AZ public health leaders prepared to battle coronavirus, Ducey says

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials have the go-ahead to test at the state level for coronavirus cases and are awaiting test results for a second potential case of COVID-19, a novel disease that has sickened nearly 89,000 worldwide and killed six in the U.S.


Advocates think health care funds safe – for now – but worry about trend

WASHINGTON - Arizona health care advocates are confident that President Donald Trump's plan to slash billions from health services is "dead on arrival" in Congress - but that doesn't mean they're happy with the administration's direction.


ASU students describe rush home from China after coronavirus

LOS ANGELES – ASU students studying with the Chinese Language Flagship Program in Nanjing, China returned home as COVID-19 advances.


Transgender group applauds transfer of detainees from criticized ICE facility in New Mexico

PHOENIX – Twenty-seven transgender migrants have been moved from a detention center in New Mexico to other facilities. The Cibola County Correctional Center in New Mexico has long been criticized for alleged mistreatment and improper care of transgender detainees.


Coronavirus victim out of quarantine, officials see ‘no risk’ of spread

WASHINGTON - The Maricopa County individual who tested positive for novel coronavirus has been released from quarantine after receiving multiple negative tests for the virus, the Maricopa County Public Health Department said in a statement Friday.


Airlines, CDC work to more quickly track passengers exposed to coronavirus

LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities issue rule to require airlines to share data of coronavirus exposures more quickly.


Vaccinations give migrants hope and health as they wait to enter the U.S.

SAN LUIS RÍO COLORADO, Mexico – With U.S. officials rejecting requests to vaccinate those held in border facilities, some organizations are working to get migrants the health care they need – on the Mexican side of the border – before they request asylum in the states.


Report: Low pay makes disability caregivers a ‘workforce in crisis’

WASHINGTON - Arizona fared relatively well in a national report card on its care for people with developmental disabilities, but advocates fear those services are being threatened by low pay and high turnover rates for caregivers creating a "workforce in crisis" - in states across the country.


‘Othered’: Coronavirus fears spur bias against Asian Americans

LOS ANGELES – Fears about the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus that’s affecting tens of thousands in China are motivating racism against Asian Americans in the U.S., where 13 cases but no deaths have been reported.


New mental health center adds 192 beds to underserved Maryvale neighborhood

PHOENIX – The Valleywise Behavioral Health Center, which will provide nearly 200 beds and other patient services, has opened in the old Maryvale Hospital.


Ahead of ‘public charge’ change, advocates struggle to keep Hispanic families enrolled in benefits

PHOENIX – Advocates continue struggling to keep qualified Hispanic families enrolled in public programs like food stamps and cash assistance amid changes to the so-called public charge rule. The U.S. Supreme Court last month decided to let the rule take effect, and that happens on Feb. 24. It allows immigration officers to consider applicants’ use of public benefits, including Medicaid, in deciding to grant green cards, visas and changes in residency.


Veterans with PTSD turn to sports, physical activity as alternative method of treatment

PHOENIX – Study finds that participating in intense sports and other outdoor activities is an effective alternative treatment for PTSD.