Public health official urges yes vote on Prop 409

Will Humble

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Valleywise Health asking voters to approve bond

philanthropy

Inspiration from pain: Paradise Valley area resident gives back to Valleywise

The Arizona Public Health Association wholeheartedly supports Proposition 409 because it’s an essential investment in the health and well-being of Maricopa County’s residents. We urge you to do the same.

After a thorough review of the proposed bond measure and how funds will be used, AzPHA is confident that this measure will expand access to vital health services and strengthen our region’s public health and health care infrastructure, especially for those who are most vulnerable and underserved in our communities.

Valleywise Health has long been a cornerstone of Arizona’s safety net health care system. Created by voters in 2003, our publicly governed system is directly accountable to the people through its elected Board of Directors. They’ve consistently shown solid financial stewardship, receiving strong audit results while keeping their focus on public need, not shareholder profit.

As the need for behavioral health services and primary care continues to grow, Valleywise needs to be able to meet the challenge.

That’s where Prop 409 comes in. Prop 409 will authorize $898 million in bonds to make critical capital improvements across Valleywise Health’s system. Investments like pediatric and primary care access, constructing a new (and desperately needed) 200-bed behavioral health hospital to replace an aging 50-year-old facility,  a new outpatient specialty care center, and enhancements to emergency care and physician training to build a stable healthcare workforce in our communities.

These investments aren’t optional or extravagant, they’re essential.

Prop 409 isn’t just a health care investment; it’s a public health imperative, and it reflects  our values: Compassion, Responsibility and Accountability.

We urge everyone to vote yes vote on Prop 409 to ensure a healthier future for all of us who call Maricopa County home.

Editor’s note: Will Humble is executive director of the Phoenix-based Arizona Public Health Association. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.