The Vitalyst Spark Podcast

Health coverage - specifically open enrollment for the health insurance marketplace, aka the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. If you or anyone you know currently do not have health insurance coverage – during a pandemic no less – now is your time! this episode originally uploaded in November of 2020

As we have throughout the pandemic, it’s time to check in on a community health issue that pre-dated COVID and has only become more pressing since. As you’ll hear more about from our guests, 2019 was supposed to have been a peak level of opioid addiction and misuse, but things look much different now. There is a pernicious shift from dirty heroin to clean prescription drugs, but that clean perception is deceptive, given the power and peril that an opioid like Fentanyl delivers. In basic grade school economic terms, we are witnessing more supply and more demand than ever before. Opioids are a nearly ubiquitous threat to Arizonans, and this crisis is very much worthy of deeper discussion. This episode was originally uploaded in May of 2021

This is a replay of the Arizona's Evictions Crisis podcast taking a look at the potential powder keg of pending evictions in Arizona. Even as the pandemic is putting an enormous strain on health care systems, its economic impacts are profound and equally difficult to fathom. According to the National Council of State Housing Agencies, upwards of 250,000 renters are currently in danger of eviction. Originally uploaded in January of 2021

Today we’re connecting with you, our listeners for whom we are so grateful, with a brief message to talk about what’s next for this summer, and for this podcast.

in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, here are two truths that will be at the heart of today’s episode: (1) housing is health; and (2) the dearth of supportive, affordable, and workforce housing in Arizona continues to rear its head when it comes to Arizona residents and their ability to be well. Never was the idea of housing as health made more obvious than during the worst moments of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Those moments were an exclamation point on what the data already has told us for years: Health outcomes are dramatically better – and health care costs are dramatically lower – when Arizonans have affordable quality housing for shelter and respite.The pandemic continues (particularly with the rise of the delta variant), extreme heat has already left its first mark on Arizonans, and yet the struggle for more housing that’s available to more people continues. You’re about to hear from three Arizona experts about why that is the case, and what we can do about it. (Spoiler alert: a big element that we’re missing rhymes with “analytical skill.”) Our experts have a lot to share, including multiple publications and an important toolkit, links to all of which are found in our show notes.So let’s get to it: It’s time to talk about inclusionary zoning, LIHTC, nimbyism, ADUs, teacherages, a trust fund, and so much more, as of July 6, 2021.

As Pride Month 2021 comes to a close, take the time to hear from two awesome Arizonans who are our favorite kinds of folks for you to meet. You might think, “yeah sure,” here come people who are clearly passionate about something that matters to them. But listen carefully to this conversation, and we’d wager that you’ll discover two people who connect, invest, collaborate, and advocate because they care about all of us together. They care about our entire state’s health and well-being. They model the behaviors they seek.So let’s get to it: It’s time to talk about the power of inclusion over exclusion, Non Discrimination Ordinances over Ballot measures , movements over marginalization, mega-tents over megaphones, and much more, as of June 28, 2021.

Today, our topic is first responders and behavioral health. More specifically, we’re diving into an amazing documentary called Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops.As you’re about to hear, documentary filmmaker Jenifer McShane spent years following the work of two members of the San Antonio Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit. Viewers of the film walk in their shoes, as well as in the shoes of the people that these officers are assisting.It is nothing short of powerful filmmaking regarding a transformational approach to mental health crisis response - and we should note that this film exists thanks to significant support from Arizona’s own David and Lura Lovell Foundation. In this episode you’re going to hear directly from Jen and officer Ernie Stevens. At the end of this podcast, we’re going to give you information on how to stream Ernie and Joe: Crisis Cops. And more importantly, how all first responders nationwide can experience this fantastic film for free right now.So let’s get to it: It’s time to talk about first responders, the people they’re called upon to help, the connection and empathy that is central to a better outcome, and much more, as of June 14, 2021.

Today’s COVID-19 Roundtable is set against the backdrop of continued, mostly positive developments in Arizona. U.S. case rates have hit the lowest point since the pandemic began, Arizona case rates are lower but stubbornly plateauing, while vaccination rates are consistently declining. The Federal goal of 70% vaccination by the 4th of July has been reached by 12 U.S. states. Projections tend to show that Arizona will not join them.Meanwhile, data shows that unvaccinated Arizonans with no antibodies from previous infection face the same risk of infection as ever. Of course, from a population health perspective that group of Arizonans becomes smaller by the day.There is still a lot to process, a lot to learn from, and a lot to improve upon. So let’s get to it: it’s time to talk about the public health value of school closures, comparison of the current COVID impact to the typical flu season, the future of telehealth and telework, variants, vaccines, the worldwide pandemic context and more, as of June 7, 2021

This pandemic certainly isn’t over yet, but sharper edges of uncertainty are finally starting to round off somewhat, which gives us more space to think, to process what we’ve been going through, and to learn – or to at least identify what we want to learn more about. The focus now is on achieving herd immunity, drawing upon data and lessons, and building a better future.This is our first episode since the CDC changed masking requirements, allowing vaccinated Americans to generally put their masks aside, while putting the rest of us on the honor system to stay masked if not vaccinated. Some are happy, some are frustrated, others are annoyed. Polling indicates that Americans don’t trust each other to do the right thing. Daily life is still a negotiation of will vs. rules, of grace vs. anger, and of individual rights vs. public space.So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about retail vaccine strategy, return on sacrifice analysis, the multiple aspects of the schools conundrum and more as of May 24, 2021.

For this COVID-19 Roundtable, it probably won’t surprise you at all that we’re going to talk quite a bit about vaccines. We are also going to talk about ASU’s latest predictive modeling results regarding the next four months, and we’re going to paint a picture of how hospitals and health care professionals are trying to process and recover from a very stressful time. Plus, did you ever think a podcast focused on COVID would also talk about pizza boxes? In this episode we will, in fact, check that box.We have reached a state of pseudo-balance. Arizona is still experiencing a moderate to substantial rate of new COVID cases from the much more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant. The balance point comes from a combination of people who have already COVID and those who are vaccinated.There is no guarantee that balance will hold. What’s required is finding ways to get more and more Arizonans vaccinated. As Will notes, we’ll get to herd immunity, but the question is when. And how.So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about putting all the puzzle pieces together, taking pizza boxes apart, getting people off of fences, and getting shots into arms as of May 10, 2021.

As we have throughout the pandemic, it’s time to check in on a community health issue that pre-dated COVID and has only become more pressing since. As you’ll hear more about from our guests, 2019 was supposed to have been a peak level of opioid addiction and misuse, but things look much different now. There is a pernicious shift from dirty heroin to clean prescription drugs, but that clean perception is deceptive, given the power and peril that an opioid like Fentanyl delivers. In basic grade school economic terms, we are witnessing more supply and more demand than ever before. Opioids are a nearly ubiquitous threat to Arizonans, and this crisis is very much worthy of deeper discussion.You’re about to hear from two long-term warriors in the fight against addiction and overdose – one from an innovative and lifesaving recovery center, and one from the center of Arizona’s acute care and addiction medicine leadership. So let’s get to it. Together, we’re about to get updated on the opioid and opiate landscape, its frustrations and surprises, treatment options, and even a couple of drop the mic moments regarding the Opioid Crisis, as of May 3, 2021.

Two weeks ago we asked you to tell us if the Roundtable is still helpful. You responded with resoundingly positive feedback, and thank goodness because our experts really wanted to keep going – and boy are we going to get into it today. New executive orders, the ins and outs of getting shots in arms, needed policy changes and more. The big and small shocks, the bouts of exhaustion, and the aggrievements of this pandemic continue to reverberate, which means we have more to explore, reflect upon, make sense of, and grow from.While we’re at it, let’s not lose sight of COVID’s worldwide context either. On April 26 New Zealand detailed 3 new cases, the U.S. recorded 34,641, and India reported more than 350,000 new confirmed cases - for the fifth straight day. Here in Arizona, meanwhile, the new case counts are stubbornly not declining, while the daily count of vaccinations is.All of which is to say that there is much to discuss with our roundtable guests, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk B.1.1.7’s ascendance, what’s going on with hospitals and health care professionals, how COVID is becoming a young person’s disease, how to make vaccines more convenient, and where we might go next as of April 26, 2021.

This time out at the roundtable, vaccines are at the core of this episode more than ever before. Specifically, how U.S. vaccination rates are working to slow the spread, if International vaccinations can stem an influx of troubling variants into the U.S., what is going on with vaccine hesitancy, and when might we envision something like meaningful herd immunity. Those topics are far trickier than you might imagine. For example, up until now, herd immunity was a distant goal. Now it is coming into view, and we actually need to wrap our arms around what’s going to be acceptable for us as a country, and ultimately as a worldwide community.You’ll hear our panelists dig into herd immunity, discuss how we dig out of the tremendous psychological impact that the pandemic has had, and really wrestle with problems like continued inequity, vaccines for kids, and providing the pure convenient access for all Arizonans. It’s still a race between virus mutation and mass vaccination. For the moment it appears the U.S. is ahead of the game, but indications from states like Michigan are making many experts wary.So let’s get to it. March Madness may have been settled in terms of basketball, but for COVID we’ve transitioned to anxious April. Which means that it’s time to talk effectiveness, exhaustion, hesitancy, mutations, infections, frustrations, and more as of April 12, 2021.

In this episode we’re headed North – right up to Glen Canyon Dam in fact. Not far from the now Insta-famous Horseshoe Bend lies the city of Page and a unique pandemic-era story with lessons for all of us. This tourism-oriented city didn’t suffer the kind of economic disarray that would have precipitated steep declines in well-being and health. Something else altogether transpired instead in response to COVID, and it happened in contrast to how things played out in other parts of our state. During the days when many Arizonans were still trying to figure out which way was up, and still more of us were deeply engaged in rapid cycle learning about how COVID worked, Page simply got to work.You’re about to hear from two people who galvanized the business community to act in order to prevent the loss of businesses, jobs, and residents during the pandemic. Page’s behavioral health, physical health, and civic health would all rise and fall on how well the city weathered the COVID storm. This is the story of how Page Arizona navigated pandemic waters economically, so that it could continue to support community health and well-being, as of April 5, 2021.

The Spark is taking it to the streets! Arizona overall and Tucson in particular had already been engaged in a variety of efforts to re-activate streets in ways that better connect us as people - harmoniously, whether those users are car drivers, transit riders, cyclists or people of various modes and abilities. And then? A little thing known as COVID-19 came a-calling. At first, our streets were nearly deserted. And then they weren’t. All of a sudden we had different needs, while other long neglected needs became urgent. As we transitioned through stages of the pandemic and social change in 2020, public and open spaces became more essential than ever, but in brand new ways.And that’s what this discussion is all about. How can we utilize streets – which can also be re-considered as perhaps the single largest public real estate investment of any place – in combination with open spaces in order to create community health, well-being and vibrancy?This conversation picks up where another report left off. Click the link below for "Creating Vibrant Communities," the 113th Arizona Town Hall Background Report. Throughout the course of last year and 2021, Community Town Halls are convening virtually to discuss the broader question of how to create community vibrancy. This podcast zeroes in on one chapter, the role of streets, transportation and open space. And wow, have things changed since COVID began.It’s time to talk about streateries, parklets, neighbors connecting in new ways, the realities of a how a downtown business district survives and thrives, how a nonprofit cancels some of its biggest events and does the same, and how a city can best support everyone’s efforts to create community vibrancy, as of March 22, 2021.

This episode marks an anniversary: one year since this podcast’s COVID-19 roundtable began. In those early moments while we were busy sorting out what we were facing it was fairly well understood that the pandemic was not a short-term event, yet this 26th roundtable discussion seems a little surreal as we all harbor guarded hopes for better days ahead.The last 12 months have been a terribly rocky road: (1) through politicization of public health interventions that disfigured the U.S. response, (2) through the prism of systemic racism with the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, (3) through rapid cycles of scientific data, healthcare experiences, and vaccine development, and (4) through the reality that American health care resources are not without limits. Many people stayed home. Many others risked their lives in essential roles. We are asked to distance from each other when all we wanted was to be together. We were unable to recognized life milestones in traditional ways. On top of all that, three longstanding American myths - of equality, abundance, and exceptionalism - got shaken to their core.Which is why it seemed like the right time to spend this roundtable separating the wheat from the chafe. What, and who, and how did we lose? What did we learn? If anything, what did we gain? How, as of this moment anyway, might we go forward? For that matter, what do the next one, three, or six months look like?These are the questions we’ll approach on our one-year anniversary of the Vitalyst Spark COVID-19 Roundtable. With apologies to Clint Eastwood, it’s time to take a look back AND a look forward at the good, the bad, and the ugly of COVID-19, as of March 15, 2021.

In this episode we’re introducing you to a report and a concept that could make all the difference when it comes to improving educational outcomes in Arizona. The work of Trauma Sensitive Schools sits firmly at the intersection of both education and health. It’s nearly impossible to separate the two. They are interwoven when it comes to a young child’s capacity to show up ready to learn. They are intertwined when it comes to strong educational outcomes that are the basis of economic opportunity. And they are inseparable as key factors for a long and healthy life. As you’ll hear our guests remark repeatedly, everything starts with a true relational connection for our kiddos, and that’s what Trauma Sensitive Schools are all about.This episode is packed with paradigm shifting insights, so let’s get right to it. It’s time to talk about applying neurobiological insights to the very present and daunting tasks of improving health and educational outcomes in Arizona, as of March 8, 2021.

Our roundtable is back. We’ve got a mixed bag of good news and bad news, along with some longer-term implications that we can’t totally be sure about yet. Regardless, it is important that we continue to have our experts share what they know and what they don’t, as well as project what may happen in the future. At times, they’re processing, sorting and adapting in real-time – kind of like we all have been since this pandemic first began challenging our daily lives at just about this time a year ago.Today, you’ll hear us processing the latest news on how the decline in cases and deaths has turned into a plateau, and possibly a newly unsettling trend of increase. Plus we’ll get more into how our healthcare system is doing, how statewide vaccinations are progressing, how new vaccines could help, and how what happens worldwide makes the difference for us in the U.S. and in Arizona too.There’s a lot to learn about in this episode, so let’s get right to it. It’s time to talk about what’s going on with Arizona’s rates of infections, hospitalizations, deaths, vaccinations, and more as of March 1, 2021.Link: Death, Through a Nurse's Eyes (New York Times video of Valleywise COVID ICU)

In the three years since this podcast originally launched, we’ve talked consistently about the need for policy change, yet we’ve never produced an episode focused on an Arizona Legislative Session. But that all changes today.In this, our 64th episode (cue the Beatles When I’m 64), we’ve got some policy champs on the line to talk about what’s going on related to health care, housing and food during this 2021 Legislative Session. The big question, of course, is “how does the pandemic shape what’s happening down there” – and we’re going to get right into that big time in this episode.It’s time to talk about what’s going on with food systems, housing and health care at the 2021 Arizona Legislative Session, as of February 22, 2021.

This week we’ve got a brand-new panelist and we’re digging into what everybody wants to know about: what’s going on with vaccines?!? It’s clear that Arizona as a state is staking its future on two strategies for COVID. The first relies on individuals being asked to do the right things regarding mitigation. The second relies on vaccinations. We’ll talk about where the numbers are today and what they tell us about mitigation, and then we will shift to all aspects of vaccination, including systematic successes, operational shortcomings, and racial and income inequities – as well as the need for approval of more vaccines to address all of the above.There’s a lot to learn about in this episode, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about the Arizona’s improving numbers, plus all things vaccination-related, as of February 15, 2021.

This week we’re zooming out from Arizona to gain a more global view of COVID-19. You’re about to meet a complexity science physicist, an epidemiologist at the heart of a successful national COVD strategy, and an independent health care analyst who bridges international and U.S. perspectives. You’ve heard a lot on this podcast about policies and systems for mitigation. Today, the topic shifts to the strategy of elimination: how other countries achieved it while the United States did not, along with thoughts as to why and what can be done next.There’s a whole new perspective learn about in this episode, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about the international picture of the pandemic: what we’ve seen in the world, and what can be learned from different countries’ actions, as of February 8, 2021.

So much is happening right now: (1) our healthcare heroes and hospital systems continue to be pushed to their limits, (2) at least one new and highly transmissible coronavirus strain is confirmed in Arizona, (3) the death toll climbs, and (4) the toll of social, health, and economic impacts increases too. On the other side of the equation the race to ramp up vaccine approvals, and get actual “shots in arms,” gains momentum. Today, we’ll work to get a handle as to where Arizona stands on each of these items.One fact still stands out: Arizona continues to lead the nation in terms of weekly average new COVID cases. It was twelve months ago that our state confirmed its first COVID case. We have amassed a year of learning, and it still boils down to this: in order to slow the spread, you’ve got to stay home as much as you can, wash up and mask up when you can’t, and shrink your circle. It really, truly, is that simple. When we don’t do these things, cases rise and more people die. When we do, cases fall and we save lives. Do your part. Slow the spread. Be COVID smart.It’s time to talk about our healthcare heroes, a COVID 2020 year in review, what’s up with new vaccine approvals, and what’s going on with the current vaccine rollout, as of February 1, 2021.

This week’s episode marks the start of a journey into the health, well-being and vibrancy of Arizona’s tribal communities. Tribes comprise 7% of this state’s population, and have governmental responsibilities across 25% of its land mass. Yet tribes are far too misunderstood, and far too little recognized for their wisdom and strengths.Our three awesome guests took on a daunting task: providing an overview of Arizona’s tribes for the 113th Arizona Town Hall background report entitled Creating Vibrant Communities. The work they did was such a great contribution that space in the report was expanded to give more momentum to busting some myths, building knowledge, and opening up new possibilities.So let’s get to it. It’s time to open up the discussion about Arizona’s tribal communities, starting with an introduction to the Arizona Town Hall Background Report chapter, its authors, the tribes’ COVID experiences, and much more, as of January 25, 2021.

COVID-19 continues to spread substantially in Arizona, leaving few corners of life untouched. You’ll hear quite a bit of discussion between our two guests about just why that is – and you will be hearing from two guests instead of three precisely because of COVID: long-time participant Dr. Nicholas Vasquez started our session at the table, but was drawn away five minutes into the recording by the urgency of another COVID fatality. In fact, as we release this episode, the U.S. will record its 400,000 death from COVID-19, and you’ll hear more perspective on that from Dr. Joshua LaBaer in a few minutes.400,000 American deaths is a deeply troubling milestone, and urgent policy and change will be needed to slow the spread and stem the tide of hospitalizations and deaths. Please contribute to slowing down the spread: wash up, mask up, and shrink your circle. The more people we bump into, the more chance there is for COVID-19 to spread. It’s that simple. The capacity of our health care system to care for Arizonans is at stake. The well-being of our frontline health care workers is at stake. The lives of Arizonans are at stake. Do your part. Shrink your circle of contact. Be COVID-smart.Alright, let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about where we’ve gone wrong; how we might want to think about the rules of the road going forward; the latest on operation warp speed and the warped rollout of vaccines; and when some sense of normality might return, as of January 18, 2021.

For episode two of 2021, we’re taking a look at the potential powder keg of pending evictions in Arizona. Even as the pandemic is putting an enormous strain on health care systems, its economic impacts are profound and equally difficult to fathom. According to the National Council of State Housing Agencies, upwards of 250,000 renters are currently in danger of eviction.We’ve said it many times before. Housing IS health. So, how do we work to avoid yet another potential health crisis triggered by evictions? That is the half-a-billion dollar question. Landlord communications, rental assistance, utility assistance, and legal assistance are all parts of the equation. Help is on the way for landlords and renters. To make sure people are aware of what’s going on and what’s possible, we’ve got three great guests from the legal realm and a new website to talk about at azevictionhelp.org.It’s time to talk about the pending wave of evictions and Arizona. Most importantly, it’s time to talk about resources to help stem that tide, as of January 11, 2021.

Welcome to 2021 and the first Vitalyst Spark podcast of this new year. We are starting up right where we left off - with our COVID-19 Roundtable. Here is what’s to come in this episode: first, a look at where we are now and reflection as to how Arizona got here; next, some analysis of what individuals and communities are thinking and doing; and thirdly, just what the heck is going on with the slow rollout of vaccinations. It’s a conversation filled with great insights, serious frustrations, and surprising revelations that you do not want to miss.Before we get to the conversation, know that today brought more striking COVID news for Arizona. You’ll hear us talk about having the fifth-highest population-adjusted weekly average case rate. But just hours after recording, Arizona officially vaulted to number one in the U.S., per data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Community spread is currently orders of magnitude higher than anything experienced earlier this year. Hospitals and their staffs, as you’ll hear in more detail, are at or near breaking points. And the case rate trajectory indicates that system stresses will increase over the coming weeks.Please contribute to slowing down the spread: wash up, mask up, and shrink your circle. The more people we bump into, the more chance there is for COVID-19 to spread. It’s that simple. The capacity of our health care system to care for Arizonans is at stake. The well-being of our frontline health care workers is at stake. The lives of so many Arizonans are at stake. Do your part. Shrink your circle of contact. Be COVID smart.You won’t find any New Year’s resolutions in this episode, but you will find Arizona realities and revelations regarding COVID-19 as of January 4, 2021.

elcome to the final Vitalyst Spark podcast of 2020. We are finishing this year with our 20th COVID-19 Roundtable just after Emergency Use Authorization for a second vaccine from Moderna. It also arrives among very long shadows cast by record high new daily and weekly case counts, record high hospitalizations, and unthinkable numbers of deaths. The U.S. is experiencing fatality rates that are equivalent to or greater than a daily 9/11. Some realities of how we are handling this pandemic have become maddeningly frustrating. Meanwhile, other realities have to be acknowledged as part of a learning curve. And still others – like getting two highly effective vaccines developed in less than a year – are to be celebrated. We’re going to touch on all three of those realities in today’s discussion.What can you do this holiday season? Enjoy it. Safely. That means not only should you wash up, mask up, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans out there. It also means that we’ve got to slow down the spread. And that means that we all need to shrink our circle. The more people we bump into, the more chance there is for COVID-19 to spread. It’s that simple, so please: be COVID smart. The capacity of our health care system to care for our fellow Arizonans is at stake. The well-being of our frontline health care workers is at stake. The lives of so many Arizonans are too. Do you part. Shrink your circle of contact. Be COVID smart.Alright, let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about the numbers, health care capacity, front line worker burnout, contact tracing, state metrics for businesses and schools, vaccines, the powers of science, the media, and more… as of December 21, 2020.

Today’s COVID-19 Roundtable is a little schizophrenic. On the one hand, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, in the form of pending emergency use authorizations and vaccine rollouts. On the other hand, you can expect somewhere between 36 and 70 Americans to die just in the time it takes for you to listen to this podcast episode at regular speed. In Arizona, case counts are at new highs, hospital capacities are being strained, and there is no sign that any of these numbers will soon peak or decrease. In fact, the sobering reality is that the opposite is true.In the near term especially, we need to take extra special care of ourselves and our communities. As you’ll hear from our guests in this episode, we’ve got to do everything we can using what we now know. Three factors determine potential for infection: people, space, and time. More people = more risk, less space = more risk, and longer time = more risk. There is a big difference between a well-spaced walk in the park and a small, indoor bar that’s filled with people. Bars and restaurants have been shown to be more risky for COVID-19 by a significant factor. The CDC is urging us to limit travel and to limit the number of people at. Do your best Arizona. Wash up, mask up, and maintain physical distancing to help manage the risks of people, space, and time.Alright, let’s get to it. It’s time to about the latest information on vaccines – but also what’s happening with community spread and health care systems as of December 7, 2020.

This roundtable arrives after another two weeks of big, and fast, developments. Generally speaking, we can lump most of what’s happened into two buckets – the good news (about vaccines in particular), and the not-so-good news (about big COVID-19 case increases nationwide, including here in Arizona). This episode was recorded just three days prior to a very unusual Thanksgiving holiday: no Macy’s parade, Thanksgiving football with few people actually in stadiums, and strong recommendations from public health officials about large gatherings for extended periods of time indoors. Here’s one way to think about your Thanksgiving celebrations: we can now see the light at the end of this COVID-19 tunnel, but we’re not there yet.Our health and well-being is shaped by three factors that determine exposure to potential viral load: people, space, and time. More people = more risk, less space = more risk, and longer time = more risk. There is a big difference between a well-spaced walk in the park and a small, indoor bar that’s filled with people. Bars and restaurants have been shown to be more risky for COVID-19 by a significant factor. The CDC is urging us to limit travel and to limit the number of people at family gatherings. Do your best Arizona. Wash up, mask up, and maintain physical distancing to help manage the risks of people, space, and time.In this episode we're talking about what’s happening in terms of good news about vaccines – but also what’s happening with the not-so-good news related to Arizona’s COVID-19 case growth, hospital capacity decreases, and more, as of November 23rd, 2020.

ur advice to you from podcast HQ for this episode is to buckle up. We’ve had an influx of COVID-19 developments and news, much of which broke just before, during, and after our November 9 recording session. Our panel will cover the before and during – including the latest numbers, Pfizer’s big vaccine effectiveness announcement, and much more. We ask that you stick around for a minute or two after the panel ends to get an update on Arizona schools and in-person learning. Suffice it to say that things are moving quickly right now. Luckily, we’ve got three experts around the table to help you navigate and make sense of all of it – backed by more data than ever to help clarify what it is that we do and don’t know. And the data is clear on this: our collective well-being during this pandemic is shaped by three factors that determine exposure to potential viral load: people, space, and time. More people = more risk, less space = more risk, and longer time = more risk. There is a big difference between a well-spaced walk in the park and a small, indoor bar that’s filled with people. Do your best Arizona. Wash up, mask up, and maintain physical distancing to help manage the risks of people, space, and time. Alright, let’s get to it. It’s time to vaccines, task forces, trusting scientists, the numbers, and the somewhat tricky COVID-19 tightrope we’re walking with case counts on the rise as of November 9, 2020.

Today our topic is health coverage - specifically open enrollment for the health insurance marketplace, aka the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. If you or anyone you know currently do not have health insurance coverage – during a pandemic no less – now is your time!Between November 1 and December 15, you can get free help from impartial, certified counselors who will help you get no-cost, low-cost, or the most affordable coverage options available.We’re going to get into revealing details of who doesn’t have coverage and how accessible no-cost or low-cost coverage might be for many currently uninsured Arizonans. We’re also going to talk about what the Affordable Care Act really gave us – and what we could all lose out on if it were to go away. And we’re going to get into those details because, honestly, it is a reality of U.S. health care that some type of insurance coverage is needed in order to get healthy and stay healthy. And here’s the thing: the Affordable Care Act is an expansive law that benefits all of us in ways we might even be starting to take for granted. Ending it will negatively affect everyone’s well-being, yet somehow there are many misleading messages are out there trying to discourage people about its very existence and functions.Our guests today have a lot to say about all of this, so let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about access to coverage and care, in particular just how accessible 2021 health insurance coverage is between right now and December 15, 2020.

After a half-year of rapid response to what’s been going on in the previous two weeks, this episode takes time to take stock of the entire past six-eight months and what we’ve learned. From there, we spend time looking forward – based on what we're learning - to formulate a sense of what life might look like in the coming months. And of course, we can’t help but conclude this episode with a look at the vaccines, and some Vegas odds on when we will see those vaccines reaching Arizonans.As our guests cover, masks are where it’s at. Be COVID Smart: Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain physical distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. This virus doesn’t care what month it is or what holidays are coming up. If we want continued lower numbers 2-4 weeks from now, our actions today make that difference.In a COVID Fall, Universities are models for testing, mitigation, and behavior change backed by enforcement, trick or treating is scarier than we’d like, and vaccines could be the subject of Vegas oddsmakers. Maybe. One thing we know about life with COVID is that you can’t be too surprised by new aspects of life with COVID. So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about what we’ve been through, what we’ve learned, and what life with COVID-19 looks like as of September 29, 2020.

Discussing education, equity and Health with Sara Gonzales with Gonzales Consulting, Stephanie Parra from All In Education, and Parent Advocate Jeanine Bashir.

When it comes to COVID, we could all use as much good news as we can get. And guess what, we got some on August 27, when eight of Arizona’s 15 counties moving to “moderate spread” status, while Greenlee County graduated to “minimal spread.” Since this is our first pandemic in over 100 years, it’s a good idea to know how to process this news, drawing from a breadth of expert perspective. That, and more, is what you’ll hear in this episode of our COVID-19 Roundtable.We’ve got two brand-new and intriguing guests that we’re excited for you to meet. But before we do, remember that rate of spread got to these levels, and can only aspire to stay at these levels, if we are all COVID Smart: Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain physical distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. If we want continued lower numbers 2-4 weeks from now, our actions today make that difference.Only with a topic like COVID can you get health experts to combine schools and bars, policymaking and college partying, or even the airing of droplets and the airing of misinformation. But we’ve got all of that here today as we talk about what life with COVID-19 looks like as of September 1, 2020.

he conversation we’re entering into today is both new and one we’ve been having together for a long time on this podcast. It’s a conversation about how to understand what makes community health more possible – and conversely what makes it far less possible.Henry David Thoreau – yes, the Walden guy – once wrote “not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.” Thoreau, while sitting on the shore of a secluded pond in the 1800s, clearly had the story of 21st Century health data in mind when he wrote this. OK, maybe he didn’t, but that quote fits the quest that Vitalyst has been on to share actionable, and equitable, data insights on community health so well that we’re going to repeat it: “not that the story needs to be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.”Here we are, in 2020, when it seems like everyone is an amateur epidemiologist thanks to COVID-19, yet we all still struggle to find accessible, understandable data; we struggle when that data contradicts dominant narratives; and we struggle to reconcile what the numbers can tell us about how communities can live better and thrive. Well, as the stoic philosophers like to say, the obstacle may be daunting, but the obstacle is the way. So today, we have two great guests who are involved in the health data struggle every day, and who lead a company that is helping Vitalyst, and six of Arizona’s County Health Departments, work through data obstacles so that we all can make better sense of the data and help formulate actions and solutions for communities to thrive.So let’s get to it. It’s time to dig more deeply into the fascinating trials and tribulations of public health data, the rise of a series of local and statewide health dashboards that you can access to learn much more about what is affecting community health, and how we all can build a more insightful, actionable, better understanding of health historically, presently, and in the years to come.

In the midst of one of our hottest summers ever, Arizona’s new confirmed COVID-19 case rate is starting to cool off. But as we should all know by now, actions and decisions today don’t become measurable numbers for weeks. It’s important to look back at what we’re learning, look ahead using that knowledge, and think carefully about the challenges we face together. You’re going to hear a lot of that processing of data, knowledge, and new opportunities in this week’s compelling COVID-19 roundtable conversation – one that we will top off with some emergent hope about testing.Here's your weekly reminder: Don’t stop being smart when it comes to COVID-19. Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. If we want continued lower numbers 2-4 weeks from now, our actions today make that difference.It’s time to talk about the data, policymaking, the importance of getting your flu shot, the great school reopening dilemma, coming bar and nightclub reopening decisions, vaccines, and new hope for faster, cheaper testing. In other words, it’s time to talk about what life with COVID-19 looks like as of August 18, 2020.

Today, we're switching things up. We’re focused on an action that sounds like not such a big deal in the face of a global pandemic and the long overdue attention to race and gender inequity. But here’s the thing: the 2020 U.S. Census matters precisely because of COVID-19 and the inequities that too many people in Arizona unjustly face. Yes, the Census.Know this: we only have until September 30, 2020 to get everyone who lives in Arizona counted, and right now – as of August 10 – Arizona residents are being undercounted more than we were in 2010. That has to change. Another one or two Congressional seats hang in the balance for our state, as does much needed Federal funding to address so many issues related to health and well-being. That’s why we asked David Martinez from Vitalyst to join us today. We’re not going to talk at you for long. We’re going to talk with you, and then ask you to take action. Time is running out to get this right, which is why we need everyone to step up and act. So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about why Census 2020 is so important to Arizona, why we’re still not getting counted, and why we’ve have to act now in order to get what Arizona needs for health and well-being statewide.

Welcome to August 2020 and the return of our COVID-19 Roundtable. Perhaps what’s changed more than anything in the last two weeks would be – in a word – confidence. There is increased confidence that Arizona has plateaued in terms of spread and healthcare resource utilization – although at a “high watermark.” There is increased confidence that we will see a vaccine sooner rather than later too, but many questions remain and we’ll talk about some of those today. Here is your weekly reminder: don’t stop being smart when it comes to COVID-19. Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. The reason Arizonans can feel some confidence right now is because we’ve been doing more of what it takes to slow the spread. We need to be in this together in order to get out of this together. Alright, it’s time to talk about the numbers, Arizona’s testing capacity and turnaround times, K-12 schools reopening, Universities reopening, the latest on vaccines and a new segment we call “heard it through the grapevine.” In other words, it’s time to talk about what life with COVID-19 looks like as of August 3, 2020.

Today’s episode is a deep dive and worth your time given the important insights you’ll gain from three awesome advocates for Arizona’s LGBTQ communities. Fair warning, this episode clocks in as one of our longest so far. That’s because so many of us have a long way to go in terms of learning how to interpersonally and systemically support LGBTQ well-being. Arizona cannot lay claim to being a vibrant state without embracing, and learning from, its most vulnerable communities - communities that hold the keys for forward leaps in health and well-being for all Arizonans. Treat this long listen as a sort of two-part episode packaged together. In Part 1, we build understanding of what young LGBTQ communities face on a daily basis, with the added effects of COVID. In Part 2, we’ll go more in-depth regarding root causes and needed systems change. Plus we’ve got a terrific lightning round and a new segment called “once you see it, you can’t unsee it.” So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about safety, inclusion, supportive environments, oppression, dominant culture, capacity and training, policies, systems and much more. More concisely it’s time to talk about LGBTQ communities, Arizona, and COVID-19. Show links:Kore Press Institute: Website, Facebook, Twitter, InstagramEquality Arizona: Website, Facebook, Twitter, InstagramGLSEN Phoenix: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Buckle up, pour yourself a beverage, turn up your speakers and/or get those headphones secured and get ready – because this COVID roundtable really packs an informative punch. Round for round, pound for pound, this is the episode for analysis, perspective and even for hope. For one thing, Arizona appears to be doing a lot less worse according to the numbers. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a long way to go, but the trend is no longer going the wrong way. And that’s because, among other things, people are doing more of the right things. So don’t stop now. Stay-at-home as much as you possibly can; wash up; mask up; maintain social distancing, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. We need to be in this together in order to get out of this together. There’s much more to get into. So, here we go. It’s time to talk numbers, systems, policies, gating criteria, school reopenings, collective community goals, economic and social supports, and health insurance. And we’ve got a robust and detailed vaccine discussion for you today. In other words, in this, our fourth month of the roundtable, we’ve got a lot to share.

First and foremost everyone here at Vitalyst is thinking about every one of you. Wash up, mask up, maintain social distancing please, and keep a heads up for your fellow Arizonans. As COVID-19 cases are increasing significantly in our state, so are our temperatures – and, sadly, our wildfires. COVID-19 didn’t respond to increasing heat, but our natural resources, our built environments, and our health and well-being most certainly do. Heat is a major challenge for Arizona. We should continuously be talking, innovating, and iterating on it. Today we’re launching Part one of our first two-part dialogue on heat. In two weeks, we’ll be talking about actions being taking by cities and organizations focused on our most vulnerable populations. But first, today we’re talking with three experts about how we should more deeply understand the issues. After all, big challenges are best understood when we take them apart, understand their components, engage authentically with community members, and uncover root causes that affect health and well-being. So, with that simple but challenging agenda in mind, let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about coalitions, systems, governments, planning, airports, air conditioning, bus stops, communities and health as things heat up for Arizona in the summer of 2020.Links:Urban Land Institute "Scorched" Report: Summary Release, Report PDFMaricopa County Bridging Climate Change and Public Health: Web page, Strategic Plan, Things You Can DoHeat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago by Eric Klinenberg

Arizona’s new case rate trend is significantly upward, putting our state in the national spotlight. The Governor issued a new Executive Order allowing local government action regarding face masks. An inexpensive steroid has emerged as a possible COVID-19 treatment. Heck, yesterday it was announced that the Apple Watch will soon give you an automatic 20-second hand washing countdown when it senses the combination of your hand motions and the water’s flow. In other words, it has been just another fairly intense two weeks of COVID time that sometimes felt like two years, and we’re here to help you process and analyze it all. Once again, Dr. Nick Vasquez was unable to join us due to his Emergency Room duties. And Dr. Amish Shah was just barely able to squeeze in a conversation, calling into the podcast while on a short break during his own emergency room shift.Get more detail on the numbers, new municipal ordinances, and much more. It’s time to talk about healthcare, public health, policy, and community as we move past the longest day of the year and continue adapting to life with COVID-19.Links:ADHS COVID-19 dashboardASU Biodesign Institute Critical COVID-19 TrendsThe COVID Tracking ProjectHospitalizations - Maricopa County Department of Public HealthPaul Romer: Roadmap to Responsibly Reopen AmericaThe Arizona Republic: Doctors Talk About the COVID-19 Beast (featuring Dr. Amish Shah)

COVID-19’s effects on our communities are statewide, systemic, and extend far beyond healthcare or jobs. In fact, it is exposing and exacerbating the challenges our communities face when it comes to food. The running joke may have been about toilet paper early on the pandemic, but places like Ajo and the Navajo Nation literally faced empty store shelves and no food for days and weeks. It shouldn’t ever be this way, which is why the women you’re about to meet have been working for years to build stronger local food systems across Arizona – and why they’re working even harder at the moment. Our three guests today are passionate individuals who spend as much time on the land itself as they do pushing for policies, systems, and environmental changes that are crucial to ensuring equitable, local access to healthy, affordable foods. Last week, we promised you an important episode with plenty to chew on. Well, get ready, because we’ve got it right here.

rankly, there is no podcast episode we can release this week that can begin to address the enormity of what has taken place in this country over the past week. What you are about to listen to was initially recorded in January 2020. It’s about the power and the practice of Storytelling, based on a project that key community advocates engaged in starting in 2017. Given the very real need for us to cultivate understanding and empathy, this work and this episode have universal application, but also may deserve a place in your ears at this time.Listening - truly listening to another person’s life experience - is one possible step that can help us be better than we have been. Storytelling is a fundamental tool for how we can connect to, and learn from, each other. And we are fortunate to Stephanie Luz Cordel and Liz Warren as our guides.We’ve been waiting for some time to release this episode. Sharing it now seems to make sense because right now we need deeper understanding. And to better understand… we need to listen – intently – to stories.Publications discussed in this podcast:Storytelling as a Catalyst for Systems ChangeStorytelling for Resident Leaders

Two weeks down the timeline from our last dialogue on the pandemic, we are back at it again – following a unique Memorial Day weekend no less – with our next COVID-19 Roundtable. Recorded on May 26th, we start with the numbers, keeping in mind that the story they tell today reflects the actions and community behaviors of roughly 2-5 weeks ago. Roundtable member Nick Vasquez, featured in May 25th’s Arizona Republic in an article on healthcare worker burnout, takes us on a tour of his current emergency room physician life. Will Humble, featured in May 26th’s Arizona Republic article on increases in hospital capacity, continues his insights from a public health perspective. And Marcus Johnson brings it all around with key policy perspectives. If you’re not familiar with the term “pre-vaccine pandemic” yet, that’s probably because we coined it in this episode. But you will be familiar with what it means and what it tells us by the time you’ve listened in. Links:ADHS COVID-19 DashboardASU Biodesign Institute Critical COVID-19 TrendsThe COVID Tracking ProjectOur World in DataMaricopa County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Tracking5/25 Nick Vasquez Arizona Republic article5/26 Will Humble Arizona Republic article Two weeks down the timeline from our last dialogue on the pandemic, we are back at it again – following a unique Memorial Day weekend no less – with our next COVID-19 Roundtable. Recorded on May 26th, we start with the numbers, keeping in mind that the story they tell today reflects the actions and community behaviors of roughly 2-5 weeks ago. Roundtable member Nick Vasquez, featured in May 25th’s Arizona Republic in an article on healthcare worker burnout, takes us on a tour of his current emergency room physician life. Will Humble, featured in May 26th’s Arizona Republic article on increases in hospital capacity, continues his insights from a public health perspective. And Marcus Johnson brings it all around with key policy perspectives. If you’re not familiar with the term “pre-vaccine pandemic” yet, that’s probably because we coined it in this episode. But you will be familiar with what it means and what it tells us by the time you’ve listened in. Links:ADHS COVID-19 DashboardASU Biodesign Institute Critical COVID-19 TrendsThe COVID Tracking ProjectOur World in DataMaricopa County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Tracking5/25 Nick Vasquez Arizona Republic article5/26 Will Humble Arizona Republic article

COVID-19 has not only flipped daily life on its ear, it has also exacerbated big challenges that Vitalyst and its partners have been working to solve. Not sure what we mean by big challenges? Well, look no further than issue of available, safe, and affordable housing. Throughout Arizona, supportive shelter was increasingly out of reach for far too many residents B.C. – that’s before COVID. Now, things are far more challenging and urgent. No one yet knows the exact increase in the numbers of Arizonans experiencing homelessness, in need supportive housing, or hoping to not have to choose between say “rent and food,” or “rent and filling a prescription,” but it’s fair to assume that COVID-19 hasn’t made the lack of affordable housing any less of a crisis unto itself.Many experienced health care and government partners agree: housing IS health care. In fact, there’s another curve out there to flatten: the spike in the numbers of people for whom shelter-in-place is impossible, for whom the concept of a supportive home is a challenge at the least; or even worse a high-cost, high-stress, overwhelming burden.Here’s the thing: there is opportunity in crisis. Very smart, very dedicated people have been working on housing all over the state. So we asked some of them to join us today. We all need to know what tools we might use to make positive progress when it comes to ensuring that everyone can find a place they can call home.

As we move towards the middle of May, and the beginnings of statewide re-openings, our COVID Roundtable returns. This time around - as of our March 11 recording date - we’re a feeling much like you are: a little bit worn down by how much – and how fast - things have changed since February and March. And, quite frankly, a little bit frustrated that we still have so little to go on about what will happen next. That said, buckle up. We still found plenty to discuss. The state of our health care and public health systems, testing and tracing, the need for a new rallying cry beyond “flatten the curve,” and so much more. At its core, the novel coronavirus simply wants to do everything it can to spread from human to human. This podcast at its core simply wants to spread smart thoughts about how we will respond, adapt, and find our way forward. We ALL need to take advantage of every opportunity these days to process where we’ve been – and smartly plan where we want to go together.So let’s get to it. It’s time to talk about where we are now, and how we move forward, centering health and the Social Determinants of Health in the context of COVID-19.

t is truly important right now that we gain a shared understanding of COVID-19’s impact on our people, our systems, our policies, and our places. We’re going through this together. The learning is real-time. No corner of our communities goes untouched. That includes the people whose very job it is to help us. Which is why we’re back today with an episode focused on our first responders.There has been a lot of coverage of front-line healthcare workers, but little to no discussion of how front-line police, fire and emergency medical services personnel are doing. This episode is for them. You’re about to hear some stunning examples of how an already very stressful and challenging job is now much more stressful – and learn what is being done to address that reality. The human beings we rely upon to help us in an emergency are facing their own unique health challenges, particularly now.Please note: if you are - or someone you care about is - a first responder, please know that assistance is available. Courtesy of Dr. Dara Rampersad, here is a directory of sources to get help:Arizona Resources:AZ Crisis Line: 877.756.4090100 Club of Arizona: 602.485.0100Be Connected for Veterans/Military/Family: 866.4AZ.VETS (429.8387)Fire Crisis Support Line: 602.845.FIRE (3473)National Alliance on Mental Illness-AZ (NAMI): 602.244.8166Oasis Behavioral Health: 855.351.8939BluePaz, LLC: 602.345.1425, bluepaz.comWebsites:firestrong.orghttps://www.100club.org/wellness/Apps:https://www.100club.org/bulletproofhttps://www.100club.org/fireproof/ (coming soon)National:National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.TALK (8255)Safe Call Now (First Responders): 206.459.3020Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741Survive First: 844.577.7233Copper Springs for First Responders: 866.575.1979Chateau Recovery for First Responders: 949.547.7040 - ThayerRecovery Ways: 801.803.9962 - VickieCopline: 800.267.5463Survival Mindset Consulting: 757.328.5672Cop 2 Cop: 866.267.2267IH2 Foundation: 480.383.9054

We’re back today with our latest, twice-monthly COVID-19 roundtable discussion. This time around, we welcome The Arizona Public Health Association's Will Humble and Emergency Room Physician Dr. Nick Vasquez. They have plenty to discuss: health policy, infection testing, contact tracing, antibody testing, re-opening, health policy, economics and the social determinants of health, psychology, public health, and more.The good news? You don’t have rethink your personal stance on physical distancing practices in order to get these updates from our roundtable guests. All you need to do is listen – and, take a moment or two to reflect as you do. The pace of COVID-related change may be starting to shift. If that’s true, we all need to take advantage of the opportunity to process where we’ve been – and smartly plan where we want to go together.

he coronavirus pandemic has placed several elements of a healthy community center stage, and not the least of these is affordable, accessible, healthy food. That’s why, a few weeks ago, we sat down with two members of the Maricopa County Food System Coalition to learn about local food production. Were it not for COVID-19, the Coalition was all set to hold a big five-year anniversary event this past March. Today, we’re moving part of the purpose of that celebration online, by introducing you to the coalition’s breadth and depth, illuminating key concepts and issues, and sharing with you the fantastic work the coalition has been doing.Listen now, as we talk about the role of food systems in creating healthy communities – especially in the context of COVID-19 – and discover what we can do together to improve health and well-being in Arizona.Links:The Maricopa Food System Coalition: https://marcofoodcoalition.org/Local First Arizona Foundation's Good Food Finder AZ: https://www.goodfoodfinderaz.com/ Pinnacle Prevention COVID-19 Resources: http://www.pinnacleprevention.org/covid-19-resources.htmlGrab n' Go Free School Meals during COVID-19: https://www.azhealthzone.org/summerfood/Double Up Food Bucks Unlimited during COVID-19: https://www.doubleupaz.org/blog/2020/3/19/unlimited-double-up-covid19