The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received $3 million to distribute to facilities throughout Arkansas that are providing medication-assisted treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
UAMS received the funding from the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and the funding is an offshoot of the Medical Assisted Treatment Recovery Initiative for Arkansas Rural Communities (MATRIARC).
Through this program, UAMS will compensate facilities to allow medical providers to offer treatment for opioid disorders to patients who either cannot pay for services or who do not have insurance. The funding will cover the cost of medication, peer support specialists, treatment services and travel costs for patients.
“We are really the stewards of the money, our job is to give it away,” Michael Mancino, M.D., a professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry who oversees the MATRIARC program, said in a statement. “We are working with clinics already providing medication-assisted treatment to people below the poverty line, so they don’t have to turn anyone away. We look forward to continuing these efforts with previous and new awardees.”
Several organizations have already been awarded grants for opioid treatment funding. These include: ARISA HEALTH of Springdale; Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center of Fort Smith; Healing Hands Addiction Center of Warren; Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness of Hot Springs; Counseling Services of Jacksonville; The Guinn Clinic of El Dorado; Natural State Recovery Centers of Little Rock; Aurora Rehabilitation Clinic of Fayetteville; Compassionate Care Clinic of Searcy; River Valley Medical Wellness of Russellville; A Better You Med Spa of Springdale; Vaught Care Center of Horatio; True Self Recovery of Rogers; and Wellness Clinic and Healthcare Consulting of Camden. Based on the areas covered by the awarded agencies, 57 out of the state’s 75 counties will have access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders.
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