AR SB66

Establishes a maximum of 1,244 regular employees for the Department of Human Services - Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services for fiscal year 2018-2019, with detailed salary grades and classifications.

Appropriates $134,450,835 from the Behavioral Health Services Fund Account for personal services and operating expenses, including $45,625,961 for regular salaries, $5,891,250 for extra help, and $18,764,963 for personal services matching.

Appropriates $32,932,972 for aging and adult services operations including nursing home care alternatives ($4,807,525), nutrition programs ($11,630,080), and senior citizen centers ($5,000,000).

Appropriates funding for behavioral health programs including $24,270,069 for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, $9,789,616 for mental health grants, $6,700,000 for community-based crisis intervention, and $2,300,000 for suicide prevention services.

Authorizes 343 temporary or part-time employees as "Extra Help" and includes multiple special language provisions regarding pay rates, job sharing for nursing positions, vocational trainee positions, and Arkansas Health Center operations.