Arkansas Boosts Maternal Care with $40M Federal Grant

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has secured a $40 million federal contribution aimed at reducing the state’s alarming infant and maternal death rates. The money arrives through a new appropriations act approved by Congress last month and signed into law on February 3rd. UAMS will use the funds to transform several facilities and launch new programs that target pregnancy outcomes. A major portion—$15 million—will renovate the Shuffield Building, which used to house radiation oncology clinics. The upgraded space will become a low‑intervention birthing center, offering safer delivery options for mothers. An additional $8 million will support the Arkansas Center for Women and Infants’ Health, a proactive call center that coordinates statewide efforts to cut infant and maternal mortality.Other allocations include $5 million for upgrades to the Monroe Building, where a milk bank and a Maternal‑Infant Education Center will be added. The Barton Building receives $4. 5 million to expand research space, while $3 million will buy pediatric vision screening tools and telehealth cameras for diabetic eye care. UAMS plans to spend $2. 5 million on mobile vans that will transport patients and support a mobile maternal‑care unit, plus training equipment for staff. Finally, $2 million will fund a new hazardous waste storage facility. Arkansas’s high mortality statistics underscore the need for these improvements. From 2018 to 2022, the state’s maternal death rate was 38. 3 per 100, 000 births—fourth highest among reliable data sets. In 2023, the infant mortality rate stood at 8. 22 per 1, 000 births, the second highest in the nation. The funding was championed by four Republican members of Arkansas’s congressional delegation—Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, and Representatives Rick Crawford, Steve Womack, Bruce Westerman, and French Hill. The delegation focused on securing earmarks for projects that directly benefit Arkansan families, while some members opposed such allocations.