Arkansas Children's Hospital Has a New Main Entrance. Learn More >
Ranked nationally in pediatric care.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2025-2026.
It's easier than ever to sign up for MyChart.
Sign up online to quickly and easily manage your child's medical information and connect with us whenever you need.
We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.
When it comes to your child, every emergency is a big deal.
Our ERs are staffed 24/7 with doctors, nurses and staff who know kids best – all trained to deliver right-sized care for your child in a safe environment.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2025-2026.
Looking for resources for your family?
Find health tips, patient stories, and news you can use to champion children.
Support from the comfort of your home.
Our flu resources and education information help parents and families provide effective care at home.
Children are at the center of everything we do.
We are dedicated to caring for children, allowing us to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas.
Transforming discovery to care.
Our researchers are driven by their limitless curiosity to discover new and better ways to make these children better today and healthier tomorrow.
We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.
Then we're looking for you! Work at a place where you can change lives...including your own.
When you give to Arkansas Children's, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond
Become a volunteer at Arkansas Children's.
The gift of time is one of the most precious gifts you can give. You can make a difference in the life of a sick child.
Join our Grassroots Organization
Support and participate in this advocacy effort on behalf of Arkansas’ youth and our organization.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
When you give to Arkansas Children’s, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond.
Your volunteer efforts are very important to Arkansas Children's. Consider additional ways to help our patients and families.
Join one of our volunteer groups.
There are many ways to get involved to champion children statewide.
Make a positive impact on children through philanthropy.
The generosity of our supporters allows Arkansas Children's to deliver on our promise of making children better today and a healthier tomorrow.
Read and watch heart-warming, inspirational stories from the patients of Arkansas Children’s.

Hello.
Arkansas Children's Hospital
General Information 501-364-1100
Arkansas Children's Northwest
General Information 479-725-6800
Alicia Allen, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Director of National Center for Opioid and Addiction Research and Clinical Effectiveness (NCOAR), Arkansas Children’s Research Institute; Pamela D. Stephens Endowed Chair in Maternal and Fetal Health Research, Arkansas Children’s; Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Research Overview
Alicia M. Allen, Ph.D., M.P.H. is a behavioral epidemiologist whose research focuses on understanding the biological, behavioral and social factors that influence substance misuse and recovery, with a particular emphasis on women and families during reproductive and caregiving periods. Her work examines how female-specific factors (such as the menstrual cycle, perinatal period and hormonal contraceptive use) shape substance use behaviors, craving and risk for return to substance misuse.
Dr. Allen’s work emphasizes innovative and accessible research designs that enable participation from individuals who may otherwise be difficult to reach in traditional clinic-based studies. Her studies frequently incorporate ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture real-time experiences of craving, mood, stress and behavior in daily life. She has also advanced the use of remote biological data collection, including self-collected dried blood spots and other biospecimens, allowing for the measurement of hormones and biomarkers outside of clinical settings. These approaches support fully remote or hybrid study designs, expanding the reach of substance misuse research while improving rigor and validity.
As the director of NCOAR, Dr. Allen leads efforts to advance rigorous, innovative research that improves the health and well-being of children and families affected by opioid and substance misuse.
Featured Publications
- Allen AM, Linde-Krieger LB, Baurley J, Deschenes J, Mallahan S, Anderson A, Tecot S, Rankin L. (2026). Infant caregiving, relational factors, mood, and pain in perinatal opioid use disorder: A prospective cohort with ecological momentary assessment. Addictive Behaviors: 108639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2026.10863.
- Allen AM, Bueno Y, Mallahan S, MacPherson AH, Armin J. (2023). Opportunities to expand postpartum support for those in recovery from opioid use disorder: Results form a qualitative study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports; 7: 100171 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100170.
- Allen AM, Jung AM, Alexander AC, Allen SS, Ward KD, al’Absi M. (2020). Cannabis use and stressful life events during the perinatal period: Cross-sectional results form Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data, 2016. Addiction; 115:1707-1716. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15003
- Allen AM, Weinberger AH, Wetherill RR, Howe CL, McKee SA. (2019). Oral contraceptives and cigarette smoking: A review of the literature and future directions. Nicotine and Tobacco Research; 21: 592-601. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntx258
- Allen AM, McRae-Clark AL, Carlson S, Saladin ME, Gray KM, Wetherington CL, McKee SA, Allen SS. (2016). Determining menstrual phase in human biobehavioral research: A review with recommendations. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology; 24: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000057.
For additional publications, see:
