Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is dedicating $1,000,000 in funding for drug treatment programs through the state’s specialty court system. As Daniel Breen with Little Rock Public Radio reports, Griffin says specialty courts aim to provide an alternative to incarceration. “The goal is to get these people treatment because it is saying that their challenge, their mental health challenges, addictions, whatever, that that’s the core of their problem. And, if we can deal with that, we are more likely to get them back on track and thriving in society.”
Griffin says this approach ensures that the money follows those who need help the most and will be used to provide critical services such as transitional housing for participants, mental health treatment and substance abuse recovery, community mentors and peer recovery support services, and transportation assistance. Griffin explains, “Providing these resources to our Specialty Courts will better equip them and increase the number of lives that are being transformed.”
Judge Candice Settle, Circuit Court Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit, issued the following statement in support of the program:
“As a Circuit Court Judge with a Specialty Court docket, I am appreciative of the generous allocation of funds from the Attorney General. Arkansans who are suffering from addiction across the State will benefit greatly from these funds. Thank you to Attorney General Griffin for these resources that will allow our Court and others to give people an opportunity to change the direction of their lives.”
And Marty Sullivan, Director of the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts, also issued the following the statement
“First and foremost, on behalf of our state’s Specialty Court Judges—who are operating more than 100 treatment courts around the state—I would like to thank Attorney General Tim Griffin for his support. The awarding of this grant is not simply a financial gesture; it is a testament to the shared belief that restorative justice can transform lives, heal families, and uplift entire communities. These courts provide a second chance to individuals who have found themselves on a difficult path. Through evidence-based interventions, comprehensive treatment, and accountability, our Specialty Court Judges and their treatment teams are making a lasting difference in the lives of Arkansans.”
The grant will come from the state’s portion of opioid settlement funds, which is managed by the Office of the Attorney General.
