Health Equity and Access

Arkansas is one of the most rural and economically disadvantaged states in the nation. With nearly half of the population living in rural communities and one out of every 10 Arkansans lacking health insurance, there is a pressing need to bridge the gap in health care accessibility.

Our work to enhance health equity and expand health care access promotes the well-being and resilience of all Arkansans.

Mobile Health

We’ve deployed mobile, fully functional clinics that travel across the state to provide health screenings and administer vaccines to Arkansas’ most rural communities, where our community health workers provide health navigation, language interpretation, and connections to community resources. UAMS mobile health units reach all 75 Arkansas counties.

Community Health Workforce Expansion

We recognize the role that community health workers play in clinical, public health, and social systems and support the development of the community health workforce through education, professional development, and advocacy.

• Education: Our Community Health Worker Training and Apprenticeship Program is the first of its kind in the state. It offers training, assistance, and on-the-job mentoring opportunities to new and experienced community health workers, as well as apprenticeship opportunities for new community health workers.
• Professional Development: Community health workers who go through our training program are eligible for college credits, creating new opportunities for community health workers to further their careers. Our training program also prepares community health workers for certification through the Arkansas Community Health Worker Association.
• Advocacy: Our team supports the growth of the community health workforce across the state, including efforts such as establishing “community health worker” as an official state title in Arkansas. Initiatives like these provide recognition for the valuable contributions of community health workers to the health care landscape.