Program  Excellence

Office of Program Excellence

The Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) recognizes that every child is entitled to grow up in a permanent family. The Division is committed to family preservation whenever children can remain safely in a family that is experiencing problems.

Among its many functions, the Office of Program Excellence in DCFS provides in-home services that are available to children and families that protect, preserve and promote their well-being. Intervention and prevention services are provided to Division of Children and Family Services clients and community consumers.  For more information, you can contact John Zalenski at 501-682-8541.  P.O. Box 1437, Slot S564, Little Rock, AR  72203F
 

The Planning Unit’s mission is to engage in comprehensive, broad-based program planning with a goal of improvement of child and family services in the Division.  Program planning includes two phases.  Pre-implementation planning includes program assessment, design and development refers to all activities undertaken prior to the initiation of actual service program.  It lays the foundation and groundwork for implementation of the plan.  Operational planning refers to those planning efforts conducted once a service or program is implemented and includes collecting information for monitoring and evaluation purposes.  For more information, contact Mona Davis at 501-683-2044

The Policy Unit has the responsibility for developing, revising, promulgating and distributing division policies, procedures, publications, and forms.  Various Federal and State Laws govern DCFS, and this unit is responsible for monitoring, updating and developing policy rules and regulations to maintain compliance with these laws.  For more information contact Cindy Young at 501-682-8750 

The purpose of the Professional Development Unit is to coordinate and monitor the title IV-E training contracts with the University Partnership and the MSW Educational Leave / Child Welfare Stipend programs. The unit also provides title IV-E fiscal support for DCFS staff attending training events. For more information, call 501-683-2041 

Child Protective Services Unit

The Child Protective Services Unit currently has approximately 115 contracts throughout the state of Arkansas are community based and designed to increase the strength and stability of families.  Services are referred by DCFS caseworkers and often court-ordered by juvenile judges as part of a case plan.  Currently, there are several services/programs being offered by the Child Protection Unit and these include counseling, in-home support, language interpreters, parenting education/support services, supervised visitation, support groups, in-home parenting services.  For more information you can contact Debbie Roark, Manager of the Protective Services Unit at 501-682- 2447 P.O. Box 1437, Slot S569, Little Rock, AR  72203

Child Protective Services (child maltreatment investigations) visit:
http://www.arkansas.gov/dhs/chilnfam/child_protective_services.htm

Foster Care Program

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. 

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.

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.

Transitional Services

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 Toma Whitlock at (501) 682-8453

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.

Chafee Foster Care Independence Handbook 

This is a guide to assist agency staff, foster and adoptive parents and the public in describing Arkansas' Chafee program serving foster care youth.  This handbook is a PDF file and can access this handbook by clicking here -  Chafee Foster Care Independence Handbook. .

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.

Arkansas Youth Development Collaboration - Youth of Promise - Resources for Families, Employers and Professionals.

DCFS Foster Youth Survey 2008 - PDF

The Independent Living Grant Program works with foster teens to teach 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 and will then assist them with their post-secondary educational needs and training.
 

Specialized Placement Unit

When children are unable to function in the environment in which they are placed; the Specialized Placement 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, please contact - Megon Bush (501) 682-8433

Adoption Services Unit

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 Marylin Counts at (501) 682-8460.

To learn more click here.