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Over the past nearly six years, I’ve witnessed a system of care that is making progress. There are still aspects of the service delivery that I think need continued, focused work; but, much forward momentum has been achieved, and the people served are benefitting. The key point here is that things are moving in the right direction.

As a physician on the front lines of the public behavioral health system in Maricopa County, I see lives being positively impacted every day thanks to a highly functioning, integrated system of care.

Serving as pastor of a large, multi-congregational church can look a lot like being an elected official. Navigating multiple stakeholder groups and many differing opinions inside congregations can be rough stuff.

As someone who has spent the past several years defending Arizona businesses from charges of dishonesty, greed and self-serving, the June 21 letters by APS vice president of operations Mark Schiavoni and Arizona Investment Council’s Gary Yaquinto going after the solar industry caught my attention.

Despite the fact that voters in Arizona passed Proposition 203 in 2010 in favor of medical marijuana, there continues to be a push by those opposed. I often read statements from the opposition that simply don’t stand up to objective scrutiny. I am a former police officer who is now disabled. While I appreciate all opinions, I feel it’s paramount that debate be based on facts and logic and not simple emotion fueled by ideology.

When the Arizona Department of Health Services awarded a contract for a new model of care for thousands of persons with mental illness in Maricopa County, many in the behavioral health community rejoiced.

Honestly, very little of what happens each legislative session is truly memorable to the great majority of Arizonans. Just ask anyone who’s not a subscriber of the Arizona Capitol Times what distinguishes the 2007 legislative session from others… or the 2010 or 2003 sessions.

This month, health insurance rate increases become effective – ranging from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona with a 10.9 percent average annual increase impacting 67,248 individuals, to Aetna Small Group with a 14.1 percent increase impacting 46,916 individuals.

I commend the governor and the Legislature for enduring the stress of a lengthy session and passing some much-needed legislation that will have a positive effect on our state for a very long time.

Historians will determine the just-completed Arizona legislative session as the most significant in memory. An unlikely coalition, which included a hard-nosed, conservative and partisan governor, teamed together to pass Medicaid expansion.