Earlier this month, many of us gathered in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at our Capitol to celebrate Christmas with some of the children currently in our state’s foster care system. This is an annual event that distributes thousands of gifts and brings countless smiles.
Our goal as a state is to make sure these children have the best care available year-round. At the end of the State Fiscal Year 2022, there were 4,524 Arkansas children in foster care. That is a decrease of 7% from the previous year.
In 2021, the General Assembly passed Act 574 which directed the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on Children and Youth to conduct a study of the best practices for reducing the number of children in foster care. That study was conducted and the final report was submitted to the Arkansas Legislative Council this month.
The study included an assessment of the number of children in foster care, an examination of the state’s current practices and policies aimed at reducing the number of children in foster care, an examination of the methods other states use, and the formulation of a plan for the state to implement to reduce or eliminate the number of children in foster care.
The reports details staffing challenges in the most recent years presented by the health emergency. But despite those challenges, the DHS Division of Children and Family Services has continued to implement a variety of strategies to reduce the number of children in foster care. Those strategies include incentive programs to recruit and retain quality staff and prevention programs focused on in-home services.
The reports also note that DCFS staff have worked hard over the last several years to ensure children are placed with relatives and fictive kin when safe and appropriate. Close to 41% of children were placed with relatives statewide as of September 30, 2021, as compared to the 28.1% of children who were placed with relatives statewide as of March 30, 2019. Children whose first placement was with a relative or fictive kin have consistently shown to have more placement stability, fewer instances of maltreatment while in foster care, and have achieved permanency more quickly than their counterparts.
This report will help guide members when considering legislation in the 2023 Regular Session. We’ve posted the study on our website arkansashouse.org.
Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council received a report regarding the state of mental and behavioral health in Arkansas.
This report was months in the making. It makes clear that medical professionals are facing a mental health crisis in our state but the collaborative efforts involved in this study also provide a path forward to improving care.
Act 802 of 2021 required a study of Mental and Behavioral Health conditions in Arkansas.
The purpose of the study was to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the mental and behavioral health resources and care currently available and to recommend legislation to the General Assembly.
For the last several months, legislators, mental health providers, medical professionals, and behavioral health stakeholders have been meeting to discuss various services offered to persons suffering from mental health issues. The group has also been discussing the current difficulty is providing these services without a professionally trained workforce.
Representatives of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics testified that many pediatricians in the state are spending the majority of their day on working behavioral health right now and struggle to find access to proper care for their patients.
Arkansas Children’s Hospital reported seeing a 25% increase in mental health and behavioral health cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
And medical professionals testified that more than 36,000 adolescents in Arkansas had a major depressive episode in the last year.
Arkansas is not unique in facing these challenges. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year. The CDC also states that 1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
The Department of Human Services participated in these working groups and discussed what could be changed by the policy. As a result of the concerns raised in the working group, DHS agreed to several policy changes which will allow Medicaid providers to be reimbursed for more preventive care and provide more oversight for at-home care.
In the 94th General Assembly, we could see several pieces of legislation introduced as a direct result of this study.
The final report states that legislation is being drafted, studied, and considered which will address several concerns raised including increasing the number of Psychological Examiners practicing in the state, enhancing the availability of intensive treatment for young children and adolescents, and advocating for school counselors to be trained on suicide awareness and prevention.
We have posted the study on our website www.arkansashouse.org.
We want to remind anyone struggling with a mental health crisis to call 988 to be connected to resources near you.
Arctic front blasting the state on Thursday
An arctic front will blast through the state on Thursday with very cold air and gusty winds accompanying the boundary.
Wind chill warnings and advisories have been issued along with a winter weather advisory across the north for several inches of snow. Strong winds will blow this snow about as it will be dry and powdery with low moisture content.
Arctic Air to Blast Arkansas This Week
The latest guidance is showing the front moving through earlier than previous thinking and crossing the Mississippi River by mid to late afternoon.
We are still expecting a blast of bitterly cold air behind the front with dangerous wind chills by Friday morning. The arctic air will settle over the state through Christmas with only some moderation expected. The winds will slacken on Friday as the system pulls away but the cold will remain. There is currently a wind chill watch in effect for the north with wind chill advisories or warnings likely across most if not all of the state with time.
Finally there could be some snow across mainly the north and northwest with an inch or two possible but most areas will see less than that as the system will be moving very quickly, moisture is limited and the window for accumulating snow is relatively small.
Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service in Little Rock
Confidence continues to increase on a severe weather event for most of the southeastern half of the state beginning Tuesday afternoon/evening and potentially persisting into the early morning hours of Wednesday.
The Day 3 Storm Prediction Center Convective Outlook brought an expansion of the Enhanced Risk area into much of eastern and northeastern Arkansas. Specific timing details will become more evident in the next day or so, however additional changes to the forecast risk area are still possible within the next few days.
National Weather Service Winter Weather Briefing for Arkansas
We are still on track to seeing some wintry weather over parts of northern and western Arkansas late today and tonight. Rain will mix with and eventually changeover to all snow by early this evening, across the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. Snow accumulations of one to two inches remain possible, especially in the highest elevations.
While this will be a quick hitting event, there may be minor travel impacts. Roads in some areas may become snow/slush covered, with icy patches on bridges and overpasses.
New Sevier County Medical Center Aerial Photos
Photos provided by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon
Increased Threat of Severe Weather Friday Evening in Arkansas
A fairly major update has been made to the severe weather forecast through tonight. Here are the main points:
Moderate Risk introduced for all of western, southwestern AR
- Increased threat for tornadoes, some potentially significant, in and near southwest
AR. Damaging hail is also possible.
- Intense winds (up to 70-80 mph) possible as storms move across AR late evening
and overnight
Enhanced Risk expanded to include the southern half of AR.
Onset timing remains the same (5-7 PM), but storms will move across AR faster than previously thought with storms moving east of the MS River by 3-4 AM.
The attached briefing contains updated graphics pertaining to the severe threat and timing.
Potential for Damaging Winds, Storms, Heavy Rainfall, and Possible Tornadoes for Friday
A storm system will approach the Natural State on Friday afternoon and complete its progression across the state by early Saturday morning. Click on the link above for a briefing outlining this event.
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
Did you know that out of the over 400,000 children and teens in foster care in the United States, over 100,000 of them are waiting to be adopted? Right now, there are 292 children in Arkansas whose parents’ parental rights have been terminated and are currently seeking a forever family.
November is National Adoption Month. It is a time to increase awareness of adoption issues, bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the foster care system, and emphasize the value of youth engagement. On November 3, the Arkansas Department of Human Services will be hosting a National Adoption Month Rally at the State Capitol. The event begins at noon.
In the 2021 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed Act 574, which directed the House Committee on Aging, Children, and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs, and the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth to conduct a study of the best practices for reducing the number of children in foster care. Part of that study includes reviewing the length of time from termination of parental rights to adoption finalization for relative and foster parent adoptions. Significant progress has been made to shorten that time. The committee is scheduled to review a draft of the final report when they meet in November. While we continue our study and work to reduce the number of children entering the foster care system, we encourage you to explore how your family may be able to help.
Last year, the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) launched the Every Day Counts campaign as a reminder for people that every day these children and teens spend in foster care is a day too long because every day counts!
After the launch of the program, Project Zero took on the challenge to give every waiting child a short film by the end of 2021. Project Zero is a non-profit organization whose mission is to diligently and enthusiastically promote adoption through the foster care system with the ultimate goal of finding a forever family for every child who is waiting. These short films have been a critical piece in finding adoptive families for children in foster care. You can find the films and more information about each child in Project Zero’s Arkansas Heart Gallery at www.projectzero.org.
New Sevier County Medical Center Aerial Construction Photos
Photos provided by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon
Aerial Photos of the new Sevier County Medical Center
Photos provided by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon
November Snippets from Johnye Fisher of the Sevier County Library System
Sevier County Library System’s annual Mister Roger’s Neighborhood Sweater Drive and Food for Fines month begins November 1st and ends November 30th.
Let’s find some gently used items that someone can use for the winter to help keep them warm. Coats, hats, sweaters, gloves, scarves, etc. also patrons can bring any nonperishable food item to the library for a one-dollar reduction per item in existing overdue fines. Food accepted for fines on returned library materials only, not for replacement fees or lost or damaged items. Each community library will help their community with items taken. Also donations are always welcome for both clothing items and food items
Thanks to the communities for helping your community!
De Queen will host a Thanksgiving Story Time with Turkey Bingo on November 16th at 4 pm. There will be bingo prizes, treats for the kids and lots of fun. Make sure to tell all the kids and come enjoy a fun game of Turkey Bingo.
Remember we have the LIBBYAPP if we do not have a book on our shelves. You can follow the instructions to download the libbyapp from our Facebook.com/seviercountylibrary or simply go to your play store on your device. Remember you must search “Arkansas Digital Library Consortium” and hold a valid library card to browse our selection. For more information, you can call 584-4364
Catherine at Horatio Library says that Fall is beautiful and the weather is finally cooling off. The library is getting ready for Thanksgiving. We are changing our children’s program time to 4 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We will have special guests, treats and activities so make sure to mark your calendar. For adults, we are considering beginning a craft program featuring different craft each Saturday at 10 am beginning the first Saturday of November.
In the meantime, come and take a look at our new books plus check our sale tables. We have something for everyone. For more information, you can call Catherine at 870-832-6882. I’ll be looking for you.
Here at the Lockesburg Library the special activity programs that are planned for children during the month of November will be our homeschool STEM subjects and on Saturday, November 5th from 10-11:00 our new Pokemon Club. According to librarian Wendy Clay, officers have been elected and mission/ goals planned. If you are 12 or under and enjoy all things Pokemon come meet with us. Call 289-2233 or consult our Meta Facebook page Lockesburg Library for weekly updates about everything that is going on at the library.
Rhonda at Gillham Library says Gosh this year has gone by really fast. We have Thanksgiving is coming up soon. Come on by and find out How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace! See how Charlie Brown celebrates Thanksgiving on DVD and book. John Sandford and Virgil Flowers are after killers in Righteous Prey, David Baldacci’s Amos Decker is so very smart with a remarkable memory or Danielle Steel’s Iris Cooper is a singing sensation. Dominoes and coffee on Tuesday’s if you like to play or just want to learn how. Remember we are Open Tuesday 9-1, Friday 1-5 and Saturday 10-2. Call Rhonda, Freda or Mr. Bob at 386-5665 for more information.
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
It is estimated that 225 people die every day from a drug overdose in America. In 2020, 547 people died from a drug overdose in Arkansas.
The current opioid epidemic is one of the deadliest drug epidemics in our history.
October 26 has been proclaimed as Opioid Awareness Day in Arkansas. It is a time for communities and individuals to raise awareness and prevent new victims from falling prey to addiction.
In recent years the Arkansas General Assembly has expanded access to naloxone and created criminal and civil immunities for those who try to get help for an overdose patient.
In 2021, we passed Act 651. This act mandates the co-prescription of an opioid antagonist under certain conditions. One of the conditions includes if the patient has a history of opioid use disorder or drug overdose.
In the 2019 Session, the General Assembly passed Act 646 which provides for controlled substance overdose identification training by law enforcement officers with an emphasis on opioid overdoses. That same year, the legislature passed Act 964 which prohibits a healthcare insurer, including the Arkansas Medicaid Program, from requiring prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment of opioid addiction.
In 2017, the General Assembly passed Act 284 which authorizes pharmacists to dispense naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid-induced overdose.
And in 2015, the Joshua Pauley Act became law. The law provides immunity for those calling for help for someone who is overdosing.
Another way to prevent abuse is to encourage the safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs.
The Arkansas Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 29 from 10 am to 2 pm. This is an opportunity to safely dispose of expired or unused prescription drugs. There are more than 250 locations across the state. You can find the location of events and permanent drop boxes at www.artakeback.org .
UA Cossatot Colts/Lady Colts Benefit Golf Tournament in Nashville
UA Cossatot Agriculture Projects to be Showcased in Washington, D.C.
Six agriculture students from UA Cossatot will be attending the annual National Science Foundation Advanced Technician Education (NSF ATE) conference on October 25-28, 2022 in Washington D.C.
This year Keaton Cox, Kaydee Cowling, and Haley Wright are presenting posters about projects conducted by the agriculture department. Three additional students attending the conference include April Klitz, Hannah Honey, and Valerie Smith. UA Cossatot faculty members Kelli Harris and Crystal Sims will also be in attendance.
Cox’s research is about water quality. The students in Natural Resources have been collecting water samples and testing for coliform bacteria, lead, mercury, pH, and other quality factors. The data is recorded through ArcGIS Survey123, including location data which is then mapped.
Cowling and Wright’s project started in the Intro to GIS class in the spring of 2022. They are collaborating with Casey Hardaway at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center to collect location data on fossils found on the management area.
The conference will host more than 850 NSF ATE grantees and their project cohorts to focus on the critical issues related to advanced technological education. Fundamental persons working on ATE projects across the country will partake in the hybrid event. Conference partakers represent community colleges,
business and industry, secondary school systems, and four-year universities covering projects in a wide variety of areas, such as information technology, engineering technology, micro-and nanotechnologies, chemical technology, biotechnology, and other program areas.
The primary goal of the GSTARS project is to design and implement a curriculum that meets the region’s need for technician-level GIS skills in agriculture and related science industries. In addition, the $299,635 grant will create pathways for future GIS Technicians to enter the local workforce.
“This grant has created an amazing opportunity to integrate technology and technical skills, such as GIS data collection and drone operations, into our agriculture and science programs. We are excited to share what our students have been learning at UA Cossatot through the GSTARS grant during the NSF ATE conference," said GSTARS team leader and agriculture faculty, Kelli Harris.
To learn more about this grant and conference, contact Kelli Harris at kharris@cccua.edu. ###
Aerial Photos of the new Sevier County Medical Center
Photos provided by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon
Arkansas Community Colleges announce scholarships for 22 academic all-star students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2022
For questions or more information, please contact:
Collin Callaway, Senior Policy Director
Arkansas Community Colleges
Cell: 501-554-2146
HOT SPRINGS (October 11, 2022) – Winners of the Academic All-Star Scholarships were announced today in Hot Springs at the Arkansas Community Colleges annual conference (ACC).
Governor Asa Hutchinson presented the keynote address at a brunch honoring the 22 student scholarship winners. The students were awarded a full-tuition transfer scholarship to any Arkansas public, four-year university to complete their bachelor’s degree. The combined total for the scholarships are estimated to be more than $500,000.
“These scholarships will enable our highest-achieving students to reach for their dreams at any of Arkansas’s public, four-year universities,” said Andrea Henderson, ACC Executive Director. “Many of these students are not only working hard to maintain excellent grades but are also adding jobs and parenthood to their list of responsibilities, which makes their accomplishments even more impressive. These students deserve our recognition, and these scholarships are a fantastic way to help them achieve their goals.”
Each of the 22 public two-year colleges names one student as an “Academic All-Star.” These students maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.25 out of a possible 4.0 and are outstanding campus and community leaders.
The 22 member institutions of ACC, located throughout the state, serve more than 60,000 Arkansans per year through educational programs, technical training, continuing education, and customized workforce training for today’s businesses and industries.
Here are the Academic All-Stars and their respective colleges:
Arkansas Northeastern College
Maddie Treece
Arkansas State University Beebe
Steven Winchell
Arkansas State University Mid-South
Jayden McNair
Arkansas State University Mountain Home
Elsie Clark
Arkansas State University Newport
Dustin Mars
Arkansas State University Three Rivers
Kevin Nard
Black River Technical College
Kimberly Stokes
East Arkansas Community College
Megan Sullivan
National Park College
Tyanna Lindsey
North Arkansas College
Marie Kershaw
Northwest Arkansas Community College
Lizbeth Cenobio
Ozarka College
Sarah Kirby
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Ashlynne Jenkins
South Arkansas Community College
SaKiya Gill
Southeast Arkansas College
Verdia Mays
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Brooke Avant
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
Samantha Wilson
University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
April Brown
University of Arkansas Cossatot
McKenzie Simpson
University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana
Allison Bonner
University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College
Chacall D Charles
University of Arkansas Rich Mountain
Mary Kate Duncan
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
There is an important deadline approaching for Arkansans planning to vote in the November election.
If you have not already registered to vote, you have until October 11 to file your voter registration application with your county clerk.
If you submit your application close to an election registration deadline, you are strongly advised to follow up with your county clerk before Election Day. The General Election and Nonpartisan Runoff Election will be held on November 8.
Early voting will begin on October 24. Early voting is available between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, ending at 5 p.m. on the Monday before the election.
At the voting site, an election official will ask you to state your name, address, and date of birth. The election official will request you provide an approved form of I.D.
You can check your voter registration status and find your polling location at www.voterview.org. On the website, you can find a sample ballot for your precinct.
Due to redistricting changes, we encourage you to review your ballot before heading to the polls. The boundaries of voting districts for state legislators shifted to reflect population changes in the 2020 Census. Districts were also renumbered. You may have the same lawmaker listed on your ballot but your House or Senate district number may be different than in previous years.
While Presidential elections get a lot of attention, the elections happening in midterm years are equally important. This election will determine our next Governor and constitutional officers. This ballot also includes several city and county elections, candidates for the Arkansas General Assembly, congressional races, and proposed amendments to the Arkansas Constitution.
Sevier County Holiday Assistance Application
NEWS RELEASE October 10, 2022
Submitted by: Kim Frachiseur, 4-H Program Assistant
Families may apply for holiday assistance by completing an application process. A new universal application has been formed to make the process easier for residents. Shop w/a Cop, Shop w/a Brother’s Keeper (BKMC), and any other organization that would like to provide aid this holiday season are welcome to use the applications. Each organization will select families for their individual programs by using this application. This means that families will only have to apply once this year.
This is for Sevier County residents only. Please be aware that assistance is given based on need, and just because you apply, you are not guaranteed assistance. For any questions, please contact Kim Frachiseur at the Sevier County Extension Office by calling 870-584-3013.
Residents may fill out the online form by going to https://forms.gle/NkWPvtZGkQ7Yy5ZT8, or paper copies may be picked up at the De Queen City Hall or the Sevier County Extension Office.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact the Sevier County Extension Office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.