Pat Walker Health Center and I³R Collaboration Wins Funding for Substance Abuse Prevention

Breeanne Carter

Substance Use Information and Prevention Kit.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Working together, the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R) and the Pat Walker Health Center have secured funds to launch new substance use screening, prevention and intervention tools this fall. PWHC's proposal recently won an Honorable Mention and a $5,000 cash prize from the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) "Substance Use Prevention Services in Primary Care" Challenge. The purpose of the NIDA Challenge was to identify creative, visionary, and actionable plans to implement substance use prevention interventions in primary care.

"The college years are often regarded as some of the most memorable times in a person's life," said Gretchen Brannon, advanced practice nurse at Pat Walker Health Center. "However, newfound freedom — coupled with the added responsibilities of academia — can pose adjustment challenges for many young adults, increasing their vulnerability to substance use. We want to support student success by enabling all UA students to have the best and healthiest college experience."

The center averages 30,000 office visits per year, serving adults ages 18-80. Many of the clinic's patients are emerging adults starting to experiment with substance use or already exhibiting high-risk substance use behavior. Focusing prevention efforts on the college-aged population can have significant impacts on the individual and the community. Through the implementation of early screening and rapid intervention strategies, the center aims to alleviate the impact of substance use on the individuals affected, their families, and the broader community.

Brannon adds, "Primary care providers have a unique opportunity to screen for substance use and educate patients about prevention and cessation strategies. We're thrilled to be awarded a Challenge prize and grateful for the collaboration with I³R, who lent their expertise to this effort and is helping us capitalize on the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our patients."

Leveraging its experience in developing actionable solutions for complex problems and in proposal preparation, I³R worked with the Pat Walker Health Care team to prepare and submit a successful application for the Challenge.

"Collaboration with other departments is very important here at the university and we were happy to serve as a resource and lend our grant preparation expertise to the proposal," said Peg Hart, project advancement specialist at I³R. "We're all on the same team and when one program wins support, we all win because we have a shared mission to support the success of the university and our students."

While this type of collaboration is a first for I³R, it's not expected to be the last.

"The institute has a broad set of capabilities and expertise," says Hart. "Our collaboration with Pat Walker Health Center is just one example of how I³R can support the success of other university units and we welcome the opportunity to do more."

About Pat Walker Health Center: Established through a $3 million gift towards construction from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, the University of Arkansas' Pat Walker Health Center employs a team of highly qualified health professionals and providers who are passionate about improving and maintaining the overall well-being of the entire U of A community with medical, mental health, and substance use and support services. Learn more at health.uark.edu.

About the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R): Established through a $194.7 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, the University of Arkansas Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research pioneers solutions to wicked problems through convergence research across academic, industry, government, and non-profit sectors to make a positive societal impact by creating and deploying innovations to scale. Learn more at i3r.uark.edu.