The purpose of the Hidden Waters Parkway study is to document conditions along the parkway corridor, identify potential fatal flaws and develop an alignment alternative that meets the future traffic needs identified in the Hassayampa Framework Study. The recommended alternative will establish a roadway footprint that may be used as a guide for local agencies and development within the corridor.

The purpose of this feasibility study is to identify the optimum corridor alignment for the proposed McDowell Parkway based on the indirect left-turn intersection design outlined in the Design Guideline Recommendations for the Arizona Parkway (August 2008). All alternatives developed will include the Arizona Parkway typical section within a 200-foot-right-of-way corridor.

This study is one in a series of long-range transportation planning studies being conducted by the Maricopa County Department of Transportation to evaluate future parkways identified in the recently completed Maricopa Association of Governments framework studies. The project study area includes the planned Northern Parkway, an east-west corridor centered on the Northern Avenue section line, from the planned Tonopah Parkway (411th Avenue alignment) to the planned Turner Parkway (267th Avenue alignment). The Northern Parkway corridor within the project study area is approximately 18 miles long and two miles wide. This section of Northern Parkway is referred to as the Northern Parkway Hassayampa section to distinguish it from other planned Northern Parkway sections east of the White Tank Mountains.

The project study area also includes the planned Tonopah Parkway, a north-south corridor centered on the 411th Avenue section line, from Interstate 10 (I-10) to the planned Northern Parkway. The Tonopah Parkway corridor within the project study area is approximately 3.75 miles long and two miles wide.

This document provides a report of the results of the baseline prenatal survey conducted through collaboration between the Alliance for Innovations in Health Care, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, and the Resilience Solutions Group at Arizona State University. The goals of the survey were to assess satisfaction with prenatal and birth care, barriers to access to prenatal care, and psychosocial predictors of positive prenatal care experiences and infant health outcomes.

The best setting for abused or neglected children who are removed from their homes is a family-based setting, such as with a relative or in licensed foster care. Because it is not family-based, congregate care, such as emergency shelters, group homes, and residential treatment centers, is the least preferred placement option. However, the number of Arizona children and the length of time they are in congregate care has increased and as a result, the costs for this placement type nearly doubled between fiscal years 2009 and 2013. Contributing to the increase in congregate care use is an inadequate supply of foster care homes; various state practices, including some related to permanency goals and activities; and inadequate access to behavioral health services. Although the Arizona Department of Child Safety has taken some steps to reduce the use of congregate care, it should consider other states’ experiences to identify multiple strategies for reducing its use.

The Drug Endangered Children Program has continued to address effectively the needs of children found within meth lab environments and to prosecute those responsible for their suffering. Funding provided by the Governor’s Office of Children, Youth and Families along with assistance from collaborative partners have allowed the Attorney General’s Office to complete key accomplishments.

Arizona must commit to making child abuse prevention an integral part of our child welfare system and community action. To make this a reality, we must link effective public and private programs to form a true prevention network. This plan shines a light on how - together - we can assure more of our children are
safe and healthy, and their parents get help early, before the damage is done.