Little Rock, Arkansas – The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a sizable grant meant to foster a new generation of experts in a major step toward tackling the mental health issues women experience, especially amid the risks of opiate addiction and pregnancy. In order to create a Women’s Mental Health Fellowship, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has given UAMS $600,000, thereby showing an outstanding commitment to address the opioid issue and its consequences for mother health.
With this significant investment, Arkansas’s third highest state for maternal deaths—trailing only behind Mississippi and Alabama—showcases a proactive strategy to help to reduce the alarming numbers. These grim figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal a harsh reality faced by many women in the state, where mental health conditions, including drug overdoses and suicide, play a significant role in pregnancy-related fatalities.
Located within the Psychiatric Research Institute at UAMS, the fellowship is destined to be a lighthouse of hope and a hub of excellence in women’s mental health. One of less than 20 similar initiatives spread over the country, it emphasizes their fundamental relevance. Particularly during the challenging times of pregnancy and postpartum, the program is meant to equip psychiatrists with the required skills and expertise to meet the particular psychological requirements of women fighting opiate use disorders.
“Women have been uniquely affected by the opioid crisis and in general are more prone to psychiatric illnesses including depression and anxiety. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period also increase rates of psychiatric illness,” said Jessica Coker, M.D., the medical director of the Psychiatric Research Unit’s inpatient units.
“Having specialized psychiatrists that understand the hormonal nuances and can balance the risks and benefits of treatment is crucial for women during this vulnerable time. We are excited to be able to train more psychiatrists in this area who will be able to serve patients across the state and beyond.”
Fellows in this pioneering program will receive hands-on training across various settings, including UAMS’s outpatient clinics that cover both psychiatric and obstetric care, and the institute’s inpatient women’s psychiatric unit—one of only five such specialized units in the country. To provide a complete approach to mother and child health, they will also work with neonatologists in the neonatal critical care unit who treat newborns suffering with opioid withdrawal.
Emphasizing his dedication to smart use of Arkansas’s portion of opioid settlement money, Attorney General Griffin expressed delight in backing a program with possible great impact.
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“The UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute is providing outstanding specialized services for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder,” Griffin stated.
“This support from the Attorney General will be used to provide this critically important care and to train the next generation of psychiatrists to bring the needed expertise to treat women struggling with opioid use disorder. We are incredibly grateful for this visionary grant from Attorney General Griffin,” said Laura Dunn, M.D., the director of the Psychiatric Research Institute and chair of the UAMS Department of Psychiatry.
Being the sole health sciences university in Arkansas, UAMS is qualified to lead such projects. UAMS is a powerhouse for medical innovation and community health improvement since it combines education, research, and clinical care using a thorough network including a hospital, numerous colleges, and several research institutes.
This new fellowship is not just a program; it’s a promise—a promise of healthier futures for women and a testament to the state’s commitment to combating an epidemic that has left deep scars on its community.
