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ARKids First (Arkansas CHIP)

Rehabs in Arkansas That Take ARKids First

ARKids First is the Arkansas health coverage program for children and teens, run through Arkansas Medicaid by the Arkansas Department of Human Services. It has two parts, ARKids A and ARKids B, with different eligibility and cost-sharing rules. Coverage can include drug and alcohol treatment for young people, with benefits varying by program part, provider network and level of care.

The centers on this page name ARKids on their own websites, with listings in Arkansas and Mississippi. Before a young person starts treatment, a parent or guardian can call the facility and Arkansas Medicaid to ask whether the provider takes ARKids, whether a referral or prior authorization is needed, and what, if anything, the family may owe.

Rehab Centers Near You

Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in Arkansas That Accept ARKids First

Arcare – Batesville (2000 Harrison Street)

2000 Harrison Street, Batesville, Arkansas, 72501

4.6★★★★★5

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Based at 2000 Harrison Street in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, Arcare – Batesville (2000 Harrison Street) provides dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching Batesville providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Provision shifts over time, so listings are…

1.5 miLuster Island55 miJonesboro Municipal AirportServes3 towns

Substances treated

Adderall Rehab · Concerta Rehab · Dexedrine Rehab · Nicotine and Tobacco Treatment · Nicotine Replacement Therapy · Prescription Stimulant Rehab · Ritalin Rehab · Smoking Cessation Counseling · Smoking Cessation Medication · Stimulant Rehab · +2 more

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Counseling and Therapy · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · EMDR Therapy · Evidence-Based Therapy · Family Therapy · Group Therapy · Individual Therapy · Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Adult Rehab · Couples Rehab · Senior Outpatient Rehab · Senior Rehab · Senior Telehealth · Teen Dual Diagnosis Rehab · Teen Outpatient Rehab · Teen Rehab · Teen Telehealth · Teen TRICARE Rehab · +1 more

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Batesville (4100 Harrison Street)

4100 Harrison Street, Batesville, Arkansas, 72501

4.1★★★★☆30

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Arcare – Batesville (4100 Harrison Street) is located at 4100 Harrison Street in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas and delivers dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. People weighing options in Batesville can compare this against nearby providers before making contact. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration lists this location in its federal treatment locator. Provision shifts over time, so listings…

3.3 miLuster Island53 miJonesboro Municipal AirportServes2 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Restoring Hope PLLC Trauma – Paragould

1024 West Court Street, Suite B, Paragould, Arkansas, 72450

5.0★★★★★29

SAMHSA listed

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+3

Trauma-informedTeensSeniors+4

Restoring Hope PLLC Trauma – Paragould operates from 1024 West Court Street, Suite B in Paragould, Greene County, Arkansas, offering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Those looking in the Paragould area should confirm current openings when they call. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Services change, so we…

17 miOld Channel Varney River18 miJonesboro Municipal AirportServes2 towns

Substances treated

Adderall Rehab · Concerta Rehab · Dexedrine Rehab · Prescription Stimulant Rehab · Ritalin Rehab · Stimulant Rehab · Vyvanse Rehab

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Crisis Intervention · Depression and Anxiety · Depression and PTSD · Depression and Trauma · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Crisis Services · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation · +3 more

Groups served

Adult Rehab · Couples Rehab · Rehab for Domestic Violence Survivors · Senior Outpatient Rehab · Senior Rehab · Senior Telehealth · Teen Dual Diagnosis Rehab · Teen Outpatient Rehab · Teen PTSD Rehab · Teen Rehab · +6 more

Support services

Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Aetna · Ambetter (Centene) · Anthem / Elevance Health · BCBS (Blue Cross Blue Shield) · CareSource · Humana · Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE · UnitedHealthcare (UHC) · +1 more

Arcare – Bald Knob

201 West Park, Bald Knob, Arkansas, 72010

4.7★★★★★41

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Arcare – Bald Knob is located at 201 West Park in Bald Knob, White County, Arkansas and delivers dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching Bald Knob providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. Records for this location come from the federal treatment locator run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Services change, so…

12 miLittle Red River55 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes4 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Bentonville

2805 SE Mid-Cities Drive, Bentonville, Arkansas, 72712

4.9★★★★★17

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Based at 2805 SE Mid-Cities Drive in Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas, Arcare – Bentonville provides dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching Bentonville providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Program availability moves, so we work to keep this…

11 miWhittenburg Hills7.5 miNorthwest Arkansas National AirportServes6 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Mayflower

15 Old Sandy Road, Suite 1, Mayflower, Arkansas, 72106

4.1★★★★☆12

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Based at 15 Old Sandy Road, Suite 1 in Mayflower, Faulkner County, Arkansas, Arcare – Mayflower provides dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching Mayflower providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. Details here draw on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration treatment locator, the federal register of licensed providers. Provision shifts over time, so…

7.9 miMaumelle River47 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes8 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Kensett

606 West Wilbur D Mills Avenue, Kensett, Arkansas, 72082

4.4★★★★☆54

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Treatment at Arcare – Kensett runs from 606 West Wilbur D Mills Avenue in Kensett, White County, Arkansas, covering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching Kensett providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Because programs are added and…

14 miLittle Red River47 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes4 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Casscoe

1401 Murrell Taylor Drive, Casscoe, Arkansas, 72026

4.0★★★★☆4

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Arcare – Casscoe operates from 1401 Murrell Taylor Drive in Casscoe, Arkansas County, Arkansas, offering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Anyone searching around Casscoe may want to check availability and admission criteria directly. Details here draw on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration treatment locator, the federal register of licensed providers. Program availability moves, so we work to…

6.3 miHills Lake12 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes7 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – Little Rock

8924 Kanis Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205

3.2★★★☆☆91

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Arcare – Little Rock operates from 8924 Kanis Road in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, offering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. People weighing options in Little Rock can compare this against nearby providers before making contact. Details here draw on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration treatment locator, the federal register of licensed providers. Services change, so we…

2.7 miWinder Field8.6 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes8 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

ARcare – Augusta

117 North 2nd Street, Augusta, Arkansas, 72006

3.0★★★☆☆4

Joint Commission

DetoxOutpatientTelehealth+1

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+6

MATTeensSeniors+5

Deaf and HoH

ARcare – Augusta operates from 117 North 2nd Street in Augusta, Woodruff County, Arkansas, offering dual diagnosis treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Those looking in the Augusta area should confirm current openings when they call. Details here draw on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration treatment locator, the federal register of licensed providers. Because programs are added…

8.1 miLittle Red River55 miJonesboro Municipal AirportServes5 towns

Substances treated

Adderall Rehab · Alcohol Medication Treatment · Alcohol Only Rehab · Alcohol Rehab · Beer Addiction Treatment · Binge Drinking Treatment · Carfentanil Rehab · Codeine Rehab · Concerta Rehab · Dexedrine Rehab · +34 more

Levels of care

Aftercare and Continuing Care · Clonidine and Lofexidine Detox · Continuing Care · Detox by Substance · Detox Centers · Discharge Planning · Evening Treatment · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient MAT Clinic · Outpatient Rehab · +3 more

Therapies

12 Step Rehab · Addiction Counseling · Anger Management · Brief Intervention · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Contingency Management · Counseling and Therapy · Couples Counseling · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · EMDR Therapy · +7 more

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychiatric Medication Management · Psychosocial Rehabilitation · Social Skills Training

Groups served

Adult Rehab · Couples Rehab · Early HIV Intervention · Hepatitis Support Services · HIV and Hepatitis Care · HIV Support Services · Men's Dual Diagnosis Rehab · Men's Medicare Rehab · Men's Outpatient Rehab · Men's Rehab · +29 more

Support services

Case Management · Chronic Illness Management · Community Outreach · Employment Support · Health and Wellness Support · Health Education · Hepatitis C Treatment · HIV Treatment · Housing and Employment Support · Housing Assistance · +10 more

Languages

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Dual Diagnosis Rehab · Deaf and Hard of Hearing MAT · Deaf and Hard of Hearing Rehab

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – England

227 Pine Bluf Highway, England, Arkansas, 72046

3.7★★★★☆24

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Treatment at Arcare – England runs from 227 Pine Bluf Highway in England, Lonoke County, Arkansas, covering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Anyone searching around England may want to check availability and admission criteria directly. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Because programs are added and withdrawn, entries…

9.2 miToltec Mounds State Park20 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes6 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

Arcare – North Little Rock

4020 Richards Road, Suite 1, North Little Rock, Arkansas, 72117

3.3★★★☆☆27

Federally certified

OutpatientTelehealth

Accepts InsuranceAccepts MedicaidAccepts Medicare+5

TeensSeniorsYoung adults+3

Arcare – North Little Rock operates from 4020 Richards Road, Suite 1 in North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, offering dual diagnosis treatment and outpatient services (OP). Care is provided on an outpatient basis, so people continue living at home. Families researching North Little Rock providers often start by asking what a first appointment involves. This location appears in the federal treatment locator maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Program availability…

9.5 miLittle Maumelle River47 miBill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams FieldServes9 towns

Substances treated

Levels of care

Evening Treatment · Non-12-Step Rehab · Online Rehab and Telehealth · Outpatient Rehab · Weekend Rehab

Therapies

Mental health

Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions · Depression and Anxiety · Family Education Programs · Mental Health Conditions · Mental Health Treatment · Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Groups served

Support services

Chronic Illness Management · Health and Wellness Support · Nutrition and Fitness Counseling · Peer Support · Recovery Support Services · Suicide Prevention Services

Insurance accepted

Medicaid · Medicare · TRICARE

More Arkansas Addiction Rehabs That Take ARKids First 13–22 of 22

Arcare – Benton

630 West South Street, Benton, Arkansas, 72015

3.3★~~(45)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Wynne

305 South Falls Boulevard, Suite 1, Wynne, Arkansas, 72396

3.7★~~(6)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Hot Springs National Park

180 Medical Park Place, Suite 102, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, 71901

3.2★~~(6)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Farmington

3150 East Heritage Parkway, Farmington, Arkansas, 72730

3.3★~~(32)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Jonesboro

416 East Washington Avenue, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401

3.3★~~(82)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arisa Health Inc – Russellville (Skyline Drive)

110 Skyline Drive, Russellville, Arkansas, 72801

2.8★~~(33)~~

DetoxOutpatientTelehealth+1Accepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Conway

1500 Museum Road, Suite 104, Conway, Arkansas, 72032

3.2★~~(85)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Cabot (North Jackson Street)

105 North Jackson Street, Cabot, Arkansas, 72023

3.2★~~(109)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Cabot (Richie Road)

502 Richie Road, Cabot, Arkansas, 72023

2.8★~~(65)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

Arcare – Heber Springs

1511 Highway 25B, Suite 102, Heber Springs, Arkansas, 72543

2.6★~~(39)~~

OutpatientTelehealthAccepts InsuranceAccepts Medicaid+6

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ARKids First is the name Arkansas puts on health coverage for children, and it is how the state delivers both children’s Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the joint federal and state program usually shortened to CHIP. It runs in two groups, ARKids A and ARKids B. For a parent trying to get a child into addiction or mental health treatment, ARKids First is the card an admissions team asks to see and the billing route a program has to be set up for.

Which group a child sits in is what changes the bill. ARKids B carries copayments on prescriptions and most services, with nothing charged on preventive screenings, while the Medicaid side exempts under-21s from the copayment rule. Arkansas also delivers children’s coverage mainly as fee-for-service care coordinated through the ConnectCare primary care arrangement rather than through a commercial managed care plan, so questions about authorization go to the Arkansas Department of Human Services and its utilization management contractor instead of to an insurer’s network team.

This guide covers who runs ARKids First, which children qualify, what the coverage pays for in behavioral health and substance use treatment, what a family is charged under the A and B groups, how ARKids First sits inside Arkansas Medicaid and inside federal CHIP, and how to reach a program in Arkansas that bills it. The ARKids First line is 1-888-474-8275 and the state Medicaid line is 1-800-482-5431.

Does ARKids First Cover Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

Yes, for a child under 19. Behavioral health sits on the published list of benefits every state CHIP provides, and services to prevent, diagnose and treat a broad range of mental health and substance use disorders have been required of separate CHIP programs since October 24, 2019. Which treatment settings are paid for is set by Arkansas.

Federal guidance sets the floor rather than the detail. It names no specific level of care, so whether withdrawal management, residential treatment, partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient care is paid for comes down to the state benefit design. What federal rules do insist on is that any limit on amount, duration or scope can be exceeded when a child medically needs more, and that limits on behavioral health are no tighter than limits on medical and surgical care. That parity test reaches copayments, coinsurance, visit limits and the medical necessity criteria themselves, which matters as much for mental health treatment as for substance use care.

What Does ARKids First Cover for Behavioral Health?

Assessment for tobacco, alcohol and drug use and depression screening are named in federal guidance as required preventive services, with treatment following from what the assessment finds. Where a child’s coverage sits on the Medicaid side, Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment rules apply, covering prevention, diagnostic and treatment services for anyone under 21. In practice that is a wide door into outpatient rehab and counseling for an adolescent.

Outpatient Counseling and Therapy

No federal cap on the number of therapy sessions has been published for CHIP. A state may set an amount or duration limit only where it can be exceeded for medical need, so a course of weekly counseling that has to become an intensive outpatient program is argued on clinical grounds rather than against a fixed allowance. Federal guidance names the ASAM level of care tool, the Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument and the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths tool as examples of how a level of care is decided for a child.

Medication Treatment

CHIP has to cover medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, which federal guidance qualifies as required where it is clinically appropriate for a child. No individual drug is named in that guidance, and the formulary belongs to the state, so the question to ask about a teenager is which medication is on the Arkansas list and at what age it is approved for use. Tobacco cessation benefits are also a required part of the program.

Check whether your child is in ARKids A or ARKids B. The two groups share one brand but not one bill. ARKids B charges copayments for prescriptions and most services and charges nothing for preventive screenings; under-21s on the Medicaid side are exempt from the copayment rule. Published state material does not spell out the full benefit split between the groups, so confirm it on 1-888-474-8275 before a treatment date is set.

Who Is Eligible for ARKids First?

A child under 19 who lives in Arkansas, is uninsured, and is a US citizen or qualified immigrant, with family income inside the band Arkansas sets. Upper income limits across the states run from about 170% to 400% of the federal poverty level, and the Arkansas figure is not stated in the material reviewed here, so call 1-888-474-8275.

Arkansas had roughly 91 thousand children in CHIP-funded coverage in federal fiscal year 2024, counted across both program designs the state operates. A family can apply at any point in the year rather than waiting for an enrollment window, and coverage can begin straight away where the child qualifies. A single application is shared with the state agency, which decides whether a child lands in Medicaid or in CHIP, so a parent does not have to work out which door to knock on first. Treatment options across Arkansas are reached the same way whichever answer comes back.

Income, Age and Residency

A child has to be uninsured, a state resident and a citizen or qualified immigrant, and children in public institutions are generally excluded. Arkansas may cover lawfully present immigrant children without the five-year federal waiting period, or apply that wait. Since January 1, 2024, states must give children under 19 in Medicaid and CHIP twelve months of continuous eligibility, and a November 2024 federal rule removed unpaid premiums as a reason to end that stretch early. For a child part-way through residential or intensive outpatient treatment, that twelve-month floor is the practical protection.

How Much Does ARKids First Cost a Family?

Nothing for well-child visits, and nothing in copayments for preventive screenings under ARKids B. Beyond that, ARKids B charges copayments on prescriptions and most services, and total cost sharing across a CHIP program cannot exceed 5% of a family’s annual income in a year. At or below 150% of poverty, premiums cannot exceed Medicaid limits.

States are allowed to charge limited enrollment fees, premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments in CHIP, and the 5% ceiling is the backstop on all of it together. Children covered through the Medicaid expansion side of a state program follow Medicaid cost sharing rules instead, and published analysis notes those children generally receive services without enrollee cost sharing. The table below is the other number a parent runs into: what treatment costs when nobody is covering it.

Typical US market rates before insurance
Level of care	Monthly	Daily
Medical detox (7–14 days)	$1,500 – $5,200 per week	$215 – $745
Residential inpatient	$6,200 – $26,000	$205 – $865
PHP	$7,200 – $14,000	$240 – $465
IOP	$2,700 – $9,200	$90 – $305
Outpatient	$1,300 – $5,200	$45 – $175

What ARKids B Charges

ARKids B copayments attach to prescriptions and most services, and preventive screenings carry none. Because behavioral health limits in CHIP are held to the same standard as medical ones, a copayment on a counseling visit cannot sit higher than the copayment on a comparable medical visit. Keep the receipts: the 5% annual ceiling is calculated against the family, not against a single child, and it is the figure to raise with the state agency if charges start to mount during a long course of treatment.

Where the Market Rate Still Shows Up

In Arkansas, withdrawal management runs about $1,400 to $4,200 a week, or $200 to $600 a day. Residential rehab runs $5,000 to $22,000 a month, or $170 to $730 a day, partial hospitalization $6,500 to $12,000 a month, intensive outpatient $2,500 to $8,000 a month, and standard outpatient care $1,000 to $4,000 a month. Those are the sums quoted to a family paying directly, which is why an out-of-network admission or a self pay arrangement is worth questioning before it is signed.

Is ARKids First the Same as Arkansas Medicaid?

No, not as separate programs: ARKids First is the brand Arkansas Medicaid puts on children’s coverage, in the A and B groups, rather than a company or a network of its own. Arkansas runs both a Medicaid expansion CHIP and a separate CHIP, and ARKids First is where both reach a family.

That shared plumbing has a practical edge. Because Arkansas children’s coverage is delivered largely through fee-for-service billing with ConnectCare primary care coordination, there is no commercial behavioral health vendor sitting between a program and payment; the state agency and its utilization management contractor handle that side. The adult picture in Arkansas is different again, with adult substance use coverage centered on outpatient counseling and medication as of 2025 and a waiver covering treatment in larger residential settings approved on July 22, 2025, so what a parent reads about adult rules does not describe a child’s benefit.

Is ARKids First the Same as CHIP?

Yes, in Arkansas it is the local name for the program. CHIP was created by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and signed on August 5, 1997, first called the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. There is no parent company: federal requirements come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services inside the US Department of Health and Human Services, and each state agency runs its own version. Arkansas chose ARKids First as the label; a family moving from another state will have known it as something else entirely.

If the child is not enrolled yet. Applications are taken year-round. The national children’s coverage helpline is 1-877-KIDS-NOW, which is 1-877-543-7669, and a federal marketplace application can be started on 1-800-318-2596, with TTY on 1-855-889-4325. Arkansas decides from one application whether a child belongs in Medicaid or in CHIP, and treatment does not have to wait for that answer in an emergency.

How Do I Find a Rehab That Takes ARKids First?

Start with the ARKids First line on 1-888-474-8275 or the state Medicaid line on 1-800-482-5431, and ask the child’s ConnectCare primary care clinician for the referral. When you call a program, ask whether it bills Arkansas Medicaid for under-19s, which license it holds to treat adolescents, and who files the authorization request.

Programs that accept ARKids First are gathered on the ARKids First page, alongside sibling brand pages for KCHIP in Kentucky and PeachCare for Kids in Georgia. Each listing shows the levels of care offered, the payments the program says it accepts, licensing and accreditation shown where The Joint Commission or CARF lists the facility, and how far the site sits from the nearest airport. There is no national CHIP provider directory, so the state program or the clinic itself is always the last check.

References and Citations

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — state health official guidance on behavioral health benefits in separate Children’s Health Insurance Programs: required mental health and substance use services, parity, limits that must be exceedable for medical need, and level of care assessment tools.
Arkansas Department of Human Services — ARKids First program material on the A and B coverage groups, copayments on prescriptions and services, preventive screenings, and the ConnectCare primary care arrangement.
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission — fiscal year 2024 CHIP-funded enrollment by state, program design types, cost sharing rules and federal matching and allotment arrangements.
HealthCare.gov and InsureKidsNow — benefits every state CHIP provides, year-round application routes, continuous eligibility for children, and state program contact details.
RehabSeekers directory listings and market rate research, United States, 2026. Ranges are indicative and vary by facility, length of stay and coverage.