Arkansas DHS To Implement Governor’s Foster Care Working Group Recommendations For Improving The Child Welfare System

On September 18, 2023, the Every Child Arkansas working group, established under an Executive Order from Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, announced a series of 11 broad recommendations to better protect at-risk children, support foster families, and improve the foster care system. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is developing implementation plans for each recommendation, including efforts to improve retention and recruitment of foster homes, training, and prevention. The recommendations include virtual and in-person prevention services, easing access to crisis response and support services, staff training on trauma-informed care, and expanding the use of private license agency foster . . .