Caring Where it Counts: The Power of In-Home Services

In Garland County, collaboration took center stage during an impactful community meeting themed “Caring Where It Counts.” The focus? In-home services—and how deeply they matter for families navigating crisis, trauma, and transition.

Community-based providers, advocates, and program representatives gathered to highlight how their evidence-based, relationship-driven models are working together to stabilize families, prevent unnecessary out-of-home placements, and empower parents and children alike. From therapeutic home visits to parental coaching and early childhood education, each service represented at the meeting reinforced a shared commitment: to meet families where they are and walk with them toward lasting stability.

Anita Daniels, Program Representative for Youth Villages, opened by explaining the process of receiving and assessing referrals to ensure families are connected with the right services. Youth Villages’ Intercept and LifeSet programs offer in-home intensive family services and transition support for older youth—both grounded in trauma-informed care.

Family Intervention Specialist Aundrea Nichols described how building trust with youth is key to long-term success. “I always want to speak identity into kids" she shared, emphasizing the importance of reminding youth they’re not defined by their trauma. Furthermore, she expressed that by similarly empowering parents with tools and self-belief, the impact ripples through the whole home.

Youth Villages' programs are evidence-based, providing up to six months of support with three home visits per week. Their team also offers 24/7 crisis response, safety planning, and wraparound services for families with complex challenges.

David Rockwell, FCT Practitioner with SPARK Network, echoed the importance of prevention through Family-Centered Treatment. “Our goal is to stabilize families before kids are placed in expensive out-of-home care,” he said. The SPARK Network works intensively—four hours per week for about four months—and use a four-phase model that includes joining, restructuring, valuing change, and generalization.

Rockwell emphasized that trauma-informed strategies help families understand behavior patterns and strengthen resilience. “We look beyond the behavior to the belief system and biology that drive it,” he explained.

Christy Ward, SafeCare Enrollment Coordinator with COMPACT, introduced a distinct but complementary approach. SafeCare provides an 18-week model focused on parenting education and engagement for families referred by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). “Our goal is to break harmful generational patterns by equipping caregivers with tools and confidence,” said Ward.

She highlighted the emotional hurdles that come with being referred to parenting programs. “Families often feel ashamed or judged,” she said. Their method is to counter that by focusing on strengths, building trust, and celebrating progress every step of the way.

Carrie Ray, Family Support Specialist with Healthy Connections, brought the perspective of Healthy Families America—a voluntary home visiting program focused on prenatal and postnatal support. “We ideally begin working with families during pregnancy,” Ray said, “so we can teach about bonding, nutrition, breastfeeding, and more before the baby even arrives.”

These visits, which continue weekly until the child turns three, are built around consistency, education, and trust. “We want parents to feel seen and supported,” she added. “They’re the experts on their children—we’re just here to walk alongside them.”

Darcel Preston, a homemaker educator with HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters), spoke about empowering parents to become their child’s first teacher. Through role play, modeling, and weekly visits, Preston helps parents of children aged 2–5 prepare for school readiness.

“We meet parents where they are,” she explained. They strive to build parental confidence through practice, connection, and encouragement. Preston also highlighted the importance of group meetings, which foster peer learning and social capital—a valuable source of support for isolated families.

Karen from Happy Home Care closed the speaker panel with a powerful perspective on serving families with children who have disabilities. Happy Home Care works with families eligible for Arkansas’s Medicaid waiver programs, providing person-centered support plans and even home modifications to improve safety and accessibility.

“Our care plans aren’t cookie-cutter—they’re tailored to each child’s diagnosis and environment,” Karen shared. Though they are a small, family-owned agency, their goal is to make a big difference.

She urged families not to give up when facing long waitlists or overwhelming systems. “It takes persistence, but no child should be written off. We’re here to be your partner and advocate.”

From mental health to early childhood development, the common thread among all speakers was clear: in-home services work. By intervening early, providing consistent support, and building trust with families, these programs prevent crisis, support reunification, and set children on a path to thrive.

“Caring where it counts,” as one speaker put it, “means showing up in the living rooms, around the kitchen tables, and in the hard moments where families need it most.”

As Garland County continues to build a stronger network of community-based support, meetings like this serve as both a celebration and a challenge—to keep showing up, keep collaborating, and keep caring.