FORT SMITH — Sebastian County’s program for helping those with mental health issues will be able to continue following budget increases for its employees on Tuesday.
The Sebastian County Quorum Court voted unanimously to approve a request by the county’s Circuit Court Division II Judge Annie Hendricks to increase the pay for two probation officers working for the mental health court program starting with the officers’ next pay period.
Hendricks asked the Quorum Court to combine the current three budgeted positions in the mental health court for probation officers into two, and raising the salary of the remaining two positions which are currently filled.
The new salaries would include a supervisor position for the most senior officer, who recently received a job offer from Barling, at an annual salary of $57,000 and a second probation officer with a salary of about $47,000.
“If we don’t get this guy a raise he is going to go work for the Barling Police Department and we are going to be in a world of hurt in the mental health court,” Hendricks said.
With some of the salary saved from cutting an employee and all the fringe benefits that would be incurred by that employee, this plan saves the county $63,000 annually.
Justice of the Peace Lorrie Runion confirmed the Quorum Court needed a two-thirds majority of its total members, or nine votes in favor, to pass the item due to the changes happening outside of the normal budgeting process.
Daniel Shue, prosecuting attorney for the county, said the mental health court is for people with mental health issues who have committed a crime and do not qualify to plead by reason of insanity.
According to the Arkansas Judiciary, mental health courts are a 14- to 18-month multiphase intervention programs, which involve frequent court appearances, random drug and alcohol screenings and group or individual counseling.
“It is like they have schizophrenia but they have committed a crime, it is not an excuse for the crime but it just explains, perhaps, their behavior,” Shue said. “This program is towards reintegrating them into society, so instead of taking street drugs or going out and committing crimes they stay on their medicine and do the things you do to hold down a job and be productive.”
The mental health court in the county was approved in 2020 and since then, according to Hendricks, there have been 96 graduates from the program with 30 people still participating.
Shue said the program is something both he and Hendricks have worked on over the years, along with members of the Sheriff’s Office as well as multiple county judges.
One key highlight for him, Shue said, was the recidivism rate — the number of people reoffending after completing mental health court.
According to Shue and Hendricks, the court has had 70% of its participants not reoffend after completing the program, meaning a recidivism rate of 30%. This is far lower than the national recidivism rate Shue cited of more than 60%.
Shue noted the program has a financial impact as well, with the cost to incarcerate someone in the state of Arkansas being between $8,000 and $30,000 a year.
“You are basically taking someone, and instead of just warehousing them and waiting for them to reoffend, and turning them into a positive and productive citizens,” Shue said.
Justice of the Peace Johnny Hobbs noted the funding for the program, including the pay for the probation officers, comes from grant funding, which will expire in December.
Hendricks said after the end of the year, she will need to roll up her sleeves and find other funding for the program.
“When I retire, at the end of my career, this will be what I am most proud of,” Hendricks said.
Award-winning journalist Shane Monaco covers Greenwood and Van Buren, among other local communities, and more for the River Valley Democrat-Gazette. Shane has more than seven years of experience as a reporter. He has covered local and state government issues, veterans, tornadoes and more in both Arkansas and Texas.