Sheriffs across Arkansas warn of backlog of mental health evaluations

Lina PortmanJune 5, 2024

1 3 minutes read

Arkansas sheriffs say local jails often end up serving as mental health facilities. “At any given time, we can have 40, 50, 60 people with serious mental illnesses in our facility,” Sebastian County Sheriff Hobe Runion said. The House and Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor committees met Tuesday afternoon in Fort Smith to hear from the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association about inmate-related jail overcrowding court ordered from the Arkansas State Hospital and Department of Human Services. The state hospital is the only psychiatric treatment center in Arkansas that can forcibly confine a person deemed unfit to stand trial. According to the director of the Arkansas Sheriffs Association, nearly 500 people are currently being held in county jails awaiting a court-ordered mental evaluation or waiting for space to be vacated at the state-run Little Rock Hospital, which is staffed of 186 beds, for court-ordered treatment until they are fit to stand trial for the criminal allegations against them. Runion spoke to lawmakers about the need to address what he called an inhumane, half-evil problem. “We're going to take these people in our society who are the most vulnerable. We're saying they're not fit to stand trial because of mental illness and they're not responsible for their own actions. And then we're going to lock them in a cell for, it could be 23 hours a day, and they could be in jail for years before they go to the Arkansas State Hospital,” Runion said. Washington County Sheriff Jay Cantrell told 40/29 News the backlog of mental evaluations and treatment in the state is affecting county jails more than ever. “It just takes months and sometimes years for a bed to open up,” Cantrell said. I've been doing this for over four decades now. We're the second largest jail in Arkansas, here in Washington County, and we're seeing those numbers continue to grow. Most of them are violent offenders awaiting criminal evaluation. And having them languish, waiting in the county jail, will not serve the goals of criminal justice. additional psychiatric treatment facilities. “Nothing good will happen in prison,” Runion said. “We have a full-time therapist and 24-hour medical care. It's still not what they need.” So you're going to take a detention deputy and let's be honest – generally we're talking about an entry level law enforcement position as opposed to the job of someone who would be four, six or eight years of training in medicine and mental health. ; This is what is happening in the state of Arkansas. »

FORT SMITH, Ark. —

Arkansas sheriffs say local jails often end up serving as mental health facilities.

“At any given time, we can have 40, 50, 60 people with serious mental illnesses in our facility,” Sebastian County Sheriff Hobe Runion said.

Members of the Arkansas House and Senate Committees on Public Health, Welfare and Labor met Tuesday afternoon in Fort Smith to hear from the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association about prison overcrowding related to court-ordered detainees at the Arkansas State Hospital and Department of Human Services.

The state hospital is the only psychiatric treatment facility in Arkansas capable of forcibly confining a person deemed unfit to stand trial.

According to the director of the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association, nearly 500 people are currently being held in county jails awaiting a court-ordered mental evaluation or waiting for space to become available at the state hospital in 186 beds in Little Rock, for the court. – ordered treatment until they are fit to stand trial for the criminal allegations against them.

Runion spoke to lawmakers about the need to tackle what he called an inhumane, half-evil problem.

“We are going to take care of these people in our society who are the most vulnerable. We are saying that they are not fit to stand trial because of their mental illness, that they are not responsible for their own actions. And then we'll lock them in a cell for 23 hours a day, and they could be in prison for years before they go to the Arkansas State Hospital,” Runion said.

Washington County Sheriff Jay Cantrell told 40/29 News the state's mental evaluation and treatment backlog is affecting the county's jails more than ever.

“It just takes months and sometimes years for a bed to open up,” Cantrell said. “I've been doing this for over four decades now. We're the second largest jail in Arkansas, here in Washington County, and we're seeing those numbers continue to rise. Most of them are felons violent people who are awaiting criminal evaluation and simply having them languish, waiting in the county jail, will not serve the purposes of criminal justice.

The Arkansas Sheriffs Association is asking state lawmakers for any help, including funding additional beds at the state hospital or opening additional psychiatric treatment facilities.

“Nothing good will happen in prison,” Runion said. “We have a full-time therapist and 24-hour medical care. That's still not what they need. So you're going to get a detention deputy and let's be honest – usually we're talking about 'an entry-level law enforcement position, as opposed to the job of someone who would have four, six or eight years of training in medicine and mental health is what's happening in the state of; Arkansas”