New Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line to launch in June
May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and the upcoming Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line (APAL) will make it easier for healthcare providers to treat the mental illnesses of their pregnant and postpartum patients.
Launching on June 1, APAL will assist medical providers in caring for their pregnant and postpartum patients with mental health and substance use disorders. Housed in the UA’s College of Medicine – Tucson, APAL gives access to perinatal psychiatrists in real time, who will answer providers’ questions and review treatment options by phone at 888-290-1336. Hours are Mon-Fri, 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
The access line is the brainchild of two University of Arizona Perinatal Psychiatrists – Associate Professor and APAL Director Saira Kalia, MD and Assistant Professor and APAL Co-Director Kathryn Emerick, MD – who saw the need for providers seeing perinatal patients to have immediate access to psychiatrists to give optimum care to their patients. APAL is funded through a grant from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).
Visit their website to learn more about the line, and this page to learn more about the need for this access line. Follow them on Facebook.