BENTON COUNTY, Arkansas — Benton County is looking at adding another specialty court, this one focusing on mental health.
“If we're going to hear people are suffering and are part of the criminal system, I think we need to recognize that maybe there's other ways that we can help address that,” Judge Thomas Smith said.
Judge Smith is the Benton County Circuit Judge for the third division.
He presides over all juvenile cases as well as the veterans and drug courts.
Smith says both programs have been successful with more than 1,100 people graduating from drug court since 2001.
“I think we all agree not just locking everybody up is the way to go. Sometimes it's necessary, but sometimes if we can get people to have a productive life as part of the community, we want to do that,” he said.
And that's why Smith supports the addition of a mental health court in Benton County which, if approved, he would oversee.
"And obviously, people suffering from mental health, we definitely want to try to help if we can,” he said.
According to Smith, a mental health court could help with overcrowding at the Benton County Jail.
“If this is an option, and a tool that the prosecutors and lawyers can use to alleviate that, and we're all for it. I mean, I think there's a need, will it fix all of our issues? Obviously, no. But do we hear more and more, that maybe it'll help? Yes. And that's kind of why we're looking into what's available to start one up,” he said.
The Benton County Quorum Court has approved the resolution to allow the grant application process to start in order to secure funding. Specialty Court Coordinator Michelle Barrett is working with UAMS to write the grant that is due next week.
“This particular grant would be for three years, we would get $100,000 for the first year as part of the implementation. And then for the next two years, we would get $225,000 per year to continue the project, and then give us time to find long-term sustainability,” Barrett said.
Benton County officials say they should know by September if they receive the funding. If they do, Judge Smith wants to have the court up and running sometime in 2024.
Right now, Sebastian and Crawford are the only two counties in our area with a mental health court.
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