Institute for Community Health Innovation


February 10, 2026

UAMS Enrolls 25 Doula Trainees from 14 Arkansas Counties in Latest Class

David Wise

Doula speaking to a pregnant woman outside the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation will train at least 25 doulas in 2026 after enrolling its latest class of trainees in January. The institute launched its comprehensive doula training program in 2025 in partnership with Ujima Maternity Network and Birthing Beyond, enrolling more than…


February 5, 2026

The Heart & Lung Connection

David Wise

Dr. Sheldon Riklon, UAMS family medicine physician, checks a patients heart during a health checkup.

    By Sheldon Riklon, M.D. Your heart and lungs are two of the most important organs in your body. They work closely together every minute of the day to keep you healthy and strong. When one is not healthy, the other is often affected. That’s why taking care of both your heart and your…


February 3, 2026

Digital Health Diabetes Education Improves Health of Rural Communities Across Arkansas

David Wise

Nurse giving a patient a blood sugar level test

LITTLE ROCK — Delivering family-centered diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs through digital health can significantly improve health outcomes for people with Type 2 diabetes, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation.


January 30, 2026

UAMS, Ujima Celebrate Graduation of First Doula Class

David Wise

A newly graduated doula receives her certificate at a graduation event.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation and Ujima Maternity Network recently celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of their comprehensive, joint doula certification program, recognizing more than 40 doulas who have received certification through the program.


January 9, 2026

UAMS Seeking Input from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Veterans

David Wise

A smiling Pacific Islander veteran places his hand over his heart.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is seeking input from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) veterans to help improve access to benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. As part of a partnership with the University of Hawaii, the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation is surveying veterans to understand barriers…


January 6, 2026

UAMS Sees Improved Diabetes Management Through Food Is Medicine Study with Grocery Deliveries

David Wise

Cart full of fresh fruits and vegetables

FAYETTEVILLE — Through a Food Is Medicine intervention delivered in collaboration with food pantries and partners in Northwest Arkansas, researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation found improved blood sugar outcomes for nearly 60% of participating adults with diabetes, according to a study published recently in the…


January 5, 2026

Sometimes It’s More Than Just The Winter Blues

David Wise

Illustration of woman poking through the dark clouds into the sunshine

  By Sheldon Riklon, M.D. The winter months bring shorter days and colder temperatures, which can affect your mood, energy and overall well-being. Many people call this the “winter blues,” but for some, these seasonal changes are more serious and can greatly affect how you feel, think and behave. This condition is known as Seasonal…


December 12, 2025

Northwest Arkansas Unites for Walk & Roll to School

David Wise

Students, parents, and community members walking and riding bicycles to school

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation recently organized a community walk to inspire Arkansans to build more physical activity into their daily lives. The Walk & Roll to School event Nov. 7 brought together parents, students and community members who traded their usual car ride for a community…


December 10, 2025

UAMS to Train 75 Community Health Workers with Support from Arkansas Office of Skills Development

David Wise

An instructor at a DEEP Training Workshop takes notes on a whiteboard.

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation will work with partners to continue building the community health worker (CHW) workforce across the state after receiving $375,000 in support from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development Training Grant Program. The Office of Skills Development (OSD), an office…


December 2, 2025

Getting Your Flu Shot Matters

David Wise

A teenage girl receives the HPV vaccine.

By Sheldon Riklon, M.D.

Every year, many people in the United States get sick with the flu.



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