Phoenix City Council Approves Controversial Medical Restrictions in Parks

May 13, 2026

ArMA, Others Speak Out Against New Restrictions

Following months of debate, the Phoenix City Council last week approved a controversial ordinance that will restrict certain medical services, including the administration of street medicine, at public parks.


Ordinance Restricts Medical Services

The ordinance, which goes into effect on June 5, will now require that volunteer medical organizations — including Circle the City and Street Medicine Phoenix — operate under a tent or in a mobile medical vehicle and obtain a permit for conducting medical treatments in the park. The ordinance also limits the number of permits available to two per park every month.


In addition to imposing permit caps, the ordinance also prohibits the distribution of harm reduction kits, including the injection of naloxone. It does not prohibit the distribution or administration of Narcan nasal spray, and it does carve out exemptions for certain circumstances, including for medical emergencies.


Anyone found in violation of the ordinance will face a class one misdemeanor, which threatens a $2,000 fine or up to six months in jail. They could also be temporarily banned from applying for future permits to conduct medical services in parks.

 

Healthcare Community Highlights Serious Negative Impacts of the Ordinance

The Arizona Medical Association, local physicians, and other healthcare advocates expressed fierce opposition to the ordinance during its public comment period. Together, we highlighted how the ordinance's permit cap functionally prohibits evidence-based street medicine, which patients experiencing homelessness often rely on for routine and preventative care.


By limiting licensed medical professionals' ability to treat vulnerable populations where they are, the ordinance will lead to the escalation of preventable conditions, forcing patients into the city's already overwhelmed emergency rooms. This concern is especially relevant as Phoenix faces another season of extreme and deadly heat.


The physician community supports efforts to make city parks cleaner and safer for families, especially regarding sharps disposal, which is in line with the goals of street medicine. However, the ordinance will decrease the presence of licensed medical professionals, who are trained to thoroughly and safely discard used sharps, in public parks.


Physicians Urge Officials to Reconsider Language

ArMA and the physician community are disappointed in the City Council's decision to approve the ordinance as written without further discussion among stakeholder groups. We urge city officials to revisit the language before its implementation.

By working with physicians, community medical groups, and other stakeholders, the city can craft an ordinance that will keep public spaces safe and protect the patients who depend on care delivered within them.


To learn more or apply for a permit, visit the City of Phoenix's website here.


Information in this article was sourced from Arizona Family.

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