Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) is strengthening behavioral health services across the state through updated contract requirements for Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs), reinforcing the state’s commitment to serving adults with serious mental illness and adults experiencing behavioral health crises.

The contract, which begins on July 1, establishes clear expectations for crisis response, care coordination, forensic services, community-based treatment, and quality assurance to help seriously mentally ill adults receive timely care in their communities whenever possible.

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The contract also establishes different providers in some regions. A complete list of the CMHCs by region is available on the DHS website.

“Community Mental Health Centers are a critical part of Arkansas’ adult behavioral health system of care,” said Paula Stone, Director of the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (OSAMH). “These requirements are designed to ensure consistent, high-quality services across the state while helping individuals access the care they need before a crisis leads to hospitalization, incarceration, or other adverse outcomes.”

Under the contract, CMHCs will provide:

• Behavioral health services for adults with serious mental illness including:
  • 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week crisis response services
  • Community-based crisis stabilization and assessment
  • Care coordination and outreach services
• Forensic services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system
• Services through the Forensic Outpatient Restoration Program (FORP)
• Community outreach and workforce development to address access to needed services for adults with serious mental illness particularly those in rural areas of the state in which access is a challenge

A key focus of the contract is ensuring rapid access to crisis care. CMHCs must maintain emergency service lines that are available around the clock and meet specific response standards, including telehealth crisis screenings within 15 minutes and in-person crisis assessments within two hours when clinically appropriate for adults.

The contract also emphasizes strong partnerships among hospitals, emergency departments, law enforcement agencies, courts, community providers, and other stakeholders. CMHCs will participate in regional coordination efforts to improve referral pathways, address service gaps, and strengthen local behavioral health systems.

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In addition to service delivery requirements, the contract includes rigorous standards for reporting, privacy protection, quality improvement, financial accountability, and workforce screening. Providers must maintain electronic health records, participate in ongoing quality assurance activities, comply with federal and state privacy laws, and meet performance standards established by DHS.

The contract supports DHS’s broader goals of helping individuals remain safely in their communities while reducing avoidable emergency room visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

“Our expectation is simple: provide timely, effective, person-centered care that improves outcomes for Arkansans,” said Stone. “By narrowing the focus to an underserved population, strengthening accountability and coordination, we can build a more responsive behavioral health system that better serves people across every region of the state.”

While the focus of the CMHCs is on adults with serious mental illness or those in crisis, DHS provides services to children with behavioral health needs through Medicaid and through other programs, including Family Centered Treatment.

For more information about behavioral health services available through the Arkansas Department of Human Services, visit the DHS website.

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