Funding for UAFS health center, I-49 in U.S. Senate appropriations bills

A package of U.S. Senate appropriations bills would direct $43 million to the Fort Smith metro for projects that include a mother and infant healthcare program at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, Interstate 49 construction, and the Port of Fort Smith.

According to a Monday (Feb. 2) press release from the office of U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., funding was included for the following Fort Smith metro programs and projects.
• The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith could receive $15 million to support construction and equipment for its Center for Mother and Infant Healthcare program.

• The ongoing Interstate 49 construction between Alma and Barling would receive $15.8 million.

• The Port of Fort Smith would receive $8.1 million to increase warehouse capacity for freight rail utilization.

• The Fort Smith Regional Airport would receive $4.1 million to build a storage facility for inclement weather equipment

The funding package awaits a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and a presidential signature.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was able to include several Arkansas projects and programs in funding bills for the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other related agencies, according to a statement from his office.

“Arkansans deserve to have their hard-earned tax dollars reinvested in their communities to help improve health outcomes including robust support for maternal and infant care, increase economic opportunity, and transform critical infrastructure,” Boozman said in a statement. “I am proud to have secured funding that would meet these critical needs throughout the state. I am also pleased our bipartisan initiatives to combat preterm birth and infant mortality as well as reduce financial barriers to organ donation are one step closer to becoming law.”

The $15 million in federal funding announced Monday would pay for around half of the planned new 16,300-square-foot two-story building – Center for Health Innovation – on the UAFS campus. The biggest cost of the facility would be equipment in simulation labs that train caregivers through all aspects of maternal and infant care before, during and following birth.

“In collaboration with local health care providers, UAFS would utilize the facility for training and to sustain a ‘No Fear Delivery’ program for expectant parents to observe exactly the birth, postpartum, and infant care that will take place in hospital facilities utilizing high fidelity simulation,” UAFS noted in a statement. “Using the state of the art training and observation laboratories, current practitioners and students will be able to simulate all types of typical and high-risk birth and infant care scenarios.”

UAFS Chancellor Dr. Terisa Riley said the planned facility will help do much to help improve maternal and infant health in the region.

“I am incredibly grateful to Senator Boozman for his commitment to strengthening the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Western Arkansas through a significant investment in medical education through the new, UAFS Center for Health Innovation,” Riley said in a statement. “This facility will allow UAFS faculty and students to train on state-of-the-art equipment to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.”

Following are other organizations and programs in the appropriations packages announced Monday. The list includes funding for projects of $5 million or more.
• $30 million to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture to create a state-of-the-art Agriculture Center of Excellence in Food Science that will support research, outreach and workforce development

• $20 million for the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College workforce training venue in support of current and future industries within the Port of Little Rock Industrial Park

• $20 million for Southern Arkansas University Tech: $15 million to construct the Aerospace Defense Manufacturing Center of Excellence facility and $5 million to provide educational equipment to the Center

• $15 million to expand and upgrade labor and delivery capacity at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)

• $13.3 million for technology and infrastructure updates at the Arkansas Department of Health

• $9 million to build a Healthcare Simulation Building at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro that will help address maternal and infant health workforce shortages and regional health disparities

• $8 million for the Infant Maternal Mortality Project at UAMS to support a comprehensive program focused on improving outcomes for low-income women and infants

• $7.7 million for construction of a Health Science Center at Arkansas State University-Newport with a focus on improving maternal and mental health outcomes

• $7 million to enhance Philander Smith University’s educational facilities to advance health outcomes

• $5 million for care and mental health treatment for UAMS students and faculty through the Wellness, Health, and Education Center

• $5 million for the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District to construct a new rail track at the Yellow Bend Port in Desha County, which will enable Class I rail service connectivity