Out of Home Services

Our mission is to ensure the safety and well being of all children in our care by providing accurate, consistent, and current information, technical assistance, research and support.  All interactions should be courteous, respectful and professional.  For more information, contact Varnaria J. Vickers-Smith, Administrator, at 501-682-8440.

Independent Living Program

The Independent Living Program works with teens who are in foster care teaching them basic life skills as they transition to adulthood. The Program is educationally oriented and encourages youth to remain in school until graduation from high school.  It also assist participants with their post-secondary educational needs and training.  For more information, contact James Dennis at (501) 682-8453

DCFS Publications; PUB-22 (Standards For Approval of Family Foster Homes) and PUB-30 (Family Foster Parent Handbook) are currently being revised. If you have any questions regarding any DCFS publication, please call (501) 682-8570.

The Arkansas Education and Training Voucher Program (ETV) offers funds to foster youth and former foster youth to enable them to attend colleges, universities and vocational training institutions. Students may receive up to $5000 a year for four years as they pursue higher education. The funds may be used for tuition, books or qualified living expenses. These funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis to students out of the Arkansas foster care system - click here for more information - Arkansas ETV program.

Today, older, handicapped, minority, and abused or neglected children need loving persons to adopt them. It is our goal to find permanent homes for children who can not return home.  DCFS helps by providing a full range of adoption services, from finding families to adopt, to keeping a voluntary adoption registry. Services are also available to birth parents who chose to place their newborns for adoption.  For more information, contact Lillie Owens at (501) 682-8460.

To learn more click here.

Behavioral Treatment Unit

When children are unable to function in the environment in which they are placed; the Behavioral Treatment Unit provides technical and financial assistance to local county offices requiring help in locating and/or finding placements for children with emotional and/or behavioral problems.  The Division provides these services through contracts with private providers or medical providers.  For more information, -Position currently vacant-

Foster Care Program

Sometimes parents can not adequately care for their children. The Division may place these children in foster care. In some cases the court may order placement in foster care. DCFS helps families work out problems so that children can remain in their homes, when that is not possible, DCFS places the children in temporary homes.  For more information, contact Ed Wallace at (501) 682-1569.  

  To learn about becoming a Foster Family click here.