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The Vitalyst Spark podcast explores what it means to create a healthy community in Arizona.
Episodes
Wednesday Jun 03, 2020
Wednesday Jun 03, 2020
Frankly, 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:
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Wednesday May 27, 2020
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:
Tuesday May 19, 2020
Tuesday May 19, 2020
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.
Links:
Tuesday May 12, 2020
Tuesday May 12, 2020
[Photo Credit: Eli Imadali/The Arizona Republic] 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.
Tuesday May 05, 2020
Tuesday May 05, 2020
It 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: 877.756.4090
- 100 Club of Arizona: 602.485.0100
- Be 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): 602.244.8166
- Oasis Behavioral Health: 855.351.8939
- BluePaz, LLC: 602.345.1425, bluepaz.com
- Websites:
- Apps:
- National:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.TALK (8255)
- Safe Call Now (First Responders): 206.459.3020
- Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741
- Survive First: 844.577.7233
- Copper Springs for First Responders: 866.575.1979
- Chateau Recovery for First Responders: 949.547.7040 - Thayer
- Recovery Ways: 801.803.9962 - Vickie
- Copline: 800.267.5463
- Survival Mindset Consulting: 757.328.5672
- Cop 2 Cop: 866.267.2267
IH2 Foundation: 480.383.9054
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
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.
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
The 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.html
Grab 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
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
The COVID-19 Roundtable returns: Will Humble from the American Public Health Association, Marcus Johnson from Vitalyst Health Foundation and Emergency Room Physician Dr. Nick Vasquez.
This episode is expansive, touching on testing, hospital capacity, PPE, contact tracing, the economy, governance, and recent innovations.
This episode was recorded at 1pm on April 13, 2020. In just the hours spent editing new data and information has come to light. While can’t be perfectly of the moment, rest assured that each roundtable episode is designed to catch you up on what has happened that over the past two weeks that you may have missed, and to provide new insights. Listen now.
Show Links:
- US Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality
- Main page: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2020.html
- Arizona Department of Health Services Coronavirus update page: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home
- US Centers for Disease Control update page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.htm
Tuesday Apr 07, 2020
Tuesday Apr 07, 2020
Census 2020 is underway in Arizona. In 2010 Arizonans were significantly undercounted. This time we need to get it right, because each person counted brings about $3,000 in additional resources that come to Arizona each year. Join us as we get the details, how-tos, and insights from Vitalyst’s David Martinez and NALEO Educational Fund’s Anakarina Rodriguez.
Links for this show:
- NALEO Education Fund census page
- Azcensus2020.gov
- U.S. 2020census.gov
- Phone numbers to respond in English: 844-330-2020 and Spanish:844-468-2020
- Census Count maps
- ONE Arizona
- Hashtag: #ArizonaCensusChallenge
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
This episode is another special "of-the-moment" roundtable conversation with two public health professionals and a front line Emergency Room physician.
Learn about the best data and treatment experience we have today, and what it - and the models developed from it - are telling us. Listen now.
Show Links:
- US Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality
- Main page: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2020.html
- Latest COVID-19 report (as of 3/31): https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6913e2.htm?s_cid=mm6913e2_w
- Arizona Department of Health Services Coronavirus update page: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home
- US Centers for Disease Control update page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html