HJAR Sep/Oct 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  SEP / OCT 2020 35 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com “It allows you to let your guard down and just focus on the material,” Winston said. “I can ask a question or get clarification without feeling like I’m being judged or that there’s competition in the room. More than that, there’s this – different spirit. It was very much, let’s band together and let’s lift each other up.” Ward points to the numbers to show that the program is making a difference. Among the students who have participated in HBCU Med Track since it began in November of 2019, four have been accepted in the College of Pharmacy (including one, who, at 19, is the youngest stu- dent to be accepted to the college), one in the College of Public Health with three more apply- ing, and the 14 students applying for medical school. Ward said that she’s seen buy in from UAMS, UAPB and Philander Smith that has really made a difference. The program enjoys the support of the top leadership in the UAMS College of Med- icine, and Ward is thankful for the many faculty and industry mentors who volunteer their help. “Especially during the pandemic, people who suddenly had more time on their hands reached out and offered to be speakers or mentors,” Ward said. “They had messages for the students like, ‘Hey, I was just like you once. You can get to where you want to go.’” Free Crisis Counseling Available for Those Struggling with Stress fromCOVID-19 Arkansans dealing with anxiety or other men- tal health struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic can get free crisis counseling through a new grant funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “This pandemic is unlike anything most of us have seen in our lifetimes. For many people, it has resulted in anxiety, fear, stress, and literal isolation. All of those things can contribute to a mental health crisis,” said Tammy Alexander, assistant director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS), which is administering the grant. The Promoting Positive Emotions program pro- vides free education and confidential crisis coun- seling for individuals and families impacted by the current pandemic. Crisis counseling encourages people to talk about their experiences and concerns in the pro- cess of teaching healthy ways to manage stress. Crisis counselors do not label or diagnose peo- ple, but they do work with the individual or family to identify needs and assist in connecting them with community resources. “Some individuals may not want to seek help because they are embarrassed or can’t afford it. That’s why the Promoting Positive Emotions pro- gram is free and confidential,” Alexander said. The Promoting Positive Emotions program pro- vides free confidential crisis counseling as well as useful information and resources, but it does not cover traditional mental health diagnosis or treatment, psychiatric services, medication, or assistance for food, childcare, or financial sup- port. To learn more about other mental health services, call the DHS Mental Health & Addiction Support Line at (844) 763-0198. For information about childcare, food, or financial assistance dur- ing COVID-19, visit humanservices.arkansas.gov/ resources/response-covid-19. For free crisis counseling through the Promot- ing Positive Emotions program, call the Crisis Support Line at (833) 993-2382, or visit the web- site at www.staypositivearkansas.com. Four NewPhysicians Join Radiology Associates, P.A. Four new Physicians joined Radiology Associ- ates, P.A. They include Drs. Gregory Morris, Shy- ann Renfroe, Mazen Zawaideh, and Miles Ritter. Morris earned a medical degree from the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark. He completed a residency at the Uni- versity of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a fellowship in musculoskeletal radiology from the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. He will be working remotely from the West Coast to provide after- hours teleradiology service.   Renfroe joined RAPA after completing a med- ical degree, residency, and fellowship in breast imaging from the University of Arkansas for Med- ical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock, Ark. She served as chief resident from 2017-2019. She will be servicing the Warren and Pine Bluff locations in Arkansas, as well as reading from locations around the state.   Zawaideh earned a medical degree from Uni- versity of California San Diego School of Medi- cine. He completed a residency, and fellowship in diagnostic neuroradiology, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.  He will be working remotely from the West Coast to provide after-hours teleradiology service.   Ritter earned a medical degree from the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock. He completed a resi- dency and MSK fellowship from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Ala. He will be serving our central Arkansas locations which include Little Rock, Benton, Conway, Pine Bluff, and Searcy, as well as reading from remote locations from around the state. Dr. Robert Grand Joins Ozark Urology Clinic Robert Grand, MD, recently joined Washington Regional Ozark Urology Clinic where he works alongside John Brizzolara, MD, Mark Jackson, MD, Lindsay Horton, APRN, and Tasha Kerr, APRN. Grand received his medical degree at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and com- pleted a urology residency at Texas Tech Univer- sity Health Sciences Center. Grand specializes in a wide range of urologic issues including the medical and surgical man- agement of kidney stones, male and female void- ing dysfunction, men’s sexual health, and gen- itourinary malignancies. He is also trained in endoscopic surgery and robotic surgery using the da Vinci platform. n Robert Grand, MD