reality

If HCR 2056 reaches the ballot, it’ll trigger a high-dollar campaign with the biggest pockets on the ‘vote yes side. Well-funded organizations like Turning Point Action and other national advocacy groups have already proven their willingness to invest heavily in ballot measures like this one.

Expect them to use simplified slogans about “medical freedom” and “parental rights” and use their dough to confuse people into voting yes.

Don’t expect clear explanations about the loss of school vaccine standards or the elimination of outbreak exclusion authority from their side. We’ll need to do that if it happens.

The Bottom Line

School immunization requirements have protected Arizona children for generations. Outbreak exclusion authority has prevented measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases from spreading widely in classrooms.

HCR 2056 would undo both.

The Senate now has an opportunity to prevent this measure from reaching the ballot. If it advances, Arizona’s public health and healthcare communities will face a difficult and expensive campaign to defend basic disease-prevention safeguards.

We’ll be collaborating with a host of others over the next couple of weeks to get the word out to the Senate about how bad HCR2056 is. We’ll see soon enough if it works.

If our advocacy doesn’t work – then we’ll need to pivot ourselves to a fall campaign to educate millions of voters about why this is BAD.

Will Humble State Legislature, Wills Blog

Halftime at the Capitol: What’s Still Alive, What’s Dead, and What’s Dangerous

We’re basically at halftime of the 2026 legislative session.

By the end of next week, bills must have been heard in their committees of origin to stay viable. They don’t all need a final floor vote yet—but the clock is ticking. Expect long third-read sessions, especially in the Senate (the House already did its 4 a.m. marathon last week).

Only two bills are up in committee next week: HB2178 and SB1247 — and we support both.

Many bad bills have died quietly. Some good ones too. Plenty remain. And remember: the most important bills — the budget — don’t even exist yet.

Our top priority in the budget will be ensuring AHCCCS and ADES have the funding to implement HR1 by January 1, 2027. If we don’t prepare, hundreds of thousands could lose Medicaid and SNAP coverage. We also absolutely need to keep HCR2056 off the ballot.

View our updated AZPHA Bill Tracking Spreadsheet

Here’s where things stand.

Public Health Authority & Vaccination Policy

❌ We Oppose

  • HCR2056 – Awaiting House Floor Vote
    Would amend the AZ Constitution to prohibit any entity (including schools) from requiring vaccines or treatments as a condition of employment, education, public access, or benefits. Also strips outbreak control authority. Extremely dangerous.
  • HB2248 – Passed Full House
    Anti-vaccine bill prohibiting businesses and private entities (including medical facilities) from setting vaccine requirements. Likely vetoed if it reaches the Governor.
  • HB2086 – Passed Full House
    Prohibits governments and businesses from requiring masks or proof of vaccination (hospital carve-out unclear).
  • SB1194 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Prevents clinicians from declining electively unvaccinated patients.
  • SB1212 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Prohibits vaccine incentive reimbursement structures.
  • SB1011 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Requires medical examiners to record vaccination status on death certificates.

Healthcare System & Licensing Reform

✅ We Support

  • HB2176 – Passed Full House
    ADHS licensing reform. Stops “license swapping,” improves complaint transparency, structured dispute resolution.
  • HB2195 – Passed Full House
    Skilled nursing reform. Timelines, access to personnel records, CMS-aligned investigations.
  • HB2178 – Passed Full House; Senate Health next week
    Requires state chief medical officers to hold an active AZ MD/DO license.
  • SB1247 – Passed Full Senate; House Health next week
    Allows a non-service recipient to live with someone in assisted living (with consent).
  • SB1112 – Passed Full Senate
    Allows acquaintance witnesses in court-ordered mental health hearings.
  • SB1113 – Passed Full Senate
    Allows evaluation agencies to serve documents if court-authorized.
  • SB1169 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    $18M appropriation authority for graduate medical education slots.
  • SB1564 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Requires long-term care facilities to disclose video monitoring policies.
  • SB1813 – Passed Full Senate
    State hospital admissions based on clinical need—not geography. Removes Maricopa cap.

AHCCCS & Medicaid Policy

✅ We Support

  • HB2051 – Passed Full House
    Expands AHCCCS breastfeeding and lactation coverage.
  • HB2177 – Passed Full House
    Restores tribal waiver services discontinued in 2010.
  • SB1372 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Forms committee to study comprehensive Medicaid dental benefit.

❌ We Oppose

  • HB2448 – Passed Full House
    Limits ADES ability to seek work requirement waivers.
  • HB2797 – Awaiting House Floor Vote
    Adds burdensome verification requirements for SNAP/TANF.
  • SB1236 – Awaiting Senate Floor Vote
    Adds bureaucratic eligibility checks for AHCCCS.
  • SB1368 – Passed Full Senate
    Restricts SNAP purchases to narrow statutory list (pending USDA waiver).

Oral Health

✅ We Support

  • HB2542 – Dead
    Would have allowed preventive dental care under AHCCCS emergency benefit.
  • HB2958 – Dead
    Would have provided dental coverage for pregnant AHCCCS members.

Behavioral Health & Serious Mental Illness

✅ We Support

  • HB2673 – Awaiting House Floor Vote
    Requires mental health screening, assessment, and treatment in county jails.
  • HB2923 – Awaiting House Floor Vote
    Improves judicial review standards for court-ordered treatment.
  • SB1112 / SB1113 / SB1813 – See above (all positive SMI reforms).

Reproductive & Gender-Related Bills

❌ We Oppose

  • HB2060 – Passed Full House
    Prohibits university health centers from mentioning abortion care.
  • HB2085 – Passed Full House
    Prohibits gender-affirming procedures for minors, including hormones.
  • HB2364 – Passed Full House
    Makes mailing abortion-inducing drugs a Class 4 felony.

Long-Term Care & Elder Protection

✅ We Support

  • HB2228 – Passed Full House
    Improves accountability in elder abuse reporting to the AG.
  • SB1247 – See above (assisted living flexibility).

Bills That Have Died (Not Exhaustive)

A number of problematic bills are gone, including ivermectin OTC (HB2007), fluoride prohibition (SB1019), religious exemption expansion (SB1016), and “Trump Derangement Syndrome” research (SB1070).

Some good ones also died — sun safety plates, jail clozapine fixes, preventive dental expansion — but we’ll regroup.

Bottom Line at Halftime

The most dangerous live bill is HCR2056. If it passes both chambers, it goes straight to the ballot. The Governor cannot veto it. That’s the one to watch. HB2248 is bad, but vetoable.

Meanwhile, the biggest fight is still ahead: the budget. If AHCCCS and ADES don’t get the operational funding to implement HR1’s work requirements and redeterminations, Arizona families will pay the price.

Will Humble Social Determinants, Wills Blog

Why Violent Immigration Enforcement Is a Public Health Crisis

Violent and indiscriminate immigration enforcement isn’t just a civil-rights or legal issue. It’s a public health problem that harms trust, safety, and community wellbeing.

The Center for Public Health Law, through the Network for Public Health Law, recently explained why in “A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds at Home.” Their analysis shows how aggressive federal enforcement by ICE and CBP undermines health, even far from the border.

https://www.networkforphl.org/news-insights/a-humanitarian-crisis-unfolds-at-home-violent-and-unlawful-immigration-enforcement-requires-us-all-to-respond/

Fear Is a Health Threat

Public health depends on trust. People need to feel safe seeking medical care, sending their kids to school, and reporting unsafe conditions. When enforcement is violent or unpredictable, families avoid clinics and withdraw from community life — not because they don’t want care, but because they’re afraid of what might happen if they interact with any authority.

That fear becomes chronic stress — and chronic stress drives poor health outcomes like anxiety, depression, and heart disease.

Communities Hurt Together

The Center’s report highlights that harm doesn’t stop with undocumented individuals. Clinics see fewer patients. Schools see reduced attendance. Community health workers lose contact with the people they serve. Public health agencies struggle to do basic prevention and outreach because people are too scared to engage.

Public health isn’t neutral about fear. Policies or actions that rely on force erode health, community cohesion, and essential social support systems.

Public Health Law Offers Guidance

Public health law helps us recognize when government actions start doing more harm than good. The Center for Public Health Law offers legal analysis and tools to guide policies that protect safety without undermining health or dignity.
https://www.networkforphl.org/center-for-public-health-law/

What AZPHA Is Calling For

As AZPHA’s statement earlier this week explained, violence and unaccountable federal enforcement are public health failures. We urged U.S. Senators to condition any Department of Homeland Security funding on verifiable accountability, independent oversight, enforceable limits on force, and protections for families — all grounded in public health principles.

Kelly, Gallego Introduce Bicameral Bill to Increase ICE Accountability and Keep Communities Safe – Senator Mark Kelly

The Bottom Line

Health depends on trust, safety, and access — not fear. If we care about strong communities and healthy people, we have to pay attention to how law-enforcement practices affect public health. Enforcement that harms health shouldn’t be accepted as normal. And public health law gives us a framework to say so clearly.

Will Humble Professional Development, Wills Blog

Public Health & AI Summer School Returns to Tucson — June 8–11, 2026

The University of Arizona College of Public Health is hosting its 2nd Public Health & AI Summer School on June 8–11, 2026, at the Grand Challenges Research Building (750 N Cherry Ave, Tucson).

After a strong inaugural year, the program is back with an expanded format and two distinct tracks designed to meet public health professionals at different stages of their AI journey.

This four-day, in-person training is built for students, faculty, research staff, and working professionals across disciplines. Whether you are just beginning to explore artificial intelligence or already experimenting with real-world applications, there is a structured pathway for you.

AI Literacy — Your Gateway to the AI Revolution in Public Health

If you are AI-curious but unsure where to begin, the AI Literacy track is designed for you. Over four immersive days, participants will build a practical understanding of what AI is, how it works, and how it can support population health practice and research.

No coding or technical background is needed. Participants will learn how to evaluate AI tools, craft effective prompts, and find proper use cases in areas such as surveillance, community health assessment, communications, and policy analysis. The focus is not hype — it is informed, responsible application. By the end of the course, attendees should move from curiosity to practical confidence.

AI Fluency — From User to Builder

For those already past the basics, the AI Fluency track goes deeper. This pathway emphasizes implementation: code versioning, geospatial analysis, responsible AI frameworks, and building pipelines using real datasets. Participants will work through hands-on exercises that move beyond experimentation toward deployable systems.

If you are leading or planning AI initiatives in your department, institute, or research program, this is the track that helps translate ambition into operational capacity.

A Significant Discount for Public Health Professionals

As they did last year, organizers are offering a substantial discount for public health professionals, including AZPHA members. This makes the program far more accessible for those working in practice settings who want to build AI capacity without stepping away from their mission.

Artificial intelligence is already reshaping public health. The question is whether we build the skills to guide it responsibly — or allow others to define its use for us.

If you are serious about strengthening your organization’s capacity in 2026, this is a practical opportunity to do so.

Learn more and register at:
https://ph-ai.me/

Will Humble Professional Development, Wills Blog

Professional Development Opportunities through the NARBHA Wellbeing Collaborative

The NARBHA Wellbeing Collaborative offers a range of professional development opportunities designed specifically for health professionals and organizational leaders who are committed to strengthening workforce wellbeing, resilience, and organizational culture across Arizona.

The Leader Roundtable is a distinctive, year-long leadership development experience for Arizona leaders who are actively working to build healthier, more compassionate workplaces. Unlike traditional training or short-term workshops, this program is designed to sustain and support leaders over time.

Participants engage in:

  • Mentorship from experienced leaders and facilitators
  • Peer learning with a cohort of like-minded Arizona professionals
  • Monthly guided reflection focused on leadership, wellbeing, and systems change
  • Project-based action, allowing participants to apply what they learn directly within their organizations

The Leader Roundtable is intentionally structured to energize and support those doing the demanding work of supporting workforce wellbeing, offering space for reflection, accountability, and practical leadership growth.

Who Should Apply

The program is well-suited for:

  • Health and behavioral health leaders
  • Executives, managers, and supervisors
  • Professionals responsible for workforce wellbeing, culture, or organizational change
  • Arizona leaders committed to compassionate, sustainable workplaces

Application Process and Deadline

Interested applicants must complete the online application form

Deadline: 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 1, 2026

Questions: Anca Castillo at info@designconvo.com

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.

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