Arkansas OSAMH: SUD Licensing Context

• State Agency
• OSAMH

Arkansas Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Arkansas OSAMH is the current DHS public office for substance use and mental health system context.

At a Glance

Type

State Agency

Acronym

OSAMH

Headquarters

Little Rock, AR

Official Website

Visit site ↗

Last Verified

May 22, 2026

Reading Time

3 min

Why This Matters

• Current Arkansas DHS public office for substance use and mental health system context
• Supports substance use disorder treatment, prevention, recovery, and public behavioral health programs
• Official Arkansas licensure rules may still preserve older OADAP terminology
• Arkansas treatment providers should verify licensure requirements against current DHS materials and the Code of Arkansas Rules

State Resources

Overview

Arkansas Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (OSAMH) is the current Arkansas Department of Human Services public office to use for substance use and mental health system context. As verified on May 22, 2026, DHS says OSAMH supports programs and projects across DHS, determines need for new programs, ensures funding is used to meet statewide behavioral health needs, and oversees substance use disorder treatment services, mental health treatment services, prevention, forensic services, and Arkansas State Hospital context.

This page corrects older DAABHS-first wording that could imply the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services was the current provider-facing office name for Arkansas substance use and mental health system context. DAABHS may still appear as a broader DHS organizational unit in state planning and grant materials, but OSAMH is the current public office name to use in Arkansas behavioral health and SUD treatment content.

Licensing Requirements

Arkansas providers should keep two source layers separate. Current DHS public pages use OSAMH. The official Code of Arkansas Rules Part 433, “ Licensure Standards for Substance Abuse Treatment Programs,” still preserves older Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (OADAP) terminology in the substance abuse treatment program licensure standards.

For an Arkansas treatment-center startup or group-practice conversion, that means the source map should include OSAMH for current DHS public-office language and Part 433 for the codified substance abuse treatment program standards. Do not treat this page, a legacy blog post, or older screenshots as a substitute for current DHS guidance, payer guidance, and qualified counsel.

How OSAMH Affects Your Facility

Behavioral health and substance use treatment providers operating in Arkansas need to identify whether their service model triggers substance abuse treatment program licensure, Medicaid or OBHS requirements, professional licensing questions, facility expectations, payer credentialing, or other approvals. Current OSAMH language and older OADAP terminology can both appear in official source paths, so operators should verify the current implementation path before marketing, contracting, billing, or expanding services.

Official Sources Used

• Arkansas DHS OSAMH: About OSAMH ↗
• Code of Arkansas Rules: Part 433. Licensure Standards for Substance Abuse Treatment Programs ↗
• DHS planning materials: Draft FFY 2024 Combined Application ↗
• DHS peer recovery materials: Certified Peer Worker Renewal Application ↗

Contact Information

• Agency: Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
• Abbreviation: OSAMH
• Parent agency: Arkansas Department of Human Services
• Website: https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/shared-services/office-of-substance-abuse-and-mental-health/about-osamh/ ↗
• State: Arkansas (AR)

More State Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

This profile is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, or professional advice. Information about this organization may change — always verify current details with official sources. is not affiliated with this organization unless otherwise stated.

Schedule a Demo

helps behavioral health organizations stay compliant, efficient, and connected to the organizations that matter.

Common questions

Official sources

• Visit site ↗humanservices.arkansas.gov
• Draft FFY 2024 Combined Applicationhumanservices.arkansas.gov
• Certified Peer Worker Renewal Applicationhumanservices.arkansas.gov