Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Drug overdose deaths in Arkansas declined by 24% in 2024, reaching their lowest annual level since 2019, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
publications
Maternal depression is a common and serious condition that can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth. Our new infographic looks at maternal depression in Arkansas and policy efforts to address it.
This explainer provides information on the hazards of substandard housing, the impact of housing on health, housing status among Arkansans, and policies designed to improve housing including implied warranty of habitability.
Behavioral health conditions, including mental health and substance abuse diagnoses, can be chronic and impact a patient’s well-being in many ways. When unmanaged or in severe cases, these conditions can become acute, resulting in an emergency department (ED) visit or requiring an inpatient stay.
Blog Posts
Drug overdose deaths in Arkansas declined by 24% in 2024, reaching their lowest annual level since 2019, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced it will launch a pilot program to implement prior authorization requirements in Medicare for certain services.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended that healthcare professionals screen women of reproductive age for intimate partner violence, emphasizing that screenings should include women who are pregnant or postpartum.
Podcast by ACHI
Many roadway safety initiatives depend on the notion that safe driving is a learned behavior, but it is clear that many of us still have a lot to learn. In Arkansas, about 65 pedestrians die in roadway accidents annually, and our state has the fourth-highest roadway fatality rate in the country, nearly double the national rate. A new effort to educate the next generation of drivers about roadway safety, launched as a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Arkansas Department of Education, rolls out to middle school students statewide this school year. To learn more about the program, named Street Smart Arkansas, we’re joined by Ellen Coulter, media communications manager with the Department of Transportation.
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Health Policy Board Policy Positions and Statements
ACHI’s Health Policy Board consists of 21 voting members (and two ex-officio members) from across the state who bring diverse perspectives and interests on health. This independent, self-perpetuating board identifies and establishes strategic priorities, provides direction and guidance, and serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas. The Health Policy Board guides ACHI’s involvement in and position on specific policy matters, and it issues position statements that articulate the health needs of Arkansans.