LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — November 20, 2024 — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a transformative $600,000 grant from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin to fund a new women’s mental health fellowship aimed at addressing the impact of the opioid epidemic on women and combating the state’s rising maternal mortality rate.
The grant will be used to train future psychiatrists in the specialized care of women with opioid use disorder and other psychiatric conditions, particularly during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. This fellowship is expected to be a critical step in increasing the number of experts in women’s mental health in the state, an area that has seen increasing demand due to the opioid crisis and its disproportionate impact on women.
Addressing the Opioid Crisis and Maternal Mortality
The Women’s Mental Health Program at the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute is at the forefront of providing care for women struggling with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. It is the only program in the state with psychiatrists specializing in women’s mental health. The program recorded 3,758 patient visits between January 2023 and August 2024, with 40% of those visits involving substance use disorders, including opioid addiction.
In Arkansas, mental health issues such as drug overdoses and suicide are leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths. The state currently ranks third in the nation for maternal deaths, following Mississippi and Alabama, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data for 2018-2022. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for specialized mental health care for women, particularly those who are pregnant or postpartum.
A Critical Fellowship to Train Experts
The new fellowship will train psychiatrists to specialize in the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder, as well as other psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety, which are particularly prevalent during these vulnerable periods. This training is vital given the complex relationship between hormonal changes during pregnancy and psychiatric illness, which can increase the likelihood of mental health challenges for women during and after pregnancy.
Dr. Jessica Coker, Medical Director of the Psychiatric Research Institute’s inpatient units, emphasized the importance of having psychiatrists who understand these unique challenges. “Women have been uniquely affected by the opioid crisis and are more prone to psychiatric illnesses, including depression and anxiety,” said Dr. Coker. “Hormonal changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period also increase rates of psychiatric illness. Having specialized psychiatrists who understand these nuances is crucial for treating women at such a vulnerable time.”
The fellowship will train students in UAMS outpatient clinics specializing in psychiatric and obstetric care, as well as the inpatient women’s psychiatric unit—one of only five such units in the nation. Fellows will also train with physicians in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they will gain experience caring for babies suffering from opioid withdrawal.
Support from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin
Attorney General Tim Griffin expressed strong support for the fellowship, noting the importance of specialized care for women dealing with opioid use disorder. “The UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute is providing outstanding specialized services for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder,” Griffin said. “I have made it a priority to use Arkansas’s portion of opioid settlement funds to support programs that make a real difference in the fight against opioid abuse. I’m proud to support this fellowship and look forward to seeing its positive impact.”
Dr. Laura Dunn, Director of the Psychiatric Research Institute and Chair of the UAMS Department of Psychiatry, expressed deep gratitude for the grant, highlighting its role in improving the care provided to women struggling with opioid use disorder. “This support from Attorney General Griffin will help us provide critically important care and train the next generation of psychiatrists,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful for this visionary grant, which will enhance our ability to serve women across the state and beyond.”
UAMS: Leading Healthcare and Education in Arkansas
UAMS is Arkansas’s only health sciences university, offering a wide range of medical and healthcare programs through its colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions, and Public Health. The university is also home to a statewide health system, which includes the UAMS Health network, serving as the state’s only adult Level 1 trauma center.
UAMS serves as the largest public employer in the state, with more than 11,000 employees, including over 1,200 physicians. The addition of this fellowship represents a significant investment in the state’s healthcare infrastructure, particularly in the critical area of women’s mental health.
This grant is part of a broader effort to address the opioid epidemic in Arkansas, with a focus on reducing maternal deaths, improving mental health services, and ensuring that women in the state have access to the specialized care they need during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
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