ADHS-Arkansas State Mental Hospital (ASMH)

State Hospital

Last Updated: February 29, 2024
Address
305 S Palm St, Little Rock, AR 72205
Beds
226
County
Pulaski
Phone
501-686-9000

ASMH is for State Hospital offenders have not been sentenced yet and are detained here until their case is heard.

All prisons and jails have Security or Custody levels depending on the inmate’s classification, sentence, and criminal history. Please review the rules and regulations for State - maximum facility.

The phone carrier is Securus Tech®, to see their rates and best-calling plans for your inmate to call you.

If you are unsure of your inmate's location, you can search and locate your inmate by typing in their last name, first name or first initial, and/or the offender ID number to get their accurate information immediately Registered Offenders

Satellite View of ADHS-Arkansas State Mental Hospital (ASMH)

You can support your loved ones at ASMH on InmateAid, if you have any immediate questions contact the facility directly at 501-686-9000.

The ASMH stands as a correctional facility hospital situated at 305 S Palm St in Little Rock, AR. Operated by the Department of Corrections, these State Hospitals serve as venues for the evaluation and treatment of inmates sentenced for such purposes. Individuals undergo assessment and treatment before any new evaluation of their stability is undertaken.

Arkansas DOC medical facilities comprise various housing levels catering to different security needs. These levels include Level I, featuring open dormitories without a secure perimeter, Level II with open dormitories and secure perimeter fences with armed coverage, and Level III offering individual cells, fenced perimeters, and armed coverage.

The medical facilities within ASMH encompass a range of specialized services, including a general acute care hospital, correctional treatment center, licensed elderly care unit, in-patient and outpatient psychiatric facilities, and a hospice unit for terminally ill inmates. Additionally, the facility provides housing and treatment for inmates identified with AIDS/HIV, along with general population and other special inmate housing.

For information regarding inmates and visiting hours, individuals may contact 501-686-9000. These facilities prioritize the health and well-being of inmates while maintaining the necessary security measures dictated by their correctional context.

The Arkansas State Hospital, formerly known as the Arkansas Lunatic Asylum, stands as the primary public psychiatric hospital in Arkansas, situated in the city of Little Rock. Established in 1883, it remains active as of 2023, focusing primarily on acute care rather than chronic illness.

The hospital's history traces back to an act of the Arkansas legislature in 1873, which approved the acquisition of land and construction of a facility to serve individuals with mental illness. However, due to the Brooks-Baxter War, construction was delayed until 1881 when a two-year tax was imposed to fund the project.

The Arkansas Lunatic Asylum commenced operations on March 1, 1873, with the first inmate having been involuntarily committed a few days earlier. The original building followed the Kirkbride design, typical of institutions at the time. Over the ensuing decades, there was a recurrent pattern of overcrowding followed by expansion, resulting in twelve buildings on site by 1915.

The institution underwent name changes, first to Arkansas State Hospital for Nervous Diseases in 1905 and then to Arkansas State Hospital in 1933. Despite efforts to accommodate patients, overcrowding persisted, with the patient census reaching nearly 5,000 by the mid-1930s, far exceeding the hospital's capacity.

In the 1930s, a hospital farm was established at Baucum, where physically able patients worked unpaid on a dairy farm. Subsequently, the Benton Farm Colony was opened to address the need for further expansion, albeit segregated.

Concerns over the safety and upkeep of the original buildings prompted their demolition in 1963, with $6 million allocated for new construction. Notably, serial killer Donald Harding spent time at the hospital during his youth.

In 2008, a new hospital with 132 beds was inaugurated. However, in 2011, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid identified substantial concerns regarding patient safety, particularly for children, prompting the threat of federal funding withdrawal. The hospital took corrective measures to address these concerns and ensure compliance.

Inmate Locator

To utilize the Inmate Search page on InmateAid, begin by selecting the relevant prison facility in Arkansas. This allows you to view the current list of inmates housed at ADHS-Arkansas State Mental Hospital (ASMH).

The second section features the InmateAid Inmate Search tool, providing a user-generated database of inmates. You can access this resource to utilize any of InmateAid's services. If you require assistance in creating an inmate profile to maintain communication, please contact us at aid@inmateaid.com, and we'll gladly help you locate your loved one.

As a last resort, you might have to pay for that information if we do not have it. The Arrest Record Search will cost you a small amount, but their data is the freshest available and for that reason, they charge to access it.

Visitation Information

Visiting hours for ASMH are subject to change, so it's crucial to confirm them by contacting the facility directly by phone. Please reach out to 501-686-9000, on visitation procedures, applications, or directions to the facility in Little Rock. Please note that visitors will undergo a thorough search before entering the premises, and personal belongings, including cell phones, are strictly prohibited. Individuals under probation, parole, or community corrections supervision must obtain approval from both their supervising officer and the superintendent before visiting, although such visits are not typically approved.

Ask The Inmate

Ask a former inmate questions at no charge. The inmate answering has spent considerable time in the federal prison system, state and county jails, and in a prison that was run by the private prison entity CCA. Ask your question or browse previous questions in response to comments or further questions of members of the InmateAid community.