AAC Crisis Senate Bill 299 of 2015 filed by Sen. David Johnson was


in furtherance of MAT. Te bill had support of a broad coalition, including the AAC, the Mental Health Council of Arkansas (MHCA), Judicial Equality for Mental Illness (JEMI), and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Access to treatment by virtue of MAT or otherwise abso- lutely hinges on funding, such as coverage under Medicaid and health insurance policies, including Arkansas Works. If adequate coverage is provided, criminally involved persons can be effectively ordered by the courts to comply with treatment orders, including taking prescribed medica- tions and attending counseling, etc. And due to coverage, treatment is genuinely accessible. Dr. Nick Zaller, director of the Office of Global Health and associate professor of Health and Behavior Health at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) explains: “We know that our prisons and jails disproportionally house individuals with significant behavioral health disorders. And we know that using incarceration as a means to an end with respect to ending drug use among our citizens won’t work — we have decades of irrefutable proof of this. Tere is another way. We have medications that can treat opioid addiction, yet ac- cess to these medications in Arkansas, and especially within criminal justice settings, is extremely limited. One of the most important ways in which we can reduce the harmful consequences of opioid misuse and addiction is to expand access to lifesaving treatment. But access to medications alone is not sufficient. We need to make sure that our sys- tem of care is comprehensive. We need to ensure appropri- ate, evidence-based behavioral health treatment, including counseling services such as cognitive behavioral therapy, is available to all who are in need. Tis will take strong com- munity advocacy and strong political will in order to invest the resources needed to provide the care and healing needed among some of our most vulnerable individuals, families and communities.”


RESEARCH CORNER Continued From Page 13 <<<


Te Governor, General Assembly and DHS have suc- cessfully commenced to address a major need in Arkansas of establishing crisis stabilization units (CSUs). Act 423 of 2017, Medicaid and $6.4 million in general revenue have resulted in the approval of four regional CSUs in Arkansas. Te Sebastian County CSU commenced opera- tions in March. Te CSUs for Craighead, Washington and Pulaski counties are in the works. Te counties committed to providing the physical facility for the CSUs. A CSU is the place and operation to take persons in a mental health crisis. CSUs are more efficient and less costly than emergen- cy rooms. Also, CSUs provide persons in crisis treatment. CSUs are an effective and cost-efficient means to address persons in crisis. Jails and emergency rooms are not effec- tive, cost efficient or a means to dispense behavioral health or substance abuse treatment. Te collaboration with DHS and various stakeholders in the establishment of CSUs in Arkansas is an example of Arkansans pulling together to ad- dress our needs in Arkansas. Finally, a lawsuit has been filed in Crittenden County, Ar- kansas, on behalf of all 75 counties, the state and 15 major cities. Te suit is an example of a unified, unprecedented and efficient collaboration of the counties, state and cities to pursue a means of addressing the crisis. Te efforts to ad- dress and mitigate the crisis will take years and cost billions of dollars. Te lawsuit is against 65 companies that manu- facture or distribute pharmaceuticals and other parties. Te complaint (https://www.arcounties.org/opioid-crisis-in-ar- kansas/) sets forth the basis for the culpability of the parties. Te AAC and the various county officials and stakeholders have asserted their leadership roles. Each leader, official, and active citizen must do his part to address this epic crisis. We need everyone to implement the action items from the Opioid Task Force and the “Prescription for Action” report by the NLC and NACo. Please do your part.


Join us for the 20th annual Randy Kemp Memorial Golf Tournament


12 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018 The Creeks Golf Resort Cave Springs


Visit www.arcounties.org/events for details. 14 COUNTY LINES, SPRING 2018


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