New Look. Same Mission.
arminorityhealth.com | 501-686-2720 | 5800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR 72204
13
16
37
2021 Annual Issue || Table of Contents
Celebrating The History That Made Us 20
Join the AMHC in celebrating 30 years of commitment and service to Arkansas communities. The timeline inside will highlight many of the agency’s leaders and change agents throughout the years, along with pivotal moments that helped shape the commission.
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
10 As the first director of AMHC, Sproles started with a limited budget, but his committment and connections opened doors for the unimaginable.
18 A loved one’s life or death decision
gave light to one of AMHC’s most famed signature programs, Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays.
24 As a cancer survivor, making
connections and early detection changed the way Bryant-Williams saw life.
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT:
TOMMY SPROLES
IDONIA GARDNER
26 Gardner’s experience during the
JUDY SMITH
MICHEAL KNOX
32 For Dr. Knox, education,
Affordable Care Act may have changed the agency’s focus, but it never changed the mission.
empowerment, and equipping minority Arkansans was always the goal.
9 • Dr. Joycelyn Elders paves the
16 • Keep It Sweet - Potato Pie
way for AMHC
As a forerunner for health advocacy, Elders did what it took to address the health disparities experienced by minority Arkansans.
39 • The Silent Pandemic - Mental
COVID-19 vaccines are essential to ending the current pandemic. Learn how we can all do our part.
Beyond the spread of the virus, COVID-19 brought along with it an unforeseen wave of mental health crises.
6 || Director’s Letter
SHARHONDA LOVE
34 Her vision turned reality is AMHC’s
new state-of-the-art Mobile Health Unit, now providing COVID-19 vaccines and wellness checks statewide.
Sweet potatoe pie is the ultimate dessert at a southern holiday function. Now you can enjoy it guilt free, and take a slice to go!
37 • Addressing COVID-19 with Dr.
José Romero
WYNONA BRYANT-WILLIAMS
Health
7 || Governor’s Letter
41 || AMHC Commissioners
9
2021 Annual Issue AMHC LEADERSHIP
GREETINGS AND WELCOME to the 30th anniversar y edition of our BRIDGE magazine.
Este Frazier, MPA AMHC STAFF
Cindy Arreola Mallorie Boswell Brittany Desmuke, MA Onekia Freeman Ronda Gilbert-Hines Beatriz Mondragon, BS AMHC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Larry Bishop Kelly Bryant, MS Mattie Collins Markeith Cook Jack Crumbly, MA, EdS Rita Hamilton Layza Lopez-Love, BA Rhonda Mattox, MD Rickey McCauley Kris Ikenna Nwokeji, MD Louis Portlock, MA Sederick Rice, PhD MAGAZINE PRODUCTION
Brittany Desmuke, Project Manager Michelle Stewart, Writer Content in BRIDGE magazine is for informational purposes only. © 2021 Arkansas Minority Health Commission All Rights Reserved. 501-686-2720 arminorityhealth.com
DIRECTOR’S CORNER
We a re s o e xc i te d to h o n o r a n d recognize the trailblazers, thought leaders and public health advocates who have paved the way for the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC), ensuring that your health would always be our priority.
In this publication, we peel back the layers on three decades of service and recognize the contributions made by former Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders and the agency’s past directors. Among their contributions includes their ability to address the health-related needs of community members through tobacco settlement funding, the education and championing of the Affordable Care Act, the speedy response to the COVID-19 pandemic and so much more. In addition to the work done in-house, AMHC has had the pleasure of working with community leaders and partnering organizations who have played a significant role in helping to push the mission of AMHC forward. We are so grateful for their efforts and work done throughout the years and we are excited to show our appreciation to them for the lasting impact they have had on Arkansas’ entire population. Our goal for this year’s BRIDGE magazine is to recognize the rich history of AMHC and to honor those who have played such a vital role in helping the agency to become the pillar that it is. This includes the AMHC Board of Commissioners and staff who are the reason why we’re able to reach the four corners of the state and impact communities statewide. This also includes the support of Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the AR General Assembly who continue to support us as we work to today for a healthier tomorrow. Sincerely,
Este Frazier, MPA
6 • bridge • AMHC 2019
INTERIM DIRECTOR
FOR 30 YEARS, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission has been reminding us to hydrate, eat vegetables, exercise, brush our teeth, and get enough sleep. A s w e s l o g g e d t h ro u g h the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission’s message became more crucial, the mission more urgent, and the stakes more grave. The FROM THE GOVERNOR pandemic challenged us in ways that none of us had been challenged in our lifetime. Times such as this remind us why we need organizations such as the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. The mission is vital during the best of times. The mission is crucial at times of a deadly, widespread illness. Interestingly, the good habits that the commission encourages in our every day lives are especially important in fighting a disease such as COVID. When we adopt a healthy lifestyle, we are less likely to become ill. Even the healthiest people can’t avoid all sickness, but good health often can reduce the severity of an illness. The Commission contributes to the health of Arkansans with its Mobile Health Unit, its website, and through this magazine, BRIDGE, which is filled with information to encourage a healthy lifestyle, tips for achieving good health, and stories about people who are leading the way.
“A healthy lifestyle, of course, is the key to good health, and good health is the key to a great quality of life. Thanks to the Arkansas Minority Health Commission for pointing us to good health for 30 years.”
The Commission further enhances medical care by identifying gaps in the health care system and recommending remedies to relevant agencies and to members of the General Assembly. A healthy lifestyle, of course, is the key to good health, and good health is the key to a great quality of life. Thanks to the Arkansas Minority Health Commission for pointing us to good health for 30 years. Sincerely,
Asa Hutchinson GOVERNOR
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 7
Dr. Joycelyn Elders DR. SHELDON RIKLON:
SHINING A LIGHT IN THE DARK BY MICHELLE STEWART Your health. Our priority. For 30 years, this statement has been the ongoing declaration of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC). Prior to the agency’s establishment, Arkansas’ extensive history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, separate but equal doctrines, segregation, racism and discrimination impacted the health and welfare of Arkansas’ minority populations in ways that were both devastating and disheartening. Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former U.S. Surgeon General, was no stranger to the rippling effects of these times. She was born and raised in Howard County, a rural area of Arkansas, dominated by segregation and poverty. 8 • bridge • AMHC 2019
ELDERS’ INSPIRATION FROM EDUCATION
Elders was the eldest of eight children and spent much of her childhood working in cotton fields. This, however, never discouraged nor disrupted her interest in receiving a higher education. After graduating high school, Elders earned a scholarship to attend Philander Smith College in Little Rock. She scrubbed floors to pay her tuition while her siblings picked extra cotton and did chores for neighbors to help raise money for her bus fare. These sacrifices did not go in vain. While in college, Elders attended a lecture featuring Edith Irby Jones, the first African American to attend the University of Arkansas Medical School (now the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), and who later became a physician. Elders, who never met a doctor until she was 16, saw what was possible and decided she would become a physician just like Jones. And that she did. THE MISSION OF THE COMMISSION
Elders went on to have an extensive medical career that was further extended in 1987 when former Governor Bill Clinton appointed her as director of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). In this role, Elders’ vision was simple — create access to adequate and appropriate healthcare services for minority populations in Arkansas.
addressing the health status of African Americans, Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans compared to that of whites. The report revealed that 60,000 excess deaths occurred each year in minority populations. Eighty percent of these deaths were due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, chemical dependency, diabetes, homicide, suicide, unintentional injuries, and infant mortality. The report shined a spotlight on minority disparities and set wheels in motion for the next 30 years of service to Arkansas’ minority communities. In July 1991, following Dr. Elders’ testimony, the Arkansas legislature passed Act 912, creating the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. Former Senator Bill Lewellen served as the lead sponsor of this bill and was backed by the leadership and support of the ALBC. From there, the mission of AMHC was established – to assure all minority Arkansans equitable access to preventive health care and to seek ways to promote health and prevent diseases and conditions that are prevalent among minority populations. The work begun by Dr. Elders would continue over the next thirty years through the leadership of the agency’s next seven directors who were committed to making the health of all minority Arkansans a priority.
Tommy Sproles, director of primary care and rural health at ADH, shared Elders’ vision and passion for leading the charge to eliminate health disparities in the state. His connections with key members of the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus (ALBC) greatly contributed to the cause. “At the time, Dr. Elders was my boss,” Sproles said. “We had support from legislatures that were physicians and dentists like Senator Dr. Jerry Jewell and Dr. W. H. Townsend, who wanted to do something to address these disparities. So, we got together and got the ball rolling.” In 1991, Dr. Elders presented the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) “1985 Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health” to the Arkansas General Assembly. It was the first comprehensive national minority health study AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 9
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
The Beginning of the Mission
Tommy Sproles BY MICHELLE STEWART Tommy Sproles’ healthcare experience started when he was a Navy corpsman in the Vietnam war. This continued as he transitioned into a physician’s assistant and later, the director of primary care and rural health at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). From this role, he was appointed by Dr. Joycelyn Elders as the first director of the newly formed Arkansas Minority Health Commission. “When I became director, I wanted to see changes in the status of all minorities,” Sproles said. “I wanted things to be more equal. I could see change coming slowly and I wanted it to happen more rapidly because I didn’t want to have more people dying or suffering. If I could do my little bit, that is what I wanted to do.” From the start of his tenure, Sproles had a champion in Dr. Elders. He defined her as a “game changer,” while he was simply one of the players who knew others the commission could collaborate with. As the pioneering director of AMHC, it didn’t take Sproles long to realize that laying the foundation of the agency wouldn’t be easy. Although Act 912 created the commission, it came without funding. Dr. Elders generously gave Sproles $5,000 of her ADH budget, along with former AMHC Commissioner Joe Hill, who gave $5,000 from his program’s budget. This money allowed Sproles and the legislative health professionals who backed the mission of the commission to bring in and meet with other healthcare professionals to discuss what could be done to eliminate health disparities among Arkansas’ minority populations.
Dr. Joycelyn Elders
“[This funding] gave me the opportunity to get out into the community to see what was really going on,” Sproles said. “We were able to go to areas that were difficult to access, and I could meet those leaders and healthcare providers and discuss what needed to be done.” Sproles knew the only way he was going to be able to operate the AMHC was if he received more funding. He submitted his financial request to the state legislature and received a $200,000 starting budget for the commission. Having been previously housed in ADH, the first thing Sproles did with the new budget was move the commission into offices at 12th and University in Little Rock.
10 • bridge • AMHC 2021
The commission started with very humble beginnings.
“The first few weeks, all we had was a large carboard box for a desk and our cell phones,” Sproles said. “We had to wait to buy furniture but when we did, we got used furniture. We wanted to use the money we got on [ more important] things, not looking good.” With a budget in place, Sproles was able to travel and talk to leaders in rural areas. One of those meetings landed him in Mississippi where he heard about available tobacco settlement dollars. “I came back and met with Governor Huckabee and told him we can get some of this money if we created a plan and applied for it.” And so, C HART (Coalition for a
Healthy Arkansas Today) was created.
and running,” Sproles said. “It has been
This group was comprised of healthcare providers, leaders from educational
going great ever since.”
and research institutions and health advocacy organizations. The CHART plan, also known as the Initiated Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000, led to an initial $62 million dollars of tobacco settlement funding for the state of Arkansas. More than
Sproles may not have had an easy start as first director of AMHC, but he certainly has no regrets. “I look back and say that it was all worth it. The commission has come a long way.” Sproles, a continued supporter of
three percent of these funds were allocated to AMHC and continues to this day.
AMHC, leaves the commission with a word advice that is befitting of his accomplishments in the beginning.
“Getting the funds was my greatest achievement and how we got AMHC up
“Don’t forget the mission.”
“The first few weeks, all we had was a large carboard box for a desk and our cell phones. We had to wait to buy furniture but when we did, we got used furniture. We wanted to use the money we got on [more important] things, not looking good.” Tommy Sproles
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 11
Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO SETTLEMENT COMMISSION (ATSC)
was established by a vote of the people in 2000. This Act designated all tobacco settlement proceeds to be directed to the use of improving the health of Arkansans. Arkansas can be proud in knowing we were one of only a handful of states to make this important commitment to the future health of our citizens. The Act created seven funded programs: Arkansas Aging Initiative Arkansas Biosciences Institute Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Medicaid Expansion Program Minority Health Initiative Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program UAMS East/Delta Arkansas Health Education Center
These programs carry out the mission and spirit of the Act, which was to create a stronger and healthier Arkansas. The ATSC website provides the important work these programs have accomplished, along with highlights and achievements they have reached. 12 • bridge • AMHC 2019
WWW.ATSC.ARKANSAS.GOV
Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission 101 East Capitol Avenue, Suite 108 | Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Phone: 501-683-0072 | Fax: 501-683-0078
There are several agencies and organizations in Arkansas that partner with the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) to help prevent IM.
THE FIGHT BACK AGAINST TOBACCO BY BRITTANY DESMUKE TOBACCO USE has an extensive yet
damaging history. In the late 1800s, cigarette smoking quickly grew in popularity. As more c omp a ni e s b egan pro du c in g an d creatively marketing the product, the tobacco industry swelled. By 1901, 3.5 billion cigarettes were sold in the U.S.
As tobacco usage continued to climb, increasing rates of lung cancer closely followed.
hazardous to your health.”
In response, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report in 1964 that addressed
By 1985, lung cancer became the number
the dangers of cigarette smoking, which led to the 1965 Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act. This required every cigarette package to display a warning label that read, “Cigarettes may be
Despite the warnings, many people continued to smoke. one cause of death in women, surpassing breast cancer. And Arkansas only contributed to the devastating statistics. By the late 1990s, Arkansas had the 11th
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 13
highest rate of smoking among adults, the fourth-highest rate
they do reach across, where one program can’t meet a need,
of death from lung cancer and heart disease, and the secondhighest rate of death from stroke.
another program jumps in to help do that. I think they’ve all been successful and they all continue to try to meet the goals [of Initiated Act 1] in a changing landscape.”
Unfortunately, the Natural State wasn’t alone. Healthcare costs
The Arkansas
were skyrocketing across the nation due to smoking related diseases.
Mi n o r ity He a lt h Commission (AMHC), which manages the
To provide aid for the damage done, 46 state attorney generals and four major tobacco corporations signed the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). This multi billion-dollar agreement was designed to settle lawsuits for past and future medical claims related to tobacco use. As a participant of the settlement, Arkansas agreed to accept $62 million the first year and $50 to $60 million each year after over the course of 25 years. There was no restriction on how the funds could be used, so the Coalition for a Healthier Arkansas Today (CHART) was developed to help make that decision. Together this group of healthcare professionals, leaders and organizations decided that the funds should go where they would have the greatest impact on the health of Arkansans. This was all spelled out in the plan they developed known as the Initiated Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000 (Initiated Act 1). Once Initiated Act 1 was passed, MSA funding was granted to the following healthcare programs and institutions: • Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program • UAMS Centers on Aging • Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health • UAMS East Regional Campus • Arkansas Biosciences Institute • Tobacco Settlement Medicaid Expansion Program • Arkansas Minority Health Initiative “The legislature and the Initiated Act set these programs up to serve specific populations,” said Matt Gilmore, Arkansas Department of Health Programs Policy Coordinator. “I think a lot of the programs cross over and help support the other one in different ways. There’s no duplicate of services, but I think
14 • bridge • AMHC 2021
Arkansas Minority Health Initiative, has aimed to do just that. The agency uses the tobacco
Matt Gilmore settlement funds to offer preventive screenings for tobacco-related illnesses like heart disease and
diabetes, while also continuing to develop various outreach programs and fund pilot projects directed at improving minority health. AMHC also continues to monitor and advocate for health policy changes that directly benefit minorities and contribute to related research. Through the use of sponsored health events, partnerships, and its Mobile Health Unit, AMHC is committed to reaching its goal of providing preventive screenings in all 75 counties in the state. To date, Arkansas’ tobacco use among adults and high school students is still greater than the national average. With the latest surge of e-tobacco products and their popularity among adults and adolescents, the AMHC and related health programs still have a lot of work to do. “The programs that are established are pivoting and recognizing the emerging products that are coming out,” said Gilmore. “I think that the programs are staying well informed in trying to address those issues and are very in tune and work well together with the research capabilities offered, but also the outreach programs that aim to come together and meet the needs of the communities they serve.” For more information about Initiated Act 1 and the programs it funds, visit healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/ arkansas-tobacco-settlement-commission.
ADVERTORIAL
• FROM THE SOUTHERN AIN’T FRIED SUNDAYS COOKBOOK •
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Sweet potato pie is the epitome of Southern comfort food - particularly within African American households. But, you might not like all the fat and calories that come with that comfort. Try this recipe that takes advantage of low-fat skim milk and leaves out the butter.
SERVES 16 PER SERVING
140 calories
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
Crust
Crust
1 1/4 cups flour
•
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit.
•
Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add milk and oil to the flour mixture.
•
Stir with fork until well mixed and then form pastry into a smooth ball with your hands.
•
Roll the ball between two 12-inch squares of waxed paper using short, brisk strokes until pastry reaches edge of paper.
•
Peel off top paper and invert crust into pie.
1/4 tsp. sugar 1/3 cup skim milk 2 Tbsps. Canola oil Filling 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3g total fat 230mg sodium 40mg cholesterol
Filling
3 large eggs, beaten 1/4 cup evaporated skim milk, canned 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
•
Combine sugars, salt, spices and eggs. Add milk and vanilla, stir. Add cooked sweet potatoes and mix well.
•
Pour mixture into pie shell.
•
Bake for 60 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays Part of the mission of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission includes addressing disparities in minority communities and educating the communities on healthier lifestyles. One of the most glaring disparities that minorities face is the epidemic of obesity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health, African-Americans are 1.4 times more likely to be obese than whites. Hispanics are 1.2 times more likely to be obese than whites. Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays is a program designed to educate minority communities about healthier alternatives to preparing Southern-style (soul) foods. The program seeks to reach communities and individual participants to offer healthier ways of preparing dishes that are culturally relevant. To learn more, contact Ronda Gilbert-Hines, health specialist, at 501-682-8825 or Ronda.Gilbert-Hines@arkansas.gov.
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 17
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
Change from the Other Side
Judy Smith BY BRITTANY DESMUKE Prior to becoming the second director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, former Arkansas state representative, Judy Smith, turned down the position at least eight times. For more than 18 years, she’d run a nonprofit organization in her hometown of Camden, Arkansas, but once she finally gave the commission her yes, Smith got to work, determined to make a change. Her first project, Eating and Moving for Life, was a dietary intervention and prevention project that aimed to reduce the risk of nutrition-related diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. This project hit very close to home for Smith. On Thanksgiving Day in 2001, her husband was diagnosed with diabetes after experiencing a blood sugar reading of over 1500. He was given two options by his doctor - get disability right away or continue working, exercising, eating healthy and taking the proper medication. He chose the latter. Smith saw this encounter as an opportunity to educate others about the symptoms of diabetes and how the lack of going to a doctor could lead to bad outcomes. Her second project and one of the agency’s most well-known initiatives – Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays – came to life through a correlating event. While still in the hospital following the Thanksgiving Day incident, Smith and her husband sampled two weeks’ worth of nutritious meals to see how their new food options would look and taste. Having been equipped with fresh, new recipes for healthier living in her personal life, Smith seized the opportunity to do the same for others. She connected with the University of Arkansas’ Cooperative Extension Services and with their help, the Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays (SAFS) cookbook came to life. The cookbook consisted of healthier versions of classic southern dishes like fried chicken, mac and cheese and sweet potato pie.
18 • bridge • AMHC 2021
To test out the recipes and kickstart
platform to address a different health
Throughout her five years of service to
the SAFS program, ten churches were recruited and given cookbooks. They
disparity through the lens of a survivor and a medical expert who focused not
AMHC, Smith’s work was influenced by so much of her personal and
were asked to prepare one meal from it each month to replace their normal
only on treatment, but prevention.
professional experience and kept her motivated to fulfill the mission and
Sunday dinner.
The show eventually reached 13.5 million households across the country,
vision of the agency each day.
By the second year,
“I grew up po, P-O,” Smith said.
the SAFS program experienced a massive increase
“So for me, I live my life with such gratitude to the good Lord that I want to improve
and now included 4 0 chu rch e s a n d m o re t h a n 9 , 0 0 0
the part of life for ever y human that I can. And for me, health is a part of that.”
participants.
And so it was.
Although this
With the help of the AMHC staff, board of commissioners, and legislative body, Smith’s
program was a major success, Smith says of all the work she accomplished a t AM H C , s h e i s most proud of the Mi n o r i t y H e a l t h Today Show. Each week, she used her televised
contributions to the agency have left a long-lasting impact on the agency and the state of Arkansas. with topics ranging from breast and prostate cancer to mental health and wellness to prenatal care.
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 19
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
It Takes A Village
Dr. Wynona Bryant-Williams BY BRITTANY DESMUKE Dr. Wynona Bryant-Williams is a teacher at heart, so the feeling was bittersweet when leaving her role at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) to serve as director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC). The transition from professor to director of AMHC was seemingly a great fit because the agency’s goals and mission aligned with the work Bryant-Williams was passionate about, and it also brought her closer to home. While at UCA, Bryant-Williams taught African American studies with an emphasis on black families and was overjoyed with the impact this subject had on her students. “They were like sponges just soaking up that information about their history,” Bryant-Williams said. “When a teacher sees that lightbulb go off in its students, it’s just one of the greatest rewards.” Although she would no longer be in the classroom, Bryant-Williams looked to have a continuous impact while at AMHC. “I think the commission was already doing great work,” she said. “One thing we did to expand that work was to be more inclusive of bringing other minorities into the work of the commission.” This all started with the Marshallese population in northwest Arkansas. Following World War II, the U.S. military performed 12 years of nuclear testing on the Marshall Islands, causing exposure to radiation and forcing relocation and other consequences that the Marshallese community continue to experience today.
“I think the commission was already doing great work. One thing we did to expand that work was to be more inclusive of bringing other minorities into the work of the commission.”
In 1986, the U.S. government and the Republic of Marshall Islands signed the Compact of Free Association, which granted the Marshallese community the freedom to travel between the two countries as they pleased. Thousands of Marshallese have since migrated to northwest Arkansas and nearby communities.
24 • bridge • AMHC 2021
Understanding the gravity of their experience, AMHC knew it had to gain the community’s trust before ever implementing a program, study, or health fair, so they started by approaching the Marshallese leaders. “It was because of their foot work that we gained entry into that community and were allowed to do the work that we felt was so very important,” said Bryant-Williams.
AIDS was, but the latter part of the 90s, those numbers started to increase again.” In response, Patricia Minor, project manager for AMHC’s hypertension program, was accepted as a fellow into the Black AIDS Institute, and as a result of her training, introduced HIV/ AIDS screenings to AMHC’s roster of healthcare screenings.
“It takes a village to do all of this imp or t ant w ork,” sai d Br yantWilliams. “One agency cannot do it alone.”
populations effected by HIV/AIDS. From her recollection, “the numbers started to go down where incidence of
Three months after her tenure as director of AMHC, Bryant-Williams was diagnosed with cancer. Not only was she grateful to have built long lasting relationships with individuals and partnerships with organizations like the Arkansas Cancer Coalition, the Arkansas Department of Health and other non-profits, but she was also grateful to have known the importance of early detection.
From there, partnerships between the agency and other organizations only grew.
Of the things accomplished during her tenure with AMHC, Bryant-Williams is most proud of the work started with
individuals and I was just very proud to become a part of something good that was already there.”
“I just wish that I could be the poster child for early detection because I am a living example of how that saved my life.” In the future, Bryant-Williams hopes to see AMHC incorporate mental health “The staff that I worked with every day was a great staff,” said Bryant-Williams. “I was honored to have been able to work with them. They were dedicated
care in a greater capacity but in the meantime, continues to root for the success of the agency.
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 25
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
Many Members. One Mission.
Idonia Gardner BY BRITTANY DESMUKE For Idonia Gardner ( formerly Idonia Trotter), the work of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) wasn’t just business. It was personal. In 2000, Gardner’s mother passed away from lung cancer and although doctors never said how the disease developed, Gardner and her family knew the cause was secondhand smoke. “If my mother would’ve ever known that secondhand smoke was as dangerous as it was, she would have kicked my stepfather out of the house and he likely would’ve smoked outside the house,” Gardner said. “But because they were unaware, it just happened.” In response to her loss, Gardner would either dive into her grief or find things to do that helped her feel as though she were making a difference in the area that completely changed her life. In the early 2000s, Gardner joined the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Arkansas to inform people about the dangers of secondhand smoke. By 2009, she was the newest director of AMHC. With a joint law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law and the Clinton School of Public Service, Gardner was well equipped for what lie ahead. She was guided by the vision set forth by Dr. Joycelyn Elders, one of the founding members of AMHC, and the strategic plan developed by the agency’s board of commissioners. At the start of her tenure, Gardner and her team focused intently on HIV/AIDS, sickle cell awareness, and healthcare diversity. Further down the road, the commission sought to direct more attention to the root causes of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and so developed an overarching focus on physical education and nutrition. This gave way to AMHC’s Camp iRock, the state’s first residential fitness program. Camp iRock was designed for girls in grades 6-8 and provided fun educational activities, workshops and exercises that promoted healthier lifestyles, physical activity and self-confidence. As the agency continued to stay the course, focusing on its overarching goals, talks of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) begin to spring up across the
26 • bridge • AMHC 2021
state. “We were aware of the conversations nationally and even statewide around the Affordable Care Act, but who knew if Arkansas would ever pass it,” Gardner said.
ACA was designed to make affordable healthcare accessible to more people, so AMHC did its part to educate lowincome communities about the law and how to sign up. This was done through community meetings, forums, and the
In 2010, ACA was signed into law and in 2013, the legislation was authorized in Arkansas.
The efforts of AMHC during this time were largely influenced and supported by the Arkansas Minority Health Consortium, a collaboration of nonprofit, faith-based and community organizations that focused on public policy initiatives. Much
From the passage of ACA until the end of Gardner’s tenure, this became AMHC’s primary focus.
of the work the agency was able to accomplish after the passage of ACA was because of the consortium’s leadership and commitment to the
“If we could ensure that people were insured and had the ability to walk into the hospital without having the burden of a huge bill, or even go to a regular doctor’s appointment and maintain regular checkups without huge bills, we knew that that would really positively impact the overarching disparities that we were trying to address.”
ensuring they were equipped to deal with the newly informed public.
communities being served. Gardner believes more agency’s first State of Minority Health event. AMHC also hosted minority health summits, gathering community partners, leaders and healthcare providers from across the state to
than 240,000 Arkansans gained access to healthcare once ACA passed, and that couldn’t have happened without the collective work of the agency and its many, devoted partners.
educate them on the latest health issues,
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 27
PARTNERSHIPS
HOW AMHC CONTINUES TO FULFILL ITS MISSION AND REACH ARKANSANS ACROSS THE STATE BY BRITTANY DESMUKE PARTNERSHIPS have been instrumental
Human Development Corporation
in the work accomplished by the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) since its inception 30 years ago.
( A H D C ) . “ We h av e c o m m o n
AHDC has been ongoing for nearly 10 years. This union developed
goals and are c o m m i tt e d t o addressing the educational gaps regarding
out of AMHC’s need to expand its reach in Arkansas’ Hispanic communities.
As many of the former directors have emphasized throughout this publication, it has taken the collaboration and commitment of numerous community partners, both large and small, to help push the mission of the agency forward. “We have enjoyed an excellent partnership with AMHC,” said Sue Espinosa, health outreach coordinator for the Arkansas
28 • bridge • AMHC 2021
chronic disease prevention and i n c o r p o ra t i n g healthy habits into the lives [of those we serve].”
The partnership between AMHC and
Financial support provided by the commission to AHDC has allowed the organization to reach Hispanics in rural areas, who otherwise, would have no access to prevention services or information about available resources.
Sue Espinosa
In addition, AMHC supports the
by finding speakers, nurses, and
matter, Shephard partnered with
organization’s yearly Red Dress event.
vendors for health-related events.
AMHC and the University of Arkansas
“Our Red Dress event has become a big success, thanks in part to the support
“ They also have no qualms with rolling up their sleeves, helping with
at Little Rock Race and Ethnicity Institute to host a panel event of
of AMHC,” said Espinosa. “We have
registration and even assisting with
educated more than 3,000 Hispanic women about the dangers of tobacco
serving healthy foods,” Cook said.
use, heart disease, healthy eating habits, and mental health. We have also
made partnerships among AMHC
facilitated the offering of hundreds of screening tests.” Stork’s Nest, a cooperative project of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and the March of Dimes Foundation, uses its funding from the agency to increase the number of women who receive early and regular prenatal care to help prevent cases of low birthweight, premature births and infant deaths. According to a report from the March of Dimes, babies in Arkansas are more likely to be born prematurely than in most other states. Arkansas’ Stork’s Nest addresses this statistic through incentives and training made possible by funds from AMHC.
Hands on experiences like these have all the more meaningful. T h i s
and assistance for years to come.” In addition to funding, AMHC has supported the Zeta Dove Foundation
Fo r m e r AMH C di re ctor ShaRhonda Love joined the panel to provide input and support of the work being done to address this issue.
certainly the c a s e f o r Ta r a Shephard, CEO and founder o f D e l t a Community Based Services
“Her wealth of knowledge contributed to a very intriguing and dynamic Tara Shephard
(DCBS). “My experience [partnering with AMHC] has been amazing,” Shephard said. “The level of professionalism and support is like none other.” In 2019, Shephard released a report titled “In Their Voices,” which focused on the survey responses of African American girls in Arkansas
Foundation of Little Rock will always be grateful for the financial a ssi st a n c e w e’v e received from AMHC,” s a i d B e v e rly C o o k ,
the partnership and look forward to their health advice, programming tips
discuss the daily adversity African American girls face and what can be done about it.
w a s
“The Zeta Dove
Arkansas State Director of Zeta Phi Beta. “More importantly, we value
women from legal, medical, mental health and education professions to
who had potentially been exposed to
Beverly Cook
conversation regarding the overall health and wellbeing
of African American girls in Arkansas,” Shephard said. Since partnering with AMHC, Shephard has been able to reach and impact the lives of even more girls in the central and southeast regions of the state. For Joyce Raynor, the partnership between AMHC and her organization, Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits, has been longstanding. Fo r m o re t h a n 1 5 y e a r s , t h e
violence, crime, sexual victimization and other
organizations have joined forces to effect change across the state.
Adverse Chi l d hood Experiences (ACES) in their homes or neighborhoods.
During former AMHC director Idonia Gardner ( formerly Trotter)’s tenure, she recalls Raynor’s organization being
According to Shephard’s research, ACES are the single greatest public health threat facing our nation today. To spread awareness of such a pressing
very active and committed to the work of the Arkansas Minority Health Consortium, a body of organizations who played a key factor in AMHC supported legislation and health policy
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 29
Beatriz Mondragon
concerns.
aligned with AMHC goals.”
“Joyce was always there at everything we did and she supported everything we did with her organization,” Trotter said.
To this day, AMHC partnerships continue to move the needle on efforts made by the commission to decrease health disparities and create a healthier
Having such an extensive relationship with the agency, Raynor has seen many changes
tomorrow for Arkansas’ minority populations.
within AMHC’s leadership, and at times, priorities, but through it all, her organization has remained engaged with the commission.
communities in the state,” said Beatriz Mondragon, AMHC grants coordinator. “What better way to do that than collaborating with organizations that are known and trusted within communities to help provide the help and services that are needed.”
“I can recall during a statewide Joyce Raynor meeting at the State Capitol, stakeholders were asked what they wanted as an outcome of the meeting,” Raynor said. “I shared with each state agency what our agency needed. I shared specifically with AMHC that we would like to see our agency tied to the AMHC to assist us with marketing our services and creating community awareness. AMHC subsequently listed our logo on their website and provided funding opportunities through mini grants for several of our initiatives that
30 • bridge • AMHC 2021
“Collaboration and partnerships are very important because it takes a village to be able to reach all the
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
A Vision for Collaboration
Dr. Micheal Knox BY MICHELLE STEWART Dr. Micheal Knox served as executive director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) from 2015 to 2016. “What excited me the most about the opportunity to be the executive director for AMHC was that I could actively participate in working in a collaborative spirit with various organizations to address the social factors of health.” Prior to AMHC, Knox worked in several capacities at the Arkansas Department of Health, including as public health administrator, Medicaid Expansion facilitator, associate branch chief at the Preparedness and Emergency Response Branch, and senior epidemiologist. Coming into his role at AMHC, Knox said his goal was to actualize the potential and promise of the agency by assisting those individuals who needed access to equal health care. “The health issues and shortage of medical professionals that plagued Arkansans were beyond the scope of one individual and one organization. It was my mission to exhaustively work towards coalitions and collaborations with other state agencies, universities, state, county, and local municipalities, faith and community-based organizations, and federal partners to close this gap.” It was a huge challenge, but one Knox embraced. “My hope was simple—to educate, to empower, and to equip minority Arkansans, as well as any individual who did
“My hope was simple - to educate, to empower, and to equip minority Arkansans, as well as any individual who did not have equal access to care and preventative services.”
not have equal access to care and preventative services. I wanted to provide the tools necessary to advocate for those basic rights and to provide direct services to their communities.”
In May 2015, AMHC held a conference called “Educating, Empowering, and Equipping Communities,” which focused on community service and increasing preventive services. At the conference, a wide range of quality experts were brought in to provide training and certification for health screenings like blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, tobacco prevention and cessation, and CPR. Many of these individuals would be AMHC’s direct points of contact to aggressively enhance awareness, education, and screenings that addressed health issues associated with diseases that were preventable with lifestyle changes such as chronic conditions like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma.
32 • bridge • AMHC 2021
In addition, the agency hosted and participated in foundational events and activities that were in line with the agency’s mission, including the 4th Biennial Minority Health Summit – Social Determinants of Health, a partnership with Shorter College to develop its Health and Wellness Center, the publication of the 2015-2016 Marshallese Acculturation Booklet, and the hosting of the agency’s first Marshallese Camp iRock.
According to Knox, the work he accomplished while serving as director of AMHC would not have been possible without his staff. “The staff of the AMHC during my tenure were a dedicated and resourceful group of individuals who, when allowed to do their jobs unabated, but supported did amazing work day in and day out.”
When it comes to the work of To continue Knox’s goal AMHC, Knox believes that it of creating collaborations was critical then and remains to to heighten awareness, he be critical today. established the agency ’s “There has to be an independent partnership with Healthy agency that continues to raise Active Arkansas. This concerns, provide evidence, and a l l o w e d o rg a n i z a t i o n s , seek solutions to the ongoing b o th in lo cal and st at e gov ernm ent alon g w ith Shorter College Health and Wellness Clinic Opening disparities that plague our community,” he said. “Whether public and private sectors, intentional or unintentional, policies, procedures, to work with individuals and families to create a culture that encouraged healthy eating and physical activity for programs and laws often have a long-term negative impact on minorities, especially if they are not participating in all Arkansans. the negotiation, drafting and implementation of them in The single, overarching goal was to increase the their neighborhoods, communities, counties or state.” percentage of adults, adolescents and children who were at healthy weight. AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 33
FORMER DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT
Empathy Leading the Charge for Change
ShaRhonda Love BY MICHELLE STEWART The director position of AMHC was not new to ShaRhonda Love when she was contacted about the role in 2017. In 2015, she’d applied for the position, was selected as a finalist but didn’t get the appointment. Reluctant because she had just started another job, it took a call from former AMHC commissioner Willa Black Kennedy Sanders, a friend and co-worker, to give Love some motherly advice about never turning a job down when it was being offered. So, Love did just that, becoming the seventh director of AMHC. For Love, the appointment represented much more than a title. “I was born and raised in Little Rock very poor and didn’t see a doctor until I was 19-years-old,” she said. “The people that we serve that lack access to care—that was me—and I can totally identify. Being able to give back and provide access to services that I didn’t have then is very important to me.” That passion led Love to implement and reimagine several initiatives throughout her five years at AMHC. At the start, Love focused heavily on health literacy in an effort to eliminate medical jargon from health education materials and ensure that communities served by the agency understood the information being provided. AMHC partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Health Literacy to develop health fact sheets written at a 6th grade level on topics related to chronic disease and oral health. Later in her tenure, Love moved from idea to execution on the agency’s first state-of-the-art Mobile Health Unit (MHU). “I read an article that said units were not only able drive into communities but that communities trusted them,” she said. “AMHC had the trust but needed a way into communities. Initially it took some convincing, but we were able to get the funding for it and now it is working beautifully.” In 2019, since first hitting the road in 2018, AMHC’s MHU served 62 counties and provided more than 6,400 screenings and services to over 850 community members. Participants MHU Nurses
34 • bridge • AMHC 2021
received health education and preventative screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol,
glucose, A1C, HIV, and BMI. Love’s goal for the MHU is to reach all 75 counties in the state and double the agency’s preventive screenings by meeting people where they are.
care funding requests. Through that, we were able to partner with entities
we could continue what we do best— utilize our partnerships and trust to
throughout the state.”
reach all corners of the state.”
The AMHC secured close to $11 million
When asked why the work of AMHC is
dollars in CARES funding and ensured
so important, Love spoke again of her empathy.
This resource definitely came in handy when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“ Until we can provide equal access for health at every level, we
Initially, AMHC’s MHU was at a standstill, but as safety
will continue to see numbers increase in disparities for all chronic diseases. W h en w e m o v e
measures intensified and more information became available, the unit was OK’d to travel into communities of need. Using the MHU, COVID-19 testing and vaccinations were provided, along with personal protective equipment (PPE) like hand sanitizer and masks. “We were able to work with the CARES committee and became the reviewer and facilitator for minority health
to a place where everyone sees how important equity
funds were utilized to provide testing, vaccinations, funeral services, PPE, cleaning supplies, and food.
is and wants to take a part in it…hopefully then there will be no need for a Minority Health Commission.”
“We met the community’s needs so
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 35
honda e
AMHC MOBILE HEALTH UNIT
Coming to a neighborhood nearCOVID-19 you! Mobilizing Health, Meeting People Where They Are
check out our free screenings: A1C BMI
Blood Pressure Cholesterol
Glucose HIV
plus health education & clinical referrals
How to schedule the MHU:
If you’d like to schedule us for your next health event, complete our online form at arminorityhealth.com/ resources/schedule-health-unit.
#WorkingTodayForAHealthierTomorrow
arminorityhealth.com
OUR SHOT AT A HEALTHIER STATE BY BRITTANY DESMUKE O N M A R C H 11, 2020, P in e Bluf f,
Unfortunately, not only was the virus
found that minority populations are
Arkansas, became ground zero for the
swift, but it was deadly.
disproportionately impacted by COVID19. According to the Centers for Disease
state’s first case of COVID-19. Seven days later, 107 Arkansans had experienced the same fate. Dr. José Romero, Arkansas Secretary of Health, was less than surprised to learn that the virus had reached the Natural State. “It was only a matter of time before Arkansas would be involved in the pandemic,” he said. And he wasn’t wrong. Since COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the virus had quickly crept into the United States the following January.
To date, Arkansas has seen nearly 500,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 8,000 deaths. Nationwide, more than 40 million cases have been reported and nearly 700,000 people have died from the virus.
Control and Prevention (CDC), minorities are five times more likely to contract the virus, ten times more likely to be hospitalized from the virus and seven times more likely to die from the virus
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused
than their white counterparts.
by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that first appeared in China.
“The reason is multifactorial,” said Dr.
The virus causes mild to severe symptoms ranging from coughing, fever and chills, nausea and vomiting to trouble breathing, persistent chest pain and the inability to stay awake. Based on data gathered throughout t h e p a n d e m i c , re s e a r c h e r s h av e
Romero. “One of the major reasons is long-standing and pervasive healthcare disparities. Racial and ethnic minority populations in Arkansas and for that matter, throughout the United States, have suffered from lack of adequate access to healthcare.
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 37
Because of this, chronic medical conditions like diabetes,
and wellness checks.
hypertension and obesity are not treated or well-controlled. These conditions are known to be risk factors for the
“COVID-19 directly affects the communities we serve and so though it is an infectious disease, it requires our full attention,” said Este Frazier, interim director of AMHC. “We are grateful
development of severe COVID-19 following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Inadequate access to healthcare also means that these populations cannot avail themselves as rapidly as nonminority populations of medical care/treatment. Therefore, their illness is more advanced by the time they are seen, further increasing the risk of poor outcome.” According to Romero, other factors that lead to disproportionate outcomes for these communities include little or no health insurance, poor health literacy, language barriers, mistrust of the medical system, and overrepresentation in jobs that increase exposure to and risk of being infected by COVID-19. To help combat the CDC’s statistics, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) developed targeted messaging to stress the importance of mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing and taking the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, ADH partnered with community and faith-based organizations, leaders and influencers within minority communities to help push the message of prevention and inform groups of the importance of getting vaccinated to help slow the spread of the virus. The Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) also made the pivot to address the COVID-19 pandemic by creating and sharing plain language and culturally relevant facts sheets, adding a COVID-19 information page to its website, and providing non-profits, churches, individuals and families with masks and hand sanitizers. Once the commission received Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES funding, it was able to cast its net wider to increase media messaging and provide minority communities with cleaning supplies, COVID-19 education, personal protection equipment (PPE), food, and funding for funeral expenses. AMHC also hired and trained community health workers to go into communities of need to provide health screenings and COVID-19 testing. From November to December in 2020, AMHC was able to provide more than 30,000 COVID tests and impact 50 Arkansas counties. In addition, the commission teamed up with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to drive its Mobile Health Unit into communities of need and provide COVID-19 testing, vaccines
38 • bridge • AMHC 2021
for the many partners and community leaders we work with who are just as dedicated and just as committed to seeing these numbers go down as we are.” Even with all the work being done by these community organizations and agencies, there is still a long way to go before the COVID-19 pandemic can come to an end. “Worldwide, COVID-19 continues to rage,” said Romero. “… Until the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled worldwide, the United States will be at risk for the introduction of new SARSCoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic will continue for the foreseeable future. Access to COVID vaccines by the rest of the world is essential to ending this pandemic. These must be effective and affordable.” Romero has and continues to stress the need for vaccinations, especially as Arkansas data shows more than 90% of hospitalizations and deaths are in those who have not received the vaccine. “COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be effective and safe,” Romero said. “They are widely available at sites throughout the state and our supply is sufficient to provide all Arkansans with the vaccine. Please get vaccinated.” For trustworthy information about COVID-19 and the vaccine, visit the CDC, Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University online at the following links: www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, www.health.harvard. edu/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-basics, and www. hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/ coronavirus.
The Silent Pandemic - Mental Health BY MICHELLE STEWART When the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world,
charge for ensuring programs, including those targeting mental
little was known about the virus at the time.
health issues, moved forward during the pandemic.
Like other pandemics throughout history, it caused tides of fear
“We partnered with three organizations who worked with teens
and misinformation. Paired with forced isolation, not only did
and adults and were able to provide access to mental health
the virus spread, but so did another more silent symptom—
services and training,” she said.
mental health issues.
One of those organizations was REFORM, Inc., a non-profit
“We are witnessing universal trauma as a nation and a state,”
organization that works with Arkansas youth ages 5-29, to
said Dr. Rhonda Mattox, AMHC commissioner and board-
teach them independent living skills and how to be leaders in
certified psychiatrist. “Social isolation, grief, uncertainty, and
the community.
risk of rapid death have taken a toll on all of us to some degree.
Melrita Johnson, founder and executive director of REFORM,
The fear of losing loved ones along with our disruptions in financial security have compounded all of this.” As a result of these matters, rates of drug and alcohol use, depression, anxiety and worry have increased.
Inc., hosted the organization’s first virtual National Youth, Teen and Young Adult Empowerment Expo earlier this year. “We wanted to present information on suicide prevention, especially with what was going on with COVID-19,” Johnson
Public health colleagues of Dr. Mattox have warned physicians
said. “A lot of the students were struggling with isolation from
to prepare for a pending mental health crisis, but based on her
their friends, not feeling like they were being successful in the
latest encounters, the crisis is already here.
classroom and didn’t feel prepared for the grade they were in.”
“It has come upon us like a tsunami,” Dr. Mattox said. “People
According to Johnson, mental health is anything that affects the
are speaking openly about needing and getting mental health
way you live, laugh, love and learn. If this topic isn’t addressed
treatment. Yet mental health professionals are making an
throughout the state and those who are affected aren’t taught
exodus at alarming rates.”
how to navigate through these mental and emotional effects of
Because of this, more organizations have become proactive,
COVID-19, the outcome could be detrimental.
working to fill the gaps and providing resources to communities to battle these effects. ShaRhonda Love, former AMHC director, led the agency’s
For mental health support, resources, educational materials and more, visit NAMI Arkansas at namiarkansas.org.
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 39
We Support. NAMI Arkansas provides family support groups for persons with loved ones who are living with a mental illness. All groups are run by trained peer facilitators and are private and confidential.
We Educate. NAMI Arkansas provides workshops and trainings on a variety of topics, such as depression, crisis intervention and managing holiday stress to community organizations, police departments and faith organizations.
We Advocate. NAMI Arkansas works closely with state organizations to shape policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.
We Lead. NAMI Arkansas plans public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks, to successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding.
For more information about NAMI Arkansas or to find out how you can join us, contact us at: Phone: (501) 661-1548 • nami-ar@namiarkansas.org • www.namiarkansas.org • We’re on social media: NAMI Arkansas on
AMHC BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Commissioners leading the way to equal opportunities and access to health, health care, & preventive well-care for Arkansas minorities
AMHC COMMISSIONERS are highly respected thought leaders in the fields of education, government, medicine, and others. The commissioners meet regularly to provide oversight and feedback on matters that affect the Arkansas Minority Health Commission’s staff, leadership, and the individuals and families that they all serve. Each commissioner applauds the AMHC’s first 30 years of serving Arkansans and expects even greater accomplishments in the years ahead. To learn more about the work of the commissioners, please contact AMHC’s media relations department at 501-686-2720.
LARRY D. BISHOP
||
Born and raised in
MATTIE P. COLLINS
||
A native of Pine
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Larry D. Bishop graduated
Bluff, Arkansas, Mattie P. Collins graduated from
from Watson Chapel High School in 1982. He
AM&N College, now the University of Arkansas
enlisted into the U.S. Army and served for over
at Pine Bluff, with a bachelor’s degree in history
20 years before retiring. He received an
and political science. She earned an M.A.
associate’s degree from Central Texas College
from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in
and a bachelor’s degree from Columbia
Educational Administration. Collins is a retired
Southern University and has completed work toward a master’s
teacher with 39 years of dedicated service. Presently, she serves as
degree in the same field. Bishop is currently a contractor for Project
president of the Ivy Center for Education, Inc. a nonprofit college
Enhancement Corporation of Georgetown, Maryland, and works at
readiness and youth mentoring program. The main goal of the
Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, in support of the National Nuclear Security
organization is to get Jefferson County youth prepared for college,
Administration (NNSA). He also serves as minister with the 9th & S
which is also her personal passion.
Street Church of Christ in Fort Smith and operates a small business. He and Nesa, his wife of 36 years, have two daughters.
MARKEITH COOK
||
Markeith Cook is
currently the project manager/consultant for Kelly D. Bryant is
B.L. Breggs & Associates, a growing insurance
from Malvern, Arkansas, and currently resides
firm located in El Dorado, Arkansas. He is
in Pine Bluff. She graduated from the University
contracted through his consulting firm, SOAR
of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a Bachelor of
Strategies, which focuses on minority small
Science degree in chemical engineering and
business development. He recently started
from Webster University in Little Rock with a
an organization called Coalition of Black Professionals to recognize,
Master of Science degree in environmental
promote and support minority small businesses. He is also the founder
KELLY D. BRYANT, MS
||
management. Bryant is currently the environmental manager for Clearwater Paper Corp. and is responsible for compliance with state and federal environmental regulations and permits. She is a registered environmental manager. She believes in giving back to the local community and being on the AMHC board is an extension of that service.
of the Respect Coalition. SEN. JACK CRUMBLY MA, EDS
||
A native of
Arkansas, former State Senator Jack Crumbly served two terms, or six years, representing District 16, which comprises parts of Crittenden, Lee, Phillips and St. Francis counties. Currently retired,
AMHC 2021
•
bridge • 41
he spends his time working on projects such as STRIVE (Special Training in Remedial Instruction and Vocational Education). An alumnus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Crumbly graduated with a double major in agriculture and biology. He received his master’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He and his wife, Johnetta, have one son, two daughters, two grandsons and five granddaughters. RITA HAMILTON
||
Rita Hamilton joined the
AMHC in 2021. She received a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Relations and
RICKEY MCCAULEY
||
Rickey McCauley
earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and worked for over 10 years in the health care industry. During college, he worked at a health care agency in Memphis. McCauley later returned to Arkansas and worked at a community health care center as its chief information officer. He has spent over 10 years in rural Arkansas addressing dwelling disparities that have an impact on health.
Master of Science Degree in Home Economics
KRIS I. NWOKEJI, MD
from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Nwokeji champions the AMHC’s mission to seek,
Rita was employed with the Mississippi County
through education, ways to address and prevent
Cooperative Extension Service before serving 38
diseases and conditions that are prevalent
years as a Program Advisor at the Arkansas Department of Education,
among minority populations. He hopes that,
Child Nutrition Unit. Rita retired from there June 2017.
in the coming years, childhood disorders in
LAYZA LOPEZ-LOVE, BA
||
Layza Lopez-Love
is a graduate of UCLA, earning a bachelor’s in sociology and Chicana/o studies. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. She is an assistant director of programs in the Office of Community Health and Research at UAMS Northwest and
Dr. Kris Ikenna
||
Arkansas will be decreased because of the work of the AMHC. Dr. Nwokeji completed his pediatric residency at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Harlem Hospital Center. He supports a health-centered community through volunteer activities in the local school system and child care centers. Born in Austin, Texas, Dr. Nwokeji was raised in Nigeria.
has 10 years of experience managing grant-
LOUIS PORTLOCK, MA
funded programs. Lopez-Love is co-chair of the
Chicago, Louis Portlock earned a Bachelor
Washington County Hometown Health Coalition, a board member for
of Arts in counseling from Western Illinois
NWA Continuum of Care and Project Right Choice, and a member in
University in Macomb, Illinois, and a Master
the Northwest Arkansas Tobacco and Drug Free Coalition, Engage NWA,
of Arts in counseling and guidance from
Gaps in Services to the Marshallese, and Springdale Coordinated School
Roosevelt University in Chicago. The majority of
Health. A native of Los Angeles, she currently lives in Springdale with her
||
A native of
his profes-sional career was with the Chicago Police Department, where he served as an investigator, instructor and
husband and son. DR. RHONDA MATTOX, MD
||
Dr. Mattox is a
board-certified physician and diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She serves as an integrative behavioral health
in various roles for over 31 years. After moving to Little Rock, Arkansas, he began working for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. His community service includes 100 Black Men of Greater Little Rock, board service with Little Rock Volunteers in Public Schools and others.
psychiatrist and mental health consultant to
SEDERICK C. RICE, PHD
family medicine doctors. From Hollywood to
is a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He earned a
Capitol Hill, Dr. Mattox has been behind the
Bachelor of Science in biology at the University
scenes consulting in medical media, research, and state and national
of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), a Master of
health policy. While working at University of California-Los Angeles
Science in biology at Delaware State University,
(UCLA), she began assisting New York and Hollywood’s award winning
and a doctorate in cell and molecular biology at
writers and executive producers in Hollywood’s story lines. Her expert
the University of Vermont. Dr. Rice is an assistant
||
Sederick C. Rice
commentary has been quoted in national popular media like Forbes
professor of biology at UAPB. He is also the
and Huffington Post, as well as prestigious academic journals.
current chair of the AMHC board of commissioners. Dr. Rice hopes that the AMHC continues to support the health and well-being of minority populations and all citizens.
42 • bridge • AMHC 2021
