Arkansas counties expected to sponsor mental health centers are behind schedule.
The effort is aimed at keeping people with mental illnesses from a cycle of incarceration. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that some progress has been made, but the centers won't be ready for their expected startup date in November.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson's administration says counties are working to open the centers "as soon as possible," though no new projected target date scheduled.
Pulaski, Sebastian, Craighead and Washington counties will supply and maintain the 16-bed crisis-stabilization centers. The state will reimburse them for operation costs.
Under the program, police will be able to take people experiencing mental health episodes to the centers instead of county jails. The goal is for the centers to help the mentally ill and cut jail costs.