Air Force base sets breastfeeding area
A new lactation room opened at Little Rock Air Force Base last week.
The project at the 189th Airlift Wing was a collaboration among the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Breastfeeding Coalition and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists.
The room has a sink, a locking door, a refrigerator and literature on breastfeeding. It's meant to encourage breastfeeding among service members and support staff at the base.
Breastfeeding is thought to reduce the risk of allergies and asthma in babies and type 2 diabetes in moms, a news release said.
UAMS unveils new transplant clinic
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences opened an additional organ transplant clinic in Little Rock, its officials announced last week.
The clinic in the Freeway Medical Tower on 10th Street is the third transplant-focused office at the academic medical center. Other clinics are in Fayetteville and Little Rock.
The clinic will evaluate potential organ transplant candidates, a news release said.
Federal data for Arkansas shows that 351 organs were transplanted in the state in 2019.
Veterans offered mental health help
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is offering resources for veterans and their loved ones during September, which is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Information and materials are available online at: bethereforveterans.com
The federal agency also runs a 24-hour suicide crisis hotline. Its number is (800) 273-8255 and its website is veteranscrisisline.net/chat.
In a news release, the agency urged veterans and their families to learn about the warning signs of suicide, and to check in with other veterans in the community about mental health.
Public health experts have found that veterans are at a higher risk of death by suicide than the general U.S. population, but that training, treatment and other support can help.
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System also offers resource through its Suicide Prevention Program office: (501) 257-3069.