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FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — A coalition of three organizations is traveling Arkansas in search of support to fund crisis intervention centers for the mentally ill to help reduce crowding in county jails and state prisons.
The Arkansas Sheriff's Association, the Association of Arkansas Counties and the Mental Health Coalition of Arkansas want the state to pay for a pilot program to develop at least one, 16-bed unit to send the mentally ill who would otherwise be taken to jail.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1Rflswh ) that the cost is estimated at about $2.5 million per year.
State Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson — co-chairman of the Legislative Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force — agrees funding is needed, but said he doesn't believe the request will be considered until 2017 because other criminal justice needs must also be considered.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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