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Vitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 150: 2025 Healthcare Marketplace Open Enrollment UpdatesThere have been lots of changes to the HealthCare Marketplace this year. From staff cuts to subsidy end dates, there is a lot to discuss to ensure Arizonans who need health care coverage know where to get help and what they can expect. Joining us from the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers is Claudia Maldonado, who oversees Arizona’s navigator grant from the Federal government. Links: Cover Arizona Connector to Schedule an Appointment Find a community health center - AACHC Health insurance plans & prices | HealthCare.gov
2025-11-2626 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 149: Vitalyst Update with Susan Pepin, Interim CEO and Board ChairOn today’s episode, we are back after a hiatus. A lot has happened in the world of community health, and at Vitalyst. We are catching up with Interim CEO and Board Chair Susan Pepin.
2025-09-3027 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 148: Medicaid’s Impending CutsThe U.S. Senate is currently considering a budget proposal that includes significant changes to Medicaid, building upon the House-passed "Big Beautiful Bill." While the Senate version is still under negotiation, some of the proposed changes to Medicaid, or AHCCCS in Arizona, include work requirements, provider tax limits, prohibitions on gender-affirming care, and increasing the frequency of eligibility verification to twice a year, among others. On this episode, we delve into the specifics of what this budget could mean for Medicaid with Vitalyst Trustees Will Humble, Ann-Marie Alameddin, and Wendy Armendariz, as they view it from various public health...
2025-06-2656 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 147: Medicaid’s Impact on Rural CommunitiesMedicaid has significantly improved access to health care for rural communities in Arizona by providing coverage to low-income individuals, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. It has helped sustain rural hospitals and clinics by offering crucial funding, reducing uncompensated care costs. As a result, Medicaid has played a vital role in maintaining health care infrastructure and improving health outcomes in these underserved areas. Dr. Jonathan Melk, medical doctor and chief executive officer of Chiricahua Community Health Centers based in southeastern Arizona in Cochise County, joined us to shed light on rural health care. 
2025-06-1857 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 146 - Partnering With Faith-Based Organizations to Build HousingPartners across the nation have found an untapped resource of land: churches. Vitalyst has been working with churches as part of an evolution of its school districts and housing work. LISC has been working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide information and tools to support faith-based organizations as they explore housing development. In this episode, we will explore how these two initiatives intersect and what opportunities are available. Links and Resources Guide:Working With Faith-Based Organizations on Affordable Housing Development Webinar: Building in God's Backyard  UCSD Housing C...
2025-05-2948 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 145: The Arizona Justice Reinvestment FundAfter the passage of Prop 207 in 2020, The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) was charged with creating the Justice Reinvestment Program. The proposition legalized recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and older and created the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which funds initiatives to increase safety and community resilience around arrest and incarceration, including the Justice Reinvestment Program. There are approximately $10 million in grants across four priority areas: Public and behavioral health initiatives for substance use prevention, treatment, and early intervention services. Restorative justice, jail diversion, workforce development, and mentoring services for economically disadvantaged individuals in communities disproportionately affected...
2025-05-0942 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 144 PAUSE - Taking a Step Back with Heather HiscoxNonprofits and professionals all across the country are on edge right now. With federal grants pausing and unpausing, the limbo must be a whirlwind for so many people working in the nonprofit sector. We all get into this work because we want to help people. But along the way, stuff gets in the way. The organizations and systems we all work with can be cumbersome and lead to frustration. How can we get out of our way? Heather Hiscox tells us on this episode.  Heather Hiscox - PAUSE for Change Website  Discover the Five Skills to...
2025-03-2644 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 143 - YIGBY: Yes, in God's Backyard InitiativeOn today's mini-episode, Vitalyst's Gabriel Jaramillo sits down with Nicole Newhouse of the Arizona Housing Coalition and Pastor Jeff Procter-Murphy of Dayspring UMC in Tempe to discuss the YIGBY initiative.  This innovative proposal would allow faith-based organizations to develop affordable housing on their properties without burdensome rezoning requirements. This initiative addresses one of Arizona's major obstacles: restrictive zoning that limits land availability for multi-family housing development.  Yes, in God's Backyard Initiative - Arizona Housing Coalition 
2025-03-0716 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 142 Looking back at 12 years as a Vitalyst Trustee with Nicholas VasquezNicholas Vasquez, MD, was a Vitalyst Trustee for 12 years and Chair from 2020 to 2022. He often joined the podcast during the pandemic. On this episode, we wanted to talk to him about his experience on the Board of Trustees and Vitalyst's evolution. He sprinkled in other thoughts and wisdom throughout our conversation.
2025-01-3159 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 141: The Civic Language Perceptions ProjectDavid Martinez III hosts this episode and has an insightful conversation with partners from Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation, and the Center for the Future of Arizona about how Arizonans view civic language. A recently published study finds that Arizonans react strongly to different civic language terms—more so than the rest of the country—and that these perceptions can enhance or hinder collaborative community conversations. 
2024-12-0443 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 140: What is Systems Change? A Conversation with FSG.At Vitalyst, we have been trying to demystify systems change as our Systems Change Grants application deadline nears in the middle of November. But we know it can still be confusing, so we had our friends at FSG join us for a conversation.  Additional Links:  Understanding Systems Change Spark Report – Report by FSG in collaboration with Vitalyst The Water of Systems Change Report by FSG The Water of Systems Change: Action Learning Exercise Clarifying Systems Change: An Interview with John Harper, CEO of FSG “Thinking in Systems” by Donella...
2024-10-3050 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 139: ALL in Education's Multilingual Minds InitiativeAs Latino Heritage Month was wrapping up, we sat down with the team at ALL in Education for a great conversation about the benefits of growing up bilingual and bicultural. Their new Initiative, Multilingual Minds, aims to uplift multilingual learners in Arizona and advocate for language equity in schools through awareness and policy changes. 
2024-10-2452 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 138: Pastoral Care Associates and the Intersection of Faith and HealthOn this episode, Reverend Michael Lessard of Pastoral Care Associates, a Vitalyst Spark Grant recipient, joined us before they held their Path to Complete Care Symposium. We talk about the importance of faith in healing, pastoral care and what was to come at the symposium. 
2024-10-1033 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 137: First Responder Mental Wellness: Mental Health Self-Care Practices for First RespondersAs part of an ongoing series looking into local practices, Arizona First Responder Systems and Mental Health Integration Spark Brief author, Matt Eckhoff, hosted a conversation with Dr. Gail Bradley, Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System, Medical Director, Arizona Department of Health Services; Captain Michelle Pickrom, Tucson Police Department; Sharon McDonough, Director, Public Safety Communications Department, City of Tucson; and Matt Shaw, Battalion Chief, Guardian Medical Transport in Flagstaff and rural northern Arizona. This conversation turned the lens inward into practices used by local departments to help their first responders deal with the trauma they encounter while serving communities.
2024-09-2640 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 136: TAPAZ 101 - What is Fiscal Sponsorship?On this episode, we are joined by the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona. Juan Salas, Director of Operations and Accounting, and Kelsey Otten, Assistant Director of Partner Engagement share about fiscal sponsorship, what it is, what services are available, what organizations qualify, and much more.    TAPAZ Website  Learn More About Becoming a Sponsored Project 
2024-09-1246 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkEpisode 135: The Vitalyst Discovery Process is OpenVitalyst opened its Discovery Process on August 1 for potential partners to explore partnership opportunities. Through the Discovery Process, Vitalyst team members learn about opportunities to support coalitions on their systems change journey. On this conversation with CEO Suzanne Pfister, and Director of Strategic Community Partnerships David Martinez III, we walk listeners through Vitalyst's different grant opportunities.    Links Vitalyst Grants and Partnership Opportunities  Spark Report: Understanding Systems Change
2024-08-2343 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE134: AHCCCS and KidsCareIn March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved AHCCCS's expansion of KidsCare eligibility to 225% of the federal poverty level, up from the earlier 200% cap. KidsCare will now allow kids whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid but less than 225% of the poverty line, which is right around $70,200 for a family of four, to pay an affordable premium for quality Medicaid (AHCCCS) coverage. Today’s conversation focuses on how Arizonans can connect to KidsCare and other resources to receive the healthcare coverage they need for their families.   Links Cover Arizona Coalition Kid...
2024-06-2737 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE133: The Arizona Emerging Leaders Network in Action: Raising Special KidsIn episode 130, we spent time with Sara Gonzalez, Belen Gonzalez, and Melia Dunn, talking about the Arizona Emerging Leaders Network and its origins and evolution. Now, we get to sit with one of the executive directors who was part of the Emerging Leaders Network. Chris Tiffany, Executive Director of Raising Special Kids, sat down with Melia Dunn and me and shared very candidly what a personal and organizational DEI journey can be—from victories to struggles. Links Raising Special Kids Website: https://raisingspecialkids.org/ Arizona Emerging Leaders Event Page: https://hexagon-sawfish-wahp.squarespace.com/azem...
2024-06-2143 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE132: Tucson: Mental Health Integration within Emergency ResponseOur ongoing series looking into local emergency response practices, Arizona First Responder Systems and Mental Health Integration Spark Brief author Matt Eckhoff, hosted a conversation with Sharon McDonough, Director, Public Safety Communications Department, City of Tucson; Ana Corcoran, Administrator at Public Safety Communications Department, City of Tucson; and Amy Devins, Director, First Responder Services and Urgent Engagement, Arizona Complete Health, to learn more about Tucson's emergency response network.
2024-06-0437 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE131: Arizona Housing Coalition and Veterans StandDownHere at Vitalyst, one of our programmatic priorities is to support statewide housing initiatives along the spectrum of housing types. The past few years, this has meant a lot of capacity building for organizations, whether that is schools or, more recently, churches, to explore creating housing options for members of our community. This also means we collaborate with a lot of partners, including the Arizona Housing Coalition. George Campbell and Jamie Podratz from the Coalition joined us for a conversation to learn more about their work and initiatives.   Links Arizona Housing Coalition - A...
2024-05-2955 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE130: The Arizona Emerging Leaders NetworkThe Arizona Emerging Leadership Network is a statewide network of emerging leaders willing to invest time, talent, and treasure in recognizing the need for diverse and safe spaces to Convene around shared Diversity, Equity, and inclusion (DEI) values. Participants capacity as Emerging leaders in Arizona have been built to work more intentionally and equitably supports communities and leaders to transformational change.   Links: AZEML Learning Series Events Website May Workshop: Eventbrite Registration Page
2024-05-1354 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE129: Implementing Effective Community-Specific Alternate Response Strategies and CollaborationsIn this candid conversation, Matt Eckoff, Author of the Arizona First Responder Systems and Mental Health Integration Spark Brief, speaks with Captain Seth Gregar of the City of Flagstaff Fire Department and Bryan Gest and Brad Mattingly of Terros Health as they discuss the past two years since the City of Flagstaff's Community Alliance Response and Engagement (CARE) program was implemented. Learn more about how the program works and what challenges and opportunities they see as others may implement similar programs.   Links Arizona First Responder Systems and Mental Health Integration - Vitalyst Health
2024-04-1932 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE128: ¿Qué es el Patrocinio Fiscal y qué hace TAPAZ por los proyectos patrocinados?This episode is completely in Spanish and provides an overview of the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona. To listen to a similar podcast in English, click here.   Hoy es un día especial – es nuestro primer episodio del podcast completamente en español. Tenemos a un invitado que ya ha estado con nosotros en el podcast. Hoy nos acompaña Juan Salas, director de Operaciones y Contabilidad de la Asociación de Asistencia Técnica de Arizona, o Technical Assistance Partnership (TAPAZ) en Ingles. Vamos a hablar sobre que es TAPAZ; que es el patrocinio fiscal y...
2024-04-0139 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE127: Inclusive Voting in Arizona & Health ImplicationsThis episode features some of the civic leaders working to strengthen democracy and civic life in Arizona and shows the intersection of civic engagement and health. It’s an election year, and Arizona is again at the epicenter. Let’s get the facts and explore how all registered voters could and should be voting in all elections – including primary elections, and why it all matters to the health of Arizonans, our state, and our American democracy.     Links: Why Primaries Matter and What to Do About It Spark Report Strengthening Civic Health in Arizona...
2024-03-1859 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE126: What is Fiscal Sponsorship and What Does TAPAZ Do for Sponsored Projects?If you have been listening to the Vitalyst Spark Podcast or are a subscriber to our Vitalyst Spark News, you have likely heard us talk about our affiliate organization, the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona. On today’s episode, we talk to Kelsey Otten, Assistant Director, Partner Engagement, Vitalyst Health Foundation and the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona, to learn more about fiscal sponsorship and the services offered by TAPAZ.   Links: www.tapaz.org National Network of Fiscal Sponsors Field Scan 2023 Report
2024-03-0534 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE125: Legislative Outlook & Policy UpdatesThe legislative session is in full swing.  We recently spoke with Vitalyst Trustee and Executive Director of the Arizona Public Health Association, Will Humble, Vitalyst’s Gabriel Jaramillo and Ana Roscetti. Their conversation explores some potential bills and proposed policy updates.   Links: Will’s Blog Vitalyst Legislative Priorities www.azcarecheck.com
2024-02-1335 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE124: HIV – Reducing Stigma and Educating the PublicThis episode of the podcast is shedding light on a topic that doesn’t often get the attention it deserves: HIV. It’s a sensitive topic, but things have come a long way since it was first discovered. We can stop HIV together. By raising awareness of the role we can all play, we help end the stigma around HIV. Through support and education, we make it easier for people living with HIV to live healthier lives. David Martinez III, Director of Strategic Partnerships, speaks with a panel of experts about initiatives at City and County levels, and how lead...
2024-01-1138 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE123: Housing Solutions_Manufactured HousingOn this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we get to listen to housing experts discuss manufactured housing and how Arizona is addressing it as a sustainable source of housing across the state. Our director of Healthy Communities, Gabriel Jaramillo, guest hosts this episode with Sara Liguori from the Arizona Community Foundation, Cindy Stotler of Phoenix IDA, and Paul Bradley of ROC USA.   Guests Gabriel Jaramillo Sara Liguori, Director, Impact Investing, Arizona Community Foundation Cindy Stotler, Housing Director, Phoenix IDA Paul Bradley, President, ROC USA H...
2024-01-0833 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE122: Healthcare Marketplace Open Enrollment, Medicaid Redetermination, and the Cover Arizona CoalitionOn today’s episode, we are talking healthcare from AHCCCS to KidsCare, to the healthcare marketplace open enrollment period. Joining us today are Claudia Maldonado from the Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers, and our newest team member here at Vitalyst, Ana Roscetti, Director of State Health Policy and Advocacy. We discuss the Cover Arizona Coalition, Medicaid Redetermination, the Healthcare Marketplace and open enrollment. We hope it’s an informative conversation.   Notes / Links To speak with an assister about your health insurance options, visit www.coveraz.org or call 2-1-1. Medic...
2023-11-2831 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE121: Where is Arizona: First Responders and Mental Health IntegrationOn this episode, we host Sabrina Talyor of the Phoenix Police Department and Jesus Rivera of Surprise Fire-Medical. Over the past decade, there has been a lot of talk and programs aimed at increasing mental health training among emergency response personnel to better serve people experiencing crises. It’s the topic of focus in the Arizona First Responder Systems and Mental Health Integration Spark Report. With Sabrina and Jesus we explore what is making Arizona one of the leading states when it comes to integrating mental health practices.   Links: Arizona’s Family Segment Inter...
2023-11-1547 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE120: Feeding Matters: The Systems Change Behind Pediatric Feeding DisorderOn this episode, we are talking about systems change with Jacklyn Pederson of Feeding Matters. The organization has a long history of partnership with Vitalyst, and it showcases how willpower can bring together partners committed to changing a flawed system. Through their 2016 Innovation Grant, Feeding Matters convened partners to create a medically recognized name for pediatric feeding struggles and establish replicable and scalable norms for identification, early intervention, and reimbursement. The result: Pediatric Feeding Disorder, an internationally recognized diagnosis practitioners can work from. Jacklyn shares how partners worked before the creation of a diagnosis and how the work continues.
2023-10-2442 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE119: Arizona Town Hall: Equity for All ArizonansOn this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we will be talking to Tara Jackson, President of Arizona Town Hall. The current topic Town Hall is convening Arizonans to discuss is one that is key to all of us, Equity for All Arizonans. Equity is critical if we want to maximize the potential of our communities, and that takes understanding what equity is and its true benefits. Tara will tell us more about the Town Hall process and how the Town Hall team is taking this topic to communities across the state.   Links E...
2023-10-0551 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE118: The Nature Conservancy and the Evolution of Systems ChangeOn this episode, we are talking to Anna Bettis, Arizona Healthy Cities Program Director at The Nature Conservancy. We are talking about the Conservancy’s 2017 Innovation grant, predecessor to Vitalyst’s Systems Change Grants. The grant was provided so the Nature Conservancy and partners could work with communities and create Heat Action Planning Guides, which identified strategies to reduce heat and improve the ability of residents to deal with heat. Anna will tell us what this project has evolved into, what it takes to create systems change, and how systems change is a moving target. We hope you enjoy the...
2023-09-1528 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE117 - Superior: Gateway to the Copper CorridorOn this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we are joined by Chris Casillas of Regenerating Sonora. He talks to us about his family’s ties to the Copper Corridor, his TAPAZ Sponsored Project Regenerating Sonora, and what is happening in Superior, Arizona, which will host the 12th Annual Prickly Pear Festival on Saturday, August 26th, 2023.      Links: Regenerating Sonora 12th Annual Prickly Pear Festival Superior Chamber of Commerce
2023-08-2244 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE116: The Long Game: A Conversation with Floribella Redondo of AzCHOWOn this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Floribella Redondo, pioneer in the community health worker community in Arizona, and president of the Arizona Community Health Workers Association (AzCHOW). We talk about the difference between community health representatives, community health workers, and promotoras, and the beginnings of the work in Arizona. We also dive into what it took to pass legislation, the patience systems change takes.   Links Arizona Community Health Workers Association (azchow.org) AzCHOW Training Program Approval AHCCCS Announcement of CHW Service Reimbursement
2023-07-2853 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE115: Systems Change Takes Time: Coconino Coalition for Children & YouthDuring this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we will be exploring systems change and talking to 2023 Systems Change Grant recipient Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth to talk to us about their Self-Healing Community System and Policy Change in Coconino County initiative. We will be joined by members of the Coalition, including Virginia Watahomigie, Executive Director; Becky Daggett, Mayor of Flagstaff; and Andrea Meronuck, Clinical Director with Northland Family Help Center.   Links Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth https://coconinokids.org/ Northland Family Help Center https://northlandfamily.org/ City of F...
2023-06-2753 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE114: The Arizona Food Systems NetworkOn this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we are joined by Kenneth Steel and Shelby Thompson from Pinnacle Prevention. We are talking about food systems in Arizona and the work of the Arizona Food Systems Network.   Shownotes / Links   Arizona Food Systems Network www.azfsn.org Pinnacle Prevention https://www.pinnacleprevention.org/ Farm Bill Overview https://www.usda.gov/farmbill Anti-Hunger & Food Systems Advocacy Call Registration https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kc-6grT4sHdSXHCu2ghuuKaYeu9ZifU5_#/registration
2023-06-0940 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE113: Medicaid UnwindingToday’s topic: the end of Medicaid’s continuous enrollment requirement, also known as “The Unwinding.” What is this “unwinding”? Since the beginning phases of the pandemic, the federal government has prohibited states from disenrolling Medicaid members, regardless of their eligibility status. The goal was to protect the health insurance coverage of individuals and families who were most at-risk during the pandemic. Fast forward three years, and with the fading of the pandemic, the federal government has allowed states to restart their normal process for determining Medicaid eligibility beginning April 1st. What does this mean for Arizona? It means a large numb...
2023-05-2454 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE112: A Conversation with UPI Loan Fund and Native Community Capital: A Look into Impact InvestingOn this episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast, we are talking about impact investments, and we are joined by Kerwin Brown, of UPI Loan Fund, and Dave Castillo, of Native Community Capital, two of Vitalyst’s recent impact investments. Also joining the podcast is Suzanne Pfister, Vitalyst’s President and CEO, to talk about what impact investing means to Vitalyst and philanthropy. We discuss the roots of both organizations and why it’s important for organizations to make socially conscious, impactful investments that create opportunities for underserved communities.   Show Notes Links UPI Loan Fund
2023-04-0654 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE111: Promising Housing Practices in ArizonaOn this episode of The Vitalyst Spark podcast, we're going to be talking about housing, a huge issue that the state is facing overall, not just through the pandemic, but prior to. Housing has been on a climb in price and rental prices continue to increase. And we're seeing a lot more people struggle, and it's getting more difficult for everyone to squeeze more out of their dollar. That's why we're talking about this today, something that Vitalyst has been involved in from a programmatic aspect for the past few years. And we've been really delving into it. We're...
2023-03-1536 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE110: The Technical Assistance Partnership and the Arizona Coalition for Military FamiliesOn today’s episode, we are joined by Juan Salas, Director of Operations and Accounting with the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona, or TAPAZ as we refer to it in-house. TAPAZ is a fiscal sponsorship organization that provides back office technical assistance to nonprofits across the state but he will tell us more about that. Also on today’s podcast is Nicola Winkel, Project Director with the Arizona Coalition for Military Families. They are the largest sponsored project of TAPAZ, and are doing some really great work across Arizona to improve the lives of military members and their families. We h...
2023-02-1744 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE109: New Year, New State LeadershipIt’s a new year, and with it comes new opportunities, new challenges and new state leadership.  The results of the 2022 Arizona general election propelled a new Governor and over 40 new legislators (which is nearly half of the entire legislature) into state office.  This political shakeup can also be felt on the policy front as new state agency directors and advisors are settling into their positions. Today, we welcome two outstanding individuals to give us perspective on these changes in state leadership; what it means for policymaking over the foreseeable future, and what stakeholders can do to harness these chan...
2023-01-3149 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE108: Innovative Housing Solutions - The Arizona Housing FundThroughout the life of this podcast, we’ve hosted a few episodes speaking to the importance of housing.  Those conversations often center on the critical roles that government can and should play in preventing and addressing homelessness and housing instability in Arizona. Today’s episode, however, features someone who’s developed a unique take on housing solutions in Arizona. Howard Epstein, by trade, is a national executive for Bank of America, and by passion, he’s the creator of the Arizona Housing Fund, a voluntary donation-based fund that’s working to bring permanent supportive housing to vulnerable Arizonans.   ...
2022-12-1446 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE107: Health on the BallotArizona’s general election is right around the corner, and this presents an incredible opportunity for us to ensure that the people we elect and the policies we pass set Arizona on a promising path toward improved health and well-being. Ballot measures may not always be top-of-mind during an election, but their existence and their implications are critically important to our state. Today, we’re speaking with three local leaders who will give us their thoughts on a selection of ballot measures connected to civic health and health equity. Today, we’re encouraging you, our listeners, to vote and to vot...
2022-10-2845 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE106: Dear CandidatesOn November 8th, Arizonans will cast their votes to determine who will represent their interests at the legislature and in other statewide offices, including that of the Governor. In our daily lives, we’re only exposed to a handful of these candidates – often through television ads and local media – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of candidates running for office; candidates who need your vote and need to be informed about the issues that matter to you. In this episode, the team at Vitalyst has come together to highlight some of the issues that we believe are of c...
2022-10-0745 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE105: Solari Crisis & Human ServicesToday we’re joined by Justin Chase, President and CEO of Solari Crisis and Human Services. As you’ll hear from Justin, Solari, formerly known as Crisis Response Network, provides an array of important resources to individuals experiencing challenging times. These challenges could range from a mother needing to locate to closest food bank, to finding a safe place for your loved one who’s experiencing a bipolar episode. Solari even works with 911 dispatch units to refer mental health calls to appropriate levels of care. Solari is a connector. They improve community health by improving connections between people during some o...
2022-08-3140 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE104: Center for the Future of Arizona - The Arizona Voters’ AgendaToday we’re talking with Dr. Amanda Burke from the Center for the Future of Arizona about the Arizona Voters’ Agenda, a new resource which takes a radically different look at voters’ interests and political campaigns in Arizona. What is this radically different approach? Instead of continuing to fuel the fires of division that seem to inundate our lives, CFA’s latest research reveals the issues that a majority of us actually agree on. As it turns out, despite the smoldering embers we constantly encounter, there is plenty of untapped common ground where Arizonans agree – common ground which, if championed...
2022-07-2135 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE103: Creating a Trauma-Informed ArizonaToday we’re joined by two Arizonans working to create healthier communities that recognize, address and prevent traumatic experiences. We’re not referring to the type of trauma you see in the traffic section of the news each day. Rather, we’re discussing the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs, as they’re commonly known) and toxic stress that can stem from harmful relationships with the people, places and policies that surround each of us. These experiences are often connected with things like abuse and neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse in the home, or the loss of a loved one. Sad...
2022-06-2438 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE102: What Makes Vitalyst, Vitalyst? A Conversation with President & CEO, Suzanne PfisterFor more than 100 episodes, we’ve hosted this podcast to highlight the inspiring work of Arizonans working to create healthier communities. We’ve spoken with experts focused on a wide range of issues, ranging from food systems to housing to transportation, as well as local leaders among Arizona’s Latino, Black, Tribal and Rural communities. Today, we’re doing something a little different. Today, we’re taking a moment to look inward, to pull back the curtain, and to better understand the motivations, milestones and mechanics of Vitalyst Health Foundation. This is a conversation with President and CEO, Suzanne Pfister. I...
2022-06-1037 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE101: Refugee Health in ArizonaToday we’re taking a long-overdue look at the health and well-being of refugee communities in our state. You may not know this, but Arizona is widely known as a welcoming state for refugees from around the world. These are individuals and families who have fled their home countries due to persecution or fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In the last six months (October ’21 through March ’22), Arizona has helped over 2,600 people resettle, the majority of whom are fleeing Afghanistan. This brings us to today’s panel discussi...
2022-04-2140 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE100: Womens History Month in ArizonaOn today’s episode (the 100th episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast!), we’re capping off Women’s History Month by bringing you a conversation with Dr. Amalia Luxardo, CEO of the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona. Dr. Luxardo graciously shares her personal journey to her leadership role at the Women’s Foundation and gives us a glimpse into how Arizona’s women and girls are forging new paths to social, political and economic change.
2022-03-3034 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE99: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateWell, this it. Barring any unforeseen developments (knock on wood), this is the last COVID-19 Roundtable episode of the Vitalyst Spark Podcast. We’re not out of the woods, but case numbers and deaths are rapidly declining, hospital admissions have waned, and the latest CDC guidance shows Arizona moving toward a low level of community risk.  So, for what we hope will be our final COVID-19 Roundtable discussion, we brought our panelists back to reflect on the past two years – the successes, the challenges and the lessons learned
2022-03-1043 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE98: Healthy Communities, One Bill at a TimeIn this episode, we’re talking about Arizona’s legislative session with Zaida Dedolph, Health Policy Director with Children’s Action Alliance. Yes, we’re all exhausted from the constant barrage of partisanship and political anger we hear about on a daily basis, but rest assured, this is not one of those conversations.  Instead, this is a conversation that attempts to understand the fundamental power dynamics currently at play within Arizona’s Legislature, and offers an overview of a handful of promising bills you may not be aware of that are moving through the lawmaking process.  Zaida and I talked on Fe...
2022-03-0436 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE97: Black History, Black ArizonaIn recognition of Black History month, we’re speaking with two leaders in Arizona who are working to advance the health and well-being of Black Arizonans. Teniqua Broughton is the Executive Director of the State of Black Arizona, an organization best known for its thorough publications that highlight…well…the state of Black Arizona. These ‘Volumes’, as they’re titled, provide an evidence-based foundation from which one can better understand the experience of African Americans in our state. We’re also thrilled to welcome Dr. Charlene Tarver, CEO of the Women’s Economic Institute, an organization working in Arizona and New York to...
2022-02-1452 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE96: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateThis week we’re back with our COVID-19 Roundtables guests, Dr. Kara Geren, Dr. Joshua LaBaer and Will Humble, discussing the latest – dare I say – optimistic developments in the pandemic.  We’ve been on this ride before, and we know we’re not out of the woods. Far too many Arizonans are still being infected with COVID-19 each day and our hospitals are under extreme pressure, but the latest research and trends do indicate that brighter days are within sight.
2022-01-3148 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE95: Creating Vibrant Communities with Arizona Town HallToday, we’re talking about the importance of coming together – across sectors, across populations, across issues – to find common ground.  Sounds like a pipe dream, right?  Well, lucky for us, one Arizona-based organization has 60 years of experience under its belt doing just that: hosting forums, facilitating dialogue and lifting consensus above conflict.  We’re talking about the Arizona Town Hall and its topic for 2022: creating vibrant communities.  We hope you enjoy.
2022-01-1745 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE94: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateTwo months ago, we hosted what we hoped would be our final COVID-19 Roundtable.  Infections were declining and we seemed to be entering into a new and safer normal.  Wishful thinking.  Today, we stand on the shoreline, the water level is rising, and we await the tidal wave named Omicron we know is about to hit.  So, it’s bittersweet that we find ourselves speaking yet again with our COVID-19 Roundtable guests to clarify what we know and don’t know about this variant and its potential impact.
2021-12-1746 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE93: Reflections in Community HealthWe’ve made it to December of 2021 – the end of another year.  It’s a time to give thanks, a time to celebrate, and a time to reflect.  In that spirit, we’re here to reflect on the extraordinary careers of two public health leaders in Arizona, Debbie McCune Davis and Allen Gjersvig, both of whom will soon be transitioning to their next chapter: retirement. But before they ride into the sunset, or fly to Europe, or drive to the mountains, we wanted to take a few minutes to highlight these two individuals who have made an indelible mark on Arizona...
2021-12-1047 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE92: The Growth of Food in PhoenixWe’ve officially made it to the holiday season of 2021, and for many of us, that means family, friends and FOOD!  So today, we’re catching up with two leaders in Phoenix’s food system: Rosanne Albright with the City of Phoenix and Darren Chapman with TigerMountain Foundation. These two individuals are here to give us a behind the scenes look at their work; to highlight the complexities of where our food comes from; and to remind us about the expansive power of food. So pull up a chair, grab a fork and enjoy this conversation about the growth of food...
2021-11-2546 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE91: Elements of a Healthy Tribal CommunityToday, we’re excited to share some exciting news about a long-standing project we’ve been working on with Tribal partners across Arizona. By now, most of this audience is likely familiar with the Elements of a Healthy Community (“The Wheel” as it’s come to be known).  It was developed in 2017 in collaboration with many community partners to depict the breadth of factors that ultimately impact health and well-being. Since then, The Healthy Communities Wheel has served as a framework for much of Vitalyst’s work and has taken on a life of its own across other organizations, coalitions an...
2021-11-1157 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE90: Stigma & Affordable HousingToday we’re joined by three bright and talented minds to talk about affordable housing in Arizona: what it means, what modern “affordable” housing actually looks like, and how outdated stigma and ideas about the American dream often hinders progress toward ensuring that everyone has a place to call home. Our guests include Denise Resnik, Founder and President/CEO of First Place AZ and co-founder of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC), Dave Brown, CEO of Valley Leadership and Chair of Home Matters to AZ, and Gabriel Jaramillo, Director of Healthy Communities for Vitalyst Health Foundation.
2021-10-3051 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE89: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateAlthough many of us are still working remotely and living a large part of our lives through a computer screen, when we look outside, things look…dare I say, kind of normal.  Cars are on the streets, patrons are visiting restaurants and businesses, and we’re seeing our neighbors (real people) emerge from months of hibernating during the Arizona summer.  These are promising signs as more and more Arizonans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, use masks indoors and continue to protect themselves from the effects of COVID-19.  But as you’ll hear from our guests, this is not, and cannot, be the ne...
2021-10-1444 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE88: Hispanic Heritage Month & Community HealthIt’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, so today we’re speaking with three leaders working to improve the health and well-being of Hispanic communities in Arizona. Amanda Aguirre is the President and CEO of the Regional Center for Border Health, Floribella Redondo-Martinez is the Executive Director of the Arizona Community Health Workers Association (commonly known as AZCHOW) and Stephanie Parra serves as Executive Director for All in Education. What’s perhaps most memorable about this panel is that these leaders aren’t only working for Arizona’s Hispanic communities, but they are of Arizona’s Hispanic communities and work with their c...
2021-10-0354 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE87: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateToday we’re back with our COVID-19 Roundtable. It’s almost Fall, and much like the temperatures in Arizona, COVID-19 numbers are starting to stabilize, but they’re still too high for comfort.  It’s been one month since we last spoke with our COVID-19 panelists, and in that time, we’ve experienced what seems to be a turn for the better. But will these improvements last? What effect will recent local and federal policies have on transmission? To discuss those topics and much more, we’re speaking with Dr. Kara Geren of Valleywise Health, Dr. Joshua LaBaer from A...
2021-09-1542 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE86 - Legislative UpdateToday we’re joined by three trailblazing advocates who are focused on improving health and well-being in Arizona using a little tool called public policy. If you’re a frequent listener of these podcasts, the idea that ‘health is more than healthcare’ shouldn’t be a new concept to you. What may be less intuitive, however, is how this concept comes to life through public policy – specifically, through state legislation. So today, we’re reflecting on the 2021 legislative session in Arizona, with a particular focus on housing, food and children’s health.   If, upon hearing the word “legisla...
2021-09-0145 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE85: COVID-19 Roundtable UpdateToday, after more than a two-month hiatus, we’re back with our COVID-19 Roundtable. And my how things have changed in the past two months. You know it from your daily experiences, you’ve heard it from our guests, the COVID-19 rollercoaster continues. We’re well into our third wave of COVID-19 infections, this time largely due to the Delta variant, and hospital COVID-19 metrics are following suit. The CDC has recommended that all people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear a mask indoors in public when in an area of substantial or high transmission (which is the status of nearly every...
2021-08-1840 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE84: Health Coverage Open Enrollment RevisitedWe are revisiting our Health Coverage Open Enrollment podcast. There are just a few more days to enroll in Marketplace health coverage!   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.
2021-08-1046 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE83: The Opioid Crisis RevisitedWe are revisiting our Opioid Crisis podcast from May 3, 2021 as a report was released that overdoses surged in 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...
2021-08-0335 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE82: Arizona's Eviction Crisis RevistedWe are revisiting our Eviction Crisis episode from January 11, 2021 as the eviction moratorium comes to an end in just a few days.   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 av...
2021-07-2739 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE81: Transitions, A Podcast UpdateToday 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.
2021-07-2105 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE80: Health and Housing Update - 7/6/21in 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 bett...
2021-07-0747 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE79: Celebrating Pride Month 2021As 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...
2021-06-3045 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE78: Ernie & Joe: Crisis CopsToday, 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 f...
2021-06-1542 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE77: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 6/7/21Today’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 th...
2021-06-0843 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE76: COVID-19 Roundtable Update -5/24/21This 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 sta...
2021-05-2641 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE75: Redistricting in ArizonaWe’re here today to dig into a once-in-a-decade opportunity. It goes by the unsexy, easy-to-overlook term “redistricting,” but do not lulled into complacency by it. In a nutshell, this is about creating the boundaries of the geographic areas that each member of Congress, for example, will be representing. It is, in fact, the next key and crucial step after the just-completed 2020 Census count. And the time to jump in and get this process right is – you guessed it – now. So why, you might be asking, is a health foundation talking about this? That’s easier to answer than...
2021-05-1942 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE74:COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 5/10/21For 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...
2021-05-1244 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE73: Field Notes - The Opioid CrisisAs 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...
2021-05-0532 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE72: COVID-19 Roundtable Update -4/26/21Two 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’...
2021-04-2842 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE71: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 4/12/21This 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...
2021-04-1341 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE70: Page and the PandemicIn 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...
2021-04-0640 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE69: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 3/29/21Fingers-crossed, you are about to listen to what might be the last March COVID-19 roundtable ever. We are moving towards the end of this pandemic; however, there are a number of complexities, policy decisions, and community-based issues still in front of us. Oddly, in some ways, this March feels a little like last March: (1) we are transitioning from one public health reality to another, (2) there are enough variables up in the air to make our immediate future more uncertain, and (3) there is a distinct sense that while the virus does not discriminate, COVID’s impact will. There is...
2021-03-3042 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE68: Streets, Spaces, and VibrancyThe 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 ch...
2021-03-2347 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE67: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 3/15/21This 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 ra...
2021-03-1634 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE66: Trauma Sensitive Schools in ArizonaIn 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...
2021-03-0937 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE65: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 3/1/21Our 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 proc...
2021-03-0239 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE64: 2021 Legislative Session UpdateIn 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...
2021-02-2340 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE63: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 02/15This 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...
2021-02-1733 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE62: COVID-19 Global ViewThis 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...
2021-02-0949 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE61: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 2/1So 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...
2021-02-0247 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE60: Tribal Health and VibrancyThis 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...
2021-01-2742 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE59: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 1/18/21COVID-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...
2021-01-1940 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE58: Arizona's Eviction CrisisFor 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...
2021-01-1338 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE57: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 1/4Welcome 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. Be...
2021-01-0542 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE56: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 12/21Welcome 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 – li...
2020-12-2237 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE55: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 12/07Today’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 th...
2020-12-0840 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE54: COVID Roundtable Update - 11/24This 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...
2020-11-2443 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE53: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 11/09Our 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...
2020-11-1037 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE52: Health Coverage Open EnrollmentToday 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 cur...
2020-11-0543 minVitalyst Spark
Vitalyst SparkE51: COVID-19 Roundtable Update - 10/27Our roundtable of experts returns as COVID-19 itself returns to a level of new cases that we haven’t seen since June. Commentators speak of COVID fatigue as a reason that new case counts are up, and many of us can relate. But October is NOT June, And November doesn’t have to be like July. Remember what we DO know: masks work, as does physical distancing, and avoiding higher-risk situations that could become super spreading events. In fact, new data on super spreading is part of today’s roundtable. And it continues to point to this fact: we’ve got t...
2020-10-2843 min