Feb 14, 2024 - News

Sanders pledges $30M for mental health and substance abuse

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership meeting on October 27, 2023. — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting in October 2023. Photo: Ronda Churchill/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Human Services plan to invest $30 million into mental health and substance abuse services.

The money will come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

State of play: In 2021, 637 people in Arkansas died of drug overdoses, according to the CDC. Still, the state's rate of 22.3 deaths per 100,000 people was 11th-lowest in the country.

Meanwhile, Arkansans reported having more poor mental health days, averaging 5.5 in a 30-day period compared to 4.4 nationally, according to the 2023 report from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

Context: The state received $1.57 billion in ARPA funds in 2021, which must be spent on one of eight criteria, including public health. Details: The money will help create a statewide crisis-response system that will include a 24-hour call center; mobile crisis teams; training for EMTs, police and other first responders; and software.

The plan also includes creating or enhancing:

Therapeutic community beds for adults with mental illness and intellectual/developmental disabilities.
Residential substance abuse treatment programs.
Housing for adults with mental illness to help prevent homelessness and/or incarceration.
Supportive housing for youth and young adults leaving foster care or the juvenile justice system.

What's next: The plan has been reviewed and approved by an Arkansas Legislative Committee (ALC) subgroup.

The full ALC will consider the proposal Friday.

Add Axios on Google

Sanders pledges $30M for mental health and substance abuse

More NW Arkansas stories