Dr. Carl Michael “Mike” Riddell
Arkansas Department of Health
Women’s Health Services
In the span of Dr. Carl Michael “Mike” Riddell’s career, health issues facing women nationwide have reached epidemic proportions. Through his position with the Arkansas Department of Health, Riddell and his team work daily to stem the tide of unplanned pregnancies, infant mortality and chronic diseases among Arkansas’ women.
“The goal of the Arkansas Department of Health’s Women’s Health Services is to increase awareness of, and access to, vital services for women and children and the use of preventive health services to encourage a healthy lifestyle,” Riddell said.
Riddell’s areas of focus include family planning with a special emphasis on teenage pregnancy, infant health, acute versus preventative care and health literacy.
It is estimated up to 50 percent of pregnancies and 70 percent of teen pregnancies in Arkansas are unplanned.
“The Arkansas Department of Health provides services to women that make it possible for them to choose the number and spacing of their children and to prevent unwanted pregnancies,” Riddell said.
Under Riddell’s leadership, ADH Women’s Health Services provides a statewide safety net for all women seeking family planning, prenatal and maternity services, including prenatal care to an average of 5,000 women annually through the local health units in each county.
These efforts are linked with targeting the state’s infant mortality rate which overall is above the national average and substantially so when looking at rates in the African-American community.
“Two new ways in which we are working to reduce infant mortality in Arkansas involve a partnership with Sisters United and use of a nationwide service, Text4baby,” Riddell said. “Sisters United is a culturally sensitive, grassroots public health initiative aimed at raising awareness about the burden of infant mortality, associated risk factors and how to prevent these tragedies.
“Text4baby is the first mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health through text messaging. Parents or guardians who text BABY – BEBE for Spanish – to 511411 receive approximately three free text messages a week, timed to their due date or their baby’s birth date, throughout pregnancy and up until the baby’s first birthday.”
ADH Women’s Health Services also promotes use of the state’s local health units and supplies informative materials, counseling and education on healthy lifestyles and preventative care, reaping human benefits and lowering statewide health care costs for all.
“Many chronic diseases affecting women can be prevented by increasing health education and access to health screenings and preventive health care,” Riddell said. “This is all part of an effort to increase the number of women who consider preventive care and who lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Highlights:
» Provides steady leadership on the most pressing health issues facing the women of Arkansas – reproductive health and family planning, infant mortality and preventative care for chronic illness
» ADH Women’s Health Services provides a statewide safety net for all women seeking family planning, prenatal and maternity services, including prenatal care and education to an average 5,000 women annually
» Efforts to stem the state’s infant mortality rate, currently above the national average, includes partnerships with various groups and adoption of Text4baby, the first mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health through text messaging
» Through the state’s local health units, WHS supplies a variety of informative materials, counseling and education on healthy lifestyles and preventative care
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