>>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON:THE IMPACT OF ARIZONA'S HEAT ON AGING AND THE AGED ALSO TONIGHT DETAILS ON A PROGRAM TO HELP AT-RISK STUDENTS EARN THEIR HIGH-SCHOOL DIPLOMAS.

AND, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT ANIMAL- ASSISTED THERAPY PROGRAMS AT PHOENIX CHILDREN'S.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, ON ARIZONA HORIZON >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT LONG- TERM EXPOSURE TO HEAT CAN ACCELERATE THE AGING PROCESS.

AND FOR THOSE WHO'VE REACHED "SENIOR STATUS," THE HEAT CAN HAVE A VARIETY OF NEGATIVE EFFECTS.HERE TO TELL US MORE IS WILL HUMBLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HEAT AND AGING.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ON THE SHOW AN TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE ESPECIALLY IN JULY AND AUGUST.

THE ACUTE EFFECT OF HEAT AND THE RISK OF DYING FROM THE HEAT.

MORE THAN 600 DEATHS AND HALF OF 50.

WE ARE IN THE DESERT AND HOW DANGEROUS IT IS.

IT'S BEEN GETTING WORSE.

RECENT STUDIES SHOW NOT JUST THE RISK FOR ACUTE DEATHS BUT LIMITING LONGEVITY IS SOMETHING THE HEAT DOES.

>> LIVING IN PHOENIX, IT WAS MORE RECENT THAN THAT DIMINISHES YOUR LIFE-SPAN.

>> OKAY, THIS WAS A STUDY.

IT WAS PUBLISHED WITH USC.

IT WAS IN A GOOD JOURNAL.

THIS WASN'T AN EM EPIDIMIOLOGY STUDY.

YOU CAN LOOK AT DNA AND LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE ARE AGING USING AN ALGORITHM.

THEY ESTIMATED, IN A CLIMATE LIKE OURS, THE PHOENIX AREA, JUST LIVING HERE AGES YOU 14 MONTHS FASTER OVER THE COURSE OF A LIFETIME THAN IF YOU LIVED IN SE, A COOLER PLACE LIKE PRESCOTT.

>> WOW, DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> YEAH.

HONESTLY.

THE ACUTE STUFF DOESN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL.

AFTER I THOUGHTED TO THINK ABOUT IT.

IT MADE CONSCIENTIOUS.

YOU KNOW, YOUR ORGANS ARE STRESSED.

IT MAKES SENSE OVER THE COURSE OF MANY SUMMERS.

>> IER.

>> THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT.

>> OLDER PEOPLE HAVE DIMINISHED RESPONSE.

>> ESPECIALLY PAST 75 OR 80.

MANY WATCHING THE SHOW WILL RECOGNIZE THAT WITH THEIR PARENTS.

YOU WALK IN THE HOUSE AND IT'S 82.

YOU THINK, WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU TURN IT DOWN TO 79 AND THEY ARE COLD.

THAT INFLUENCES HOW MUCH HYDRATION.

IT'S PART OF IT IN A WARMER PLACE AND SET AT 82.

THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THIRSTY EVEN THE ABILITY TO SWEAT.

>> THERE ARE 80s AND 90s YOU KNOW.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

>> THAT DOESN'T HELP MATTERS ANY MORE.

THE JEANS AND NA AND CHANGES MADE AND CHANGES OBSERVED.

WHAT ELSE ARE WE LEARNING.

THEY FOLLOWED A COHORT FOR 15ORS.

IT WASN'T A LAB STUDY LIKE THE FIRST I TALKED ABOUT.

THEY OBSERVED THE NUMBER OF HEAT WAVES PEOPLE LIVE THROUGH INFLUENCES HOW LONG THEY LIVE THERE WAS A RELATIONSHIP OF THE NUMBER OF EPISODES AND DIMINISHED OR RAPID AGES.

LIVING THROUGH TWO HEAT WAVES IN TAIWAN AGED YOU TWICE.

>> DID TA SURPRISE YOU?

>> THE DEEPER U DUG, THINK ABOUT WHAT HEAT DOES TO YOUR BODY.

WE LIVE-IN PHOENIX.

>> EVEN IF YOU DRINK A LOT OF WATER.

YOU CAN FEEL WHAT IT'S DOING.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS HERE THOSE LIVING IN LOW INCOME AREAS.

>> A STUDY WHERE IT'S A CLEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A, HAVING FUNCTIONING AIR-CONDITIONING.

BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE ELECTRIC AND THEN, LIVING IN A MOBILE HOME ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

>> ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.

ARE THERE PUBLIC POLICY AVENUES TO TAKE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE LEADERS IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION.

IS THIS STUFF GAINING TRACTION THIS KIND OF INFORMATION.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR SOME IT IT IS AND SOME IT ISN'T.

THE POLICY THING WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING IS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED ARE AT RISK.

THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

A BIG CHUCK HAVE A TERROUS MENTAL ILLNESS WE EXECUTED THIS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GET HOUSING AND MANY ARE ON THE WAITING LIST IN TERMS OF POLICY DO A BETTER JOB GETTING FOLKS THE HOUSING THEY NEED.

>> LAST QUESTION, BEFORE YOU GO.

THE DIRECTOR IS GONE.

>> THERE WAS NO E-MAIL TO STAFF.

THEY FOUND OUT FROM AN ARTICLE THE CDC DIRECTOR IS OUT AND WE WILL SEE WHO IS COMING NEXT.

SHE WAS PROBABLY TALKING BACK TO MR. KENNEDY NOW SHE'S GONE.

>> DID SHE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT VACCINES.

>> WHAT FOLKS TALK ABOUT WAS THE SHOOTING A FEW WEEKS AGO WHERE SHE WAS REALLY GETTING OUT WITH STAFF AND BEING COMPASSIONATE AND SPEAKING CLEARLY TO THE MEDIA ABOUT THE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, THAT WERE CAUSED.

FOLKS SAY THE SHOOTING AND HER RESPONSE WHICH WAS COMPASSIONATE WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY.

ON A DAY WHEN WE SEE WHO HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA.

>> YEP.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>>>ELEVATE PHOENIX IS A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH SCHOOLS TO HELP AT- RISK STUDENTS GET THEIR HIGH- SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND SUCCEED TO POST SECONDARY-EDUCATION.

JAZMINE HALL IS ELEVATE'S DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.AND AMANDA COVARRUBIAS IS THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF ELEVATE.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> JASMINE, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

GIVE US A BETTER DEFINITION OF ELEVATE PHOENIX?

>> I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD SOMEONE BELIEVE IN YOU BEFORE YOURSELF?

>> I HAVE AN ANSWER BUT YOU GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE STAND FOR.

WE GIVE PEOPLE A SAFE PLACE TO HAVE A HOME.

THEY FIND THEIR BELONGINGS AND ARE SEEN IN A WAY THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

>> HEPING AT RISK STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

DEFINE THAT?

>> WE LIKE TO CALL THEM AT HOPE.

MAYBE AN INCARCERATED PARENT OR FOSTER YOUTH EVEN SOCIALLY.

ALL KIDS COME TOGETHER AND TAKE THEIR DEFICITS AND TURN THEM INTO STRAIGHT.

>> HARD TO REACH URBAN AREAS.

>> THEY GOT 30,000 STUDENTS.

THE DEFICIT AND OVERLOAD OF CLASSROOMS.

THEY ARE COMING TO SCHOOL.

THEY DON'T HAVE CLOTHING TO WEAR.

SO THOSE KIDS THEY ARE LEFT SHUFFLE IN AND THAT'S WHERE THE RATES DROP AT 52%.

WHEN THEY COME TO OUR PROGRAM, WE HAVE A TEACHER THAT'S A MENTOR.

THANK YOU HOURS PER DAY AND SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK.

>> HOW DO THEY GET ACCESS?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

I'M A STUDENT AT WHATEVER HIGH SCHOOL AND HERE YOU COME.

>> WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP ALLOWING TEACHER MENTORS TO TEACH A CLASS.

IT'S AN ACCREDITED AELECTED CLASS.

SOMETIMES THEY SELF SELECT.

WE TELL TO COUNSELORS THIS IS WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES AND THE SUPPORT WE BRING.

WE KNOW THE TOP HALF WILL HAVE SUPPORT AND ASSETS.

THAT'S THE PRIMARY DEMOGRAPHIC.

THEY WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE BOTTOM HALF.

>> THEY WILL BE MENTORS THEMSELVES.

THIS IS THE KIDS IN.

WE TAKE OUR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS DOWN TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO TEACH THEM.

MENTORS WOULD TEACHING THEM TO BE MENTORS.

>> READING LITERACY, POSTSECONDARY PLAN.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> YOU CAN'T HAVE A LEADER WITHOUT THEM.

>> I'D LIKE THE IDEA OF THE HOLISTIC APPROACH.

>> EVERY KID THAT COMES IN THIS IS WHERE IT HAPPENS.

THEY TAKE THE PEER LEADERSHIP CLASS.

IF I'M TEACHING I'M RESPONSIBLE TO ALL OF THE FEMALES AND HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MALES.

WE BUY THEM A MEAL AND SAY, CHOSE YOUR FAVORITE PLACE AND TEXT YOUR MEAL CHOICE.

WE MEET WITH THEM.

IT'S BASICALLY COVERING ALL ASPECTS.

IT'S COVERING ACADEMICS.

IT'S COVERING SOCIAL.

IT COVERS EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL.

ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS.

THROUGH THAT WE TELL THEM RATE YOURSELF IN ALL OF THE AREAS.

WE TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ONE-ON-ONE.

THEY MIGHT NOT BE DOING WELL I MOTIONNALLY.

THEY MIGHT START THERE AND SET UP GOALS.

FIGURE OUT HOW TO SUPPORT THEM AND BUILD THEIR OWN.

>> YOU MENTIONED 24/7 YEAR-ROUND.

>> HOW DOES THAT WORK?

I'M 11th MOVING TO 12th.

>> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE CLASSROOMS.

THEY HANG OUT WITH THEM AFTER SCHOOL OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMERS.

THEY ARE MORE BUSY.

YOU HAVE ALL OF THE WAKE UP AND PLUG RIGHT BACK IN.

THEY HAVE A LOT TO GIVE.

THEY COME TO THE COLLEGE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATE IN OUR ALUMNI.

THEY ARE MENTORS AND BEING MENTORED WHAT RESULTS ARE YOU SEEING?

>> THEY ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.

WE ARE AT A 98, 99% GRADUATION RATE OF EVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COMING THROUGH THE CLASSROOM.

THEY ATTEND POST SECONDARY.

100% OF THE KIDS ARE LEAVING WITH A PLAN.

I'D LIKE TO MENTION, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS COLLEGE.

SOMETIMES IT ET'S WORK FORCE AND MILITARY.

WE CHALLENGE SENIORS TO DO OUR COLLEGE PROGRAM.

IF IT DEPOSE WELL, GREAT.

WE WILL KEEP YOU IN THE ROTATION.

WE WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT.

>> A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM AND BEST OF LUCK.

>>> PHOENIX CHILDREN'S IS OFFERING AN ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY-PROGRAM TO PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES VOLUNTEERS AND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES TEAMED WITH DOGS TO VISIT WITH PATIENTS AND WORK WITH PARENTS AND STAFF TO HELP THOSE PATIENTS MEET THEIR TREATMENT GOALS.FOR MORE ON THE PROGRAM, WE WELCOME CHRISSY RICHARDSON, THE COORDINATOR OF ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY AT PHOENIX CHILDREN'S AND BREANNA TABOR, PHOENIX CHILDREN'S CHILD-LIFE SPECIALILST.AND ALSO JOINING US IS SPARKY, A PHOENIX CHILDREN'S THERAPY DOG.

SPARKY IS THE BEST DOG WE HAVE HAD ON THE SHOW.

HI SPARKS.

ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY, IT SOUNDS SIMPLE.

>> WHEN THEY INTERACT WITH ANIMALS THEIR REHAB BETTER THEY GO DOWN AND HORMONES GO UP.

IMAGE BEING WHERE YOU ARE STRESSED OUT AND HAVE A DOG HELP YOU.

>> WE ARE TALKING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL.

>> DO WE NO WHY THEY HAVE THAT EFFECT ON US.

IN PART.

YES, WE BONDED OVER MANY YEARS, DOG ES ESPECIALLY.

ALSO, JUST, WHEN YOUR MOOD CHANGES YOU ARE MORE WILLING TO DO THINGS.

MAYBE YOU FEEL DOWN.

WE HEAR ABOUT KIDS WE WILL START WALKING FOR THEIR THERAPIST.

>> I MEAN SHE'S A GORGEOUS DOG.

>> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER?

>> SINCE NOVEMBER.

>> SHE'S YEARS OLD?

>> YES, 2.

>> YOU WON'T MAKE A SCENES NOW.

HOW DOES IT WORK.

DOES THE DOCTOR SAY WE NEED YOUR HEP.

DOES THE PATIENT GIVE HINTS.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I IDENTIFY PATIENTS DO THEY LIKE DOGS.

>> THERE IS A PROCESS GOING ON HERE.

WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH WOULD BENEFIT.

>> THE VOLUNTEER DOGS WORK A FEW HOURS PER WEEK.

THEY SEE THE PATIENTS THAT WANT TO SEE A DOG.

MOTION CAN SEE A DOG, THEY ARE A BIT HAPPIER.

OUR TWO FACILITY DOGS IT'S MORE TARGETED SPARKY WORKS WITH BREANNA.

THEY MAKE IT EASIER FOR KIDS.

THOSE HAVING A HARD TIME OR NEEDS ASSISTANCE, THEY ARE THERE TO HELP WITH THAT.

THAT'S MORE SPECIFIC AND OUR REHAB DOG WORKS WITH KIDS ON THE PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATION NAL GOALS.

>> HOW DO YOU CHOSE WHICH ANIMALS TO GET IN THE PROGRAM AND WORK BEST.

>> FOR OUR VOLUNTEER DOGS THEY DO A LOT FOR THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING AND CERTIFIED THROUGH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S ONBOARD AND THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES THEY CAN WORK.

I WORKED WITH MY DOGS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AND NOT GREAT IN A HOSPITAL SETTING.

>> INTERESTING.

>> THEY ARE THERAPY DOGS BUT NOT THE RIGHT ONES FOR THAT JOB.

FIGURE OUT WHICH THRIVE IN THAT SETTING.

>> ALSO WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ENTER THE ROOM.

YOU LOOK FOR SIGNALS WITH A DOG OR CHILD, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> I ASSESS THE SITUATION.

I DENFYING HOW HE WOULD BE THE BEST FOR THE PATIENT.

>> I'D LOVE TO SEE IT?

IT WAS THE LAST DOG ON HERE.

READ THE ROOM.

>> THEY WILL HELPER WHEN I NEED TO INTRODUCE HARDER THINGS.

MAYBE WE'LL GO IN TO TALK ABOUT A PROCEDURE.

SHE'S LAYING ON THE BED AND THIS IS WHY WE CAME TO SEE YOU TODAY.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> DIFFERENT DOGS FOR DIFFERENT AGE LEVELS?

>> VOLUNTEER DOGS GO SEE WHICH EVER FLOORS ARE ASSIGNED.

NEWBORNS IT FOR THE PARENTS IT JUST DEPENDS.

>> YEAH, HOW LONG IS THE PROGRAM BEEN AROUND.

>> 25 YEARS NOW.

>> 25 YEARS NOW.

>> I GUESS THE PATIENTS ARE ONE THING AND FAMILY IS ANOTHER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> CONGRAD -- CONGRATULATIONS.

I WISH THIS DOG WOULD SETTLE DOWN FOR A BIT.

>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT