Upcoming legislative session could shape public health policies

In anticipation of the upcoming legislative session, public officials may focus on prevention and policies that protect population health statewide.

Will Humble, Executive Director at the Arizona Public Health Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss what to expect from this Legislative session.

In recent years, there has been a lack of residential options for patients with mental illness. Humble said he hopes to see an expansion in residential and community treatment for these patients.

Humble also discussed health care costs, health perspectives on emerging speed limits, and more.

“Every year there are…lots of bills that are good for public health, and lots of bills that would be bad for public health,” Humble said, “…what I try to do is find the good bills, and find those that need a boost…push back on bills that are bad for public health.”

One area that Humble has focused on improving is residential and community treatment for persons with serious mental illnesses. Humble emphasized how a big and unrecognized cause of homelessness is linked to the lack of permanent supportive housing for those with mental illnesses.

“…a lawmaker sees the need for something, and then starts pursuing a good bill like that,” Humble explained, “…so I try to help things like that get across the line.”

One bill has been proposed to fund a state study on “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” which would be assigned to the state health department. Humble explained how the department has its hands full regulating and running living centers and hospitals.

“…it’s not a good use of agency time,” Humble said, “…there’s no way to do a study on something that doesn’t exist as a diagnostic phenomenon.”

Humble emphasized how he is not concerned about the changes the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, has made to the children’s vaccine schedule with the CDC.

“So all these vaccines that were changed in the childhood schedule are still paid for in doctors offices,” Humble said, “…clinicians are not going to listen to secretary Kennedy, they are gonna listen to the academy of pediatrics…the informational aspect part of it is bad, but in terms of structural vaccine accessible, that’s gonna remain okay.”