Chronic Disease Prevention and Control
Numerous faculty members are collaborating with the Arizona Cancer Registry on a number of projects, as well as with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Diabetes Prevention & Control Program . Some of the specific efforts include a partnership with the Cancer Registry on several research projects, training seminars focusing on cancer data, participation in the development of the state cancer plan, participation in the state diabetes council, capacity building, technical consultation for the diabetes control program, consultation on asthma interventions, and so on.

In 2003, ADHS was awarded a STEPS to a Healthier U.S. grant for rural communities throughout the nation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Focusing on our three border counties, this extensive prevention project is building on an ecological model developed over the past three years for the Border Health Strategic Initiative and the Southwest Center for Community Health Promotion in collaboration with community partners in each of the border counties. The College provides the evaluation for the STEPS program.

Partnership in Public Health - Arizona Academic Health Department
In 2003, the College was one of 13 schools of public health in the U.S. to be awarded an Academic Health Department grant by the Association of Schools of Public Health. The goal of the Arizona Academic Health department was to formalize and solidify the ongoing collaboration between the College and the Arizona Department of Health Services. The scope of the project has been to strengthen capacity of current and future public health workers through strengthening cross-organizational infrastructure. This framework for regular interaction has strengthened the ability of both organizations to proactively address the critical public health issues facing the state.

Border Health Collaboration
The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health collaborates closely with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Border Health Office in meeting the public health needs of our border communities. Internships provide opportunities for our students to understand the complex issues of border health and contribute to the programmatic efforts of the Border Health Office. Faculty assists with specific technical assistance, research and evaluation expertise in support of the programmatic mandates of the Border Health Office. In addition, the Border Health Office and the College jointly sponsor the Border Health: Information for Action conference held every 18 months in a border community.

Native American Health Collaboration
The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health works closely with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Liaison Office for Native American Health in addressing many of the public health needs of our Native American communities. Participating in an initiative funded by ADHS to determine the priority areas for primary care and public health needs, faculty members participated in leadership roles in three forums throughout the state during 2001-2002. Presently, faculty serves on the planning committee for an ADHS initiative for a statewide conference addressing Native American health issues. The College provides the leadership for the Partners in Native American Public Health, a collaborative with a number of Tribal Nations throughout Arizona, the College and ADHS. The goal of the partnership is to build a tribally initiated public health movement.

Rural Health Collaboration
The Rural Health Office at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health has a long-standing relationship with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) in the development, implementation, and evaluation of specific initiatives that impact public health in rural areas. Because it is designated as the Arizona Office of Rural Health, recruitment and retention of health professionals for rural communities, access to care, and building collaborative networks are important areas of collaboration for both organizations. Working closely with the Health Systems Development Division at ADHS, the Rural Health Office has established the Health Policy Roundtable which meets as important issues emerge and need to be shared—for example, a roundtable was held to discuss strengthening the collaborative efforts of the myriad of programs throughout the state that are focusing on diabetes prevention and control. ADHS co-sponsors and participates on the planning committee of a statewide rural health conference which is organized by the Rural Health Office and the Arizona Rural Health Association.

Environmental Health Collaboration
Members of the Environmental and Occupational Health section at the College have several direct, ongoing collaborative ventures underway with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). An NCI-funded grant to the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health is working directly with ADHS modeling aggregate and cumulative exposure to several species of arsenic. Faculty members have been working directly with ADHS to further develop the state laboratory program. CDC has awarded funding in various states to develop laboratory capacity around environmental exposures. Our researchers have collaborated to help identify specific toxicants of concern in Arizona and denote those needing additional surveillance to protect the public’s health. Children’s health as related to environmental health is another important area of collaboration between the College and ADHS. We have undertaken several asthma and pesticide studies in conjunction with ADHS. Wildcat methamphetamine laboratories create environmental hazards (contaminant), create hazardous indoor air quality issues, and present a health risk to “workers” and others, particularly children, living in the buildings used for these illegal and clandestine operations. Remediation falls to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality but health impacts fall to ADHS. We have worked with these groups to develop a site treatment/ remediation plan around these illegal, clandestine labs and assess the health risks to exposed innocents.

Social Indicator Collaboration
The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families have subcontracted with the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health to identify and collect a specific set of social indicators across counties throughout the state in order to develop a process for gathering and monitoring archival data from across state agencies that could be used as accessible measures of environmental (social) variables associated with adolescent substance use.