Arkansas Governor Issues Executive Order To Reduce Entry Into Foster Care & Increase Number Of Foster Families

The Arkansas Department of Human Services' Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and a group of partner organizations participating in Every Child Arkansas (ECA) are developing plans to improve the state’s foster care system in response to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' February 2023 Executive Order. The program goals are to reduce entry into foster care, recruit more foster families, streamline the process of kinship placements, and accelerate the adoption process.

The Executive Order directs DFCS to develop strategies in several areas including recruiting and retaining foster families. In support of this effort, DCFS recently launched ECA, which establishes . . .