Addressing mental health challenges requires more than awareness; it demands action and innovation, especially within Arkansas. Dr. Laura Dunn is chair of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Psychiatry and director of the Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI). With a growing emphasis on improving mental health support, she leads efforts to develop innovative strategies that meet the unique challenges faced by individuals in our state. From enhancing access to care to researching effective treatment options, the PRI is dedicated to advancing mental health services in Arkansas. Dr. Dunn has seen firsthand how their initiatives are making a difference for individuals and families in need of support.
IN THIS BLOG:
1. What unique mental health challenges does Arkansas face?
Arkansas experiences a significant shortage of mental health care professionals, with 73 of the state’s 75 counties identified as shortage areas. This scarcity hampers access to necessary mental health services for Arkansans.
2. How is the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute addressing mental health care in Arkansas?
The UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI) is committed to advancing mental health care by providing innovative treatments for psychiatric illnesses, enhancing access to care, and developing specialized programs, such as those for mental health and treatment-resistant depression.
3. What services does the UAMS PRI offer for individuals struggling with substance use disorders?
The UAMS PRI has established the Six Bridges Clinic, which offers outpatient treatment options for adolescents and young adults struggling with substance use disorders, alcohol use disorders, and related addiction issues.
4. How is social media influencing youth mental health in Arkansas?
While social media facilitates open dialogue about mental health among youth and helps reduce stigma, excessive use may negatively impact mental health. Experts recommend moderation, highlighting that signs such as increased anxiety or irritability may indicate that social media is affecting mental well-being.
5. What virtual mental health resources does UAMS provide?
UAMS offers AR ConnectNow, a virtual behavioral health treatment service available 24/7. This service provides short-term therapy, medication treatment, and free care coordination to address a wide range of mental health concerns for Arkansans.
Arkansans Face Unique Mental Health Needs
The mental health challenges seen across the country are also present in Arkansas. However, Arkansas also faces a shortage of mental health care professionals that has been difficult to overcome.
“73 of Arkansas’s 75 counties have been identified as shortage areas for mental health providers,” Dr. Dunn says. “Our state needs additional mental health professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, professional counselors, and psychiatric nurses to better meet the needs of Arkansans.”
Social media has also greatly affected youth mental health. On the one hand, social media provides youth a platform to openly share personal experiences with mental illness.
There seems to be a more open dialogue among youth about mental health, which helps reduce the stigma surrounding the topic. Social media is also widely used by mental health professionals to disseminate educational content and advertise resources.
On the other hand, however, there are concerns among some experts and researchers that excessive social media use by young people may have negative impacts on mental health.
“A practical way to think about this is to simply reduce one’s use of social media if you notice that your mood or anxiety gets worse after you spend time scrolling or if you notice a feeling of ‘craving’ to use social media or irritability when you don’t access it as often,” Dr. Dunn says. “These could be signs that social media may be negatively affecting your mental health.”
As with most things, it’s best to scroll through social media in moderation. There are still a lot of unknowns about how much social and digital media affect our mental health. Nonetheless, there is a need for better mental health research, diagnosis, and treatment statewide, particularly in rural areas of the state.
UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute: An Innovator in Mental Health Care
One path to better mental health care is through the UAMS PRI, which is committed to providing cutting-edge, innovative treatments for individuals with psychiatric illnesses.
“Through the expanded offerings available in our interventional psychiatry program, patients have multiple options available for their treatment,” Dr. Dunn says.
For example, thanks to PRI, patients now have numerous interventional psychiatry options for treatment-resistant depression—a type of depression that does not respond to several different trials of antidepressants.
The UAMS PRI Odyssey Clinic provides coordinated specialty outpatient care for people 16 years and older experiencing their first episode of psychosis.
PRI has also focused on maternal health care in Arkansas, offering women’s mental health services they may not find elsewhere.
“Many mothers need additional help with their mental health during their pregnancy, as well as post-partum. In some cases, these patients also struggle with substance use disorders,” Dr. Dunn explains. “Our Women’s Mental Health Program is one of the few in the country to provide services to meet these specific needs.”
Many adolescents and young adults in Arkansas struggle to find treatment options for substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and other related addiction issues. The new UAMS Health Six Bridges Clinic at PRI provides outpatient treatment options for these young people and their families.
Dr. Dunn hopes that as the PRI grows, additional services can be added to further meet the needs of Arkansans throughout the state.
Virtual Short-Term Therapy Available Around the Clock
In addition to the number of inpatient and outpatient services they offer, UAMS also provides virtual options for those struggling with mental and behavioral health issues. AR ConnectNow is a virtual behavioral health treatment service designed to provide mental health care to Arkansans of most ages dealing with a variety of mental health concerns ranging from anxiety and depression to grief and trauma.
“The virtual clinic offers short-term therapy, medication management, and free care coordination to help Arkansans satisfy their basic needs,” Dr. Dunn says. “The AR ConnectNow virtual clinic is accessible by phone 24/7 to schedule an appointment. There is minimal wait time. Patients typically have their first video appointment with a licensed mental health professional within one business week of their initial call.”
Arkansas is one of the most rural states in the country, and 41% of its population lives in rural areas. Additionally, 97% of counties in Arkansas are classified as Behavioral Health shortage areas. A virtual mental health clinic is a lifesaver for individuals in rural parts of the state who have to travel several miles for routine medical care.
“Arkansas faces shortages of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, social workers, and nurse practitioners with special training in mental health,” Dr. Dunn says. “While the shortage of behavioral health professionals is most severe in rural areas, there can still be challenges to accessing mental health care in urban areas due to long wait times because practices are already very busy.”
Fortunately, the UAMS Health AR ConnectNow virtual clinic makes mental health care accessible to all Arkansans anywhere in the state. By offering exclusively virtual services, AR ConnectNow is an ideal option for patients living in behavioral health provider-deficient counties.
“Accessing treatment from the privacy of your own home reduces concerns related to stigma and transportation and saves you time,” Dr. Dunn explains.
Anyone seeking therapy is encouraged to call the AR ConnectNow call center at 800-482-9921. This number is monitored 24/7 by triage nurses. In the event of an emergency, callers are advised to call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.
Individuals needing help finding resources available near them are encouraged to fill out the online care guide request form at AskARConnectNow.UAMS.edu. A care coordinator will follow up within two business days.
To learn more about general mental health concerns and treatment options available near you, visit UAMS.health/ARConnectNow. This website also offers skill-building activities to help youth and their families develop healthy coping skills. UAMS also offers a variety of mental health resources and activities to support overall mental health and well-being.
There is Still More Work to be Done.
“As PRI moves forward, it’s important that we lean into our strengths,” Dr. Dunn says. “We not only want to continue to grow our clinical services and research capabilities, but we will also leverage the expertise we have at UAMS to further build the capacity of mental health providers to provide needed services throughout Arkansas.”
PRI will also build upon its reputation as the state’s only academic medical center, training the next generation of mental health specialists. PRI always seeks to collaborate with partners to find innovative approaches to caring for Arkansans.
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