The Arizona Department of Health Service’s motto is "Leadership for a Healthy Arizona," and I believe that you will find on this site many ways that we provide that leadership. I like to say that we are with Arizona residents from birth to death – because we provide the certificates that record both events. Of course, this site will provide you with information on how to obtain those certificates through our Office of Vital Records. But there is much, much more. You will find the many other ways we help improve the lives of all Arizonans by controlling epidemics, ensuring safe food and water, testing virtually all newborns for seven metabolic disorders and by monitoring hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, child care centers and other licensed facilities.
  
The Department also is the lead agency in Arizona for providing behavioral health services. On this site, you can find out how to access the system through the Division of Behavioral Health Services. We also operate the Arizona State Hospital, which provides psychiatric services to some of our state’s most neediest residents.

I also am very proud of our Tobacco Education and Prevention Program, which provides affordable smoking cessation services.

You will also find volumes of health information about Arizona residents through our Bureau of Public Health Statistics. It is easy to spend hours poring over the data contained in this site. Of course, this site also provides the latest health information through news releases and health alerts.

On this site you also will find our Strategic Plan* for improving the health and safety of all Arizonans and our 2006-2007 Annual Report* [PDF 639K].

We are happy to provide this service to you, and welcome your feedback on this site.

Thank you for spending some time with us,

Susan Gerard
Director
Arizona Department of Health Services

*Note: Acrobat Reader™ is required to open the files in PDF format.