Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Nov. 14, 2024, announces $1 million for a pilot grant program that will assist people struggling with opioid addiction in the state’s specialty courts system. Griffin stands with Judge Candice Settle; Marty Sullivan, director of the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts; and Kristin Clark, legal services division director for AOC. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
The state attorney general’s office is providing new funding to Arkansas Specialty Court judges who want to provide services for people struggling with opioid addiction.
Currently capped at $1 million, a pilot program that Attorney General Tim Griffin announced Thursday targets supportive services for people in the state’s specialty courts system, which includes drug, mental health, juvenile and veteran courts.
“The goal is to get these people treatment because it is seen that their challenges — mental health challenges, addiction — is the core of their problem,” Griffin said. “If we can deal with that, we are more likely to get them back on track and thriving in society.”
Funding requests can be made immediately with the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts, so long as they fit within the following categories for people who have experienced opioid addiction:
- Transitional/recovery housing
- Mental health/substance treatment and recovery
- Community mentors/peer recovery support services
- Transportation assistance
Arkansas is set to receive at least $216 million in opioid settlement funds over 18 years as part of a national $26 billion settlement. The state’s total was divided among the cities, counties and the state. While the cities and counties pooled their funding to form the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership to fund programs, Griffin’s office is responsible for distributing the state’s funding.
Arkansas drug courts awarded $1 million to support participants’ need
The settlement dollars are restricted, which means they can only be spent on opioid-specific causes. In planning the pilot program, Griffin said he asked for needs within the specialty courts system and received a lot of interest.
“The thirst for these funds could not be met by the funds that I have — these opioid funds,” Griffin said. “A lot of the needs can’t be met because they’re not specific to opioids, but even so, setting those aside, still could not meet the demand.”
Griffin said the exact demand isn’t yet known, and the program’s facilitators will track which courts request what type of services. The resource categories and funding amount may also change as the program proceeds.
The data collected can help influence potential policy, Griffin said.
“This can be iterative and evolving so that we’re meeting the needs of the courts, and ultimately, the needs of those who are struggling with this addiction,” he said. “This is not a cure-all, but what it does do is it puts money where it matters immediately.”
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Griffin also said that while the money will be distributed to the specialty courts, it will have a direct effect on facilities that offer treatment but are struggling to fill their beds because of a variety of barriers.
Judge Candice Settle, who said she works in a mental health court in Crawford County, joined Griffin for Thursday’s announcement and noted an immediate need for funding in her day-to-day work.
“What we’re trying to do is stabilize folks in these initial phases of our court system so that they can go on to become productive citizens in our communities, and not drain our communities and our resources,” Settle said.
Of the people she sees in her court, Settle said, 88% of them have dealt with opioid addiction.
Funding opportunities for transitional housing will help people on their road to recovery as they have a break from the place that might encourage them to use again, Settle said.
“Transitional housing is often one of the most effective tools that we have in the long term, in getting people back on their feet,” she said. “Coming directly out of rehab with their criminal background and having the funds to immediately start paying for that — even a week can help someone go out and get a job so that they can be making those payments.”
Griffin and Settle both highlighted the importance of funding opportunities for transportation to treatment facilities.
“One of the things that stood out is that a lot of times, individuals who need treatment have to travel, and they don’t have the ability to pay for gas every day to drive an hour each way,” Griffin said. “Or maybe they don’t drive themselves, but there is a service there that can drive them, but they don’t have the funds for that.”
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