Arkansas

Facilities in Arkansas

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in Arkansas

Two things set Arkansas apart. Its child abuse hotline is run by the State Police Crimes Against Children Division rather than by the human services department, so a report there goes straight to law enforcement. And the Office of Long-Term Care - the sole licensing authority for Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities - now publishes its monitoring reports, complaint visit reports, corrective action plans and notices of adverse action online, so you can read a facility's record before you call.

Time limits in Arkansas: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Less certain Assault, battery and false imprisonment: only one year from the injury. Negligence claims (for example, against a program for failing to protect you) are generally three years. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-104(2); § 16-56-105
If it happened before you turned 18: Less certain Someone injured as a minor gets three years after reaching adulthood to sue, whatever the normal deadline (so even the one-year battery claim becomes three years after turning 18). Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-116(a)
If the program was run by or for the government: Less certain Claims against the State of Arkansas cannot go to court; they are filed with the State Claims Commission within the same deadline as a similar lawsuit. Counties, cities, school districts and other local bodies are immune from tort suits except up to their liability insurance. Ark. Code Ann. § 19-10-209; § 19-10-204; § 21-9-301
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for CSA civil claims, an open revival window for expired claims, and a 3-year discovery rule. Trafficking: There is no SOL for some trafficking offenses and other trafficking offenses have an SOL of age 21. CSAM: There is no SOL for some CSAM violations and other CSAM offenses have an SOL of age 21. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Felony endangering the welfare of a minor and permitting abuse of a minor can be charged until the victim turns 28 if the crime was never reported to police or a prosecutor. First- and second-degree battery against a child can be charged within the normal felony period (usually three years) counted from the victim's 18th birthday, again if never reported. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(a)(2), (h)
Assault: Most felony assaults and batteries (Class B, C or D) must be charged within three years; Class Y or A felonies within six years. Misdemeanor assault or battery: one year. If the victim was a child and it was never reported, the period restarts at 18 (see child abuse). Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for some CSA crimes, including but not limited to felony rape, sex assault, incest, and exploitation. Other CSA felonies and misdemeanors have an SOL of age 28. Any remaining felonies have an SOL of six years from the offense or one year for misdemeanors. Trafficking: The SOL for felony trafficking is 6 years from the offense. The SOL for trafficking misdemeanors is 1 year from the offense. CSAM: There is no SOL for engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in a visual or print medium or for computer exploitation of a child in the first degree. The SOL for other computer child pornography violations is age 28. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy

Multiple professions

Takes complaints against its licensees and applicants from any person, investigates them and disciplines licences.

Use this whenA licensed professional counselor or marriage and family therapist in Arkansas.

HowComplaints must be in writing and on the Board's own complaint form, which is filed through its online portal.

501-683-5800
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By postArkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling, Freeway Medical Center, 5800 W. 10th Street, Suite 405, Little Rock, AR 72204

Arkansas Psychology Board

Psychologist

Takes complaints about the practice of any of its licensees, from any concerned citizen or organisation, and disciplines licences.

Use this whenA licensed psychologist in Arkansas.

HowThe complaint must be in writing, and the document has to be signed and dated. It goes to the Board's Complaints Committee.

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By postArkansas Psychology Board, Complaints Committee, 101 East Capitol, Suite 415, Little Rock, AR 72201

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

Arkansas Office of Long-Term Care (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities)

The sole licensing authority for Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities in Arkansas. It licenses, surveys, regulates and investigates them, and takes enforcement action against failed facility practices.

Use this whenA PRTF - the licensed psychiatric residential category most Arkansas programs in this industry fall under.

HowCall the complaint hotline or email the complaints address.

Arkansas publishes PRTF monitoring and complaint visit reports, corrective action plans and notices of adverse action online. Read what has already been found against a program before you file.

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline (State Police Crimes Against Children Division)

The statutory report line for child maltreatment, run by the Arkansas State Police rather than by the human services department, so a report reaches law enforcement directly.

Use this whenA child at an Arkansas program. Anyone may report, at any hour.

HowCall. Have the child's name and address, the alleged offender's name and address, and what happened. If a child's life may be in immediate danger, call 911 or local law enforcement first, then the hotline. Mandated reporters can file through the secure online portal instead.

1-800-482-5964 Also 1-844-SAVE-A-CHILD. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights Arkansas

Arkansas's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy.

Use this whenAn Arkansas program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-482-1174 Main line 501-296-1775 voice/TDD.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states