Quorum Court sends residential substance abuse treatment grant ordinance for detention facility to full court; justices question sustainability of grant-funded

The Pulaski County Quorum Court voted 15-0 to send Ordinance 25I16 to the full quorum court with a due-pass recommendation. The ordinance would amend the 2024'25 budget to recognize and appropriate Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) grant funds for the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility.

Justice Youngbaker moved the measure and deferred to county staff and the sheriff's office for details. County staff and a sheriff's office representative explained the grant is a nine-month award from the Arkansas Department of Finance intended to fund residential treatment for people leaving the detention facility and to support transition services. The funding would support outside treatment placements, continuation of a class program delivered by Future Fit/Plasti Tech inside the facility, temporary housing assistance, and part-time case managers to assist individuals after release. The sheriff clarified the positions would be part time and funded only by the one-time grant.

Several justices asked about the permanence of the positions. Justice Davis asked whether positions would continue if the grant funding ended; staff and the sheriff said the roles are grant-funded, one-time positions and the county would pursue additional grants but there is no guarantee of continued funding. Justice Stowers noted that longstanding county practice has been not to retain grant-funded positions after grant expiration absent identified ongoing funding; the sheriff acknowledged that practice.

Justice Blackwood and Justice Curry asked to be added as sponsors. The committee recorded no amendments and took a roll-call vote with 15 ayes. The ordinance will proceed to the full quorum court with the committee's due-pass recommendation.