Psychiatrists from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson are preparing to launch a new service for Arizona health care providers who care for pregnant and postpartum persons experiencing mental health and substance use conditions.
Funded through a $1.6 million grant from Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Systems, the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line, or APAL, scheduled to open June 1, will offer health care providers free consultations on how to treat pregnant and postpartum persons.
The project comes amid rising rates of mental illnesses and maternal mortality and a shortage of psychiatric providers trained to care for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
An online press conference about the access line is May 25 at 9 a.m. via Zoom.
Speakers include:
Saira Kalia, MD – Co-Director, Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line
Kathryn Emerick, MD – Co-Director, Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line
Catherine "Kate" Dobler, MEd, BS, CPM, IMH-E – Project Manager, PPW-PLT, Division of Grants and Innovation, AHCCCS
Rachael Salley, MPH – Maternal Child Health/EPSDT Manager, AHCCCS
Michelle Lacy, MD – Executive Director of Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona
Heidi Christensen, MSW – Arizona Department of Health Services
Alicia Allen, PhD, MPH – RENEW Research Team, Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson