How Collaboration Is Changing the Face of Child Welfare

When a family is in crisis, child welfare workers often stand on the front lines — balancing safety, compassion, and tough caseloads. A panel of child welfare leaders shared how the 100 Families Initiative, combined with the HopeHub software it provides, is helping them do what they’ve always wanted to do: protect children while keeping families together.

Getting Connected: HopeHub Explained

As part of the 100 Families Initiative, each organization in a community that provides services to families in need is connected through HopeHub, a secure data-sharing platform. Caseworkers, advocates, and service providers can coordinate around the individuals and families they serve, update progress, and avoid duplication of services. The system is fully compliant with information privacy laws regarding the safe handling of sensitive information, including HIPAA, FERPA, and COPPA standards. Families sign consent forms to allow collaboration across agencies to get them the help they need in an efficient and effective manner. 

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion took place in Russellville during a visit from Casey Family Programs to Arkansas. Attendees included several out-of-state lawmakers. Together, the panel painted a picture of how collaboration is reshaping family support across Pope County.

Skye Mitchell, Homeless Coordinator for the Russellville School District, said the change has been significant. She’s served Russellville schools for more than two decades and currently supports over 1,200 families each year. She said that last year, almost 600 students in the community were identified as homeless and 80 were living in motels. With the cost of living rising and many families living week to week, Mitchell said having one central location where families can seek help and know they’ll be treated with respect has changed everything.

“When the 100 Families Initiative came, it gave these families a sense of pride and dignity,” Mitchell said. “They know when they walk through the doors of the 100 Families resource center, there’s no judgment.”

Licia Etheridge, an investigation supervisor with Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), said the partnership between DCFS and the 100 Families Initiative has transformed the way her agency supports parents. “People see DCFS and think, ‘You’re here to take my kids,’” she said. “But what we want is to make families stronger. I aged out of the system myself, and I help families now the way I wish my mom had been helped.”

Etheridge described how families now meet not just caseworkers, but family advocates with the 100 Families Initiative who attend court hearings and help parents understand and follow through with plans ordered by judges. “Parents can freeze up in front of a judge,” Etheridge said. “The family advocates are there saying, ‘Here’s what’s next. Here’s what the judge said.’ That makes all the difference.”

Marilyn Sanders, Executive Director of the River Valley Child Advocacy Center, said the 100 Families Initiative allows her limited team to focus on what they do best: helping children heal from abuse. Sanders explained that a child advocacy center is designed to provide a safe, supportive environment for children who may have experienced abuse, many times sexual abuse. 

“We saw 449 children last year, and we’ve already passed that number this year,” she said. “Our advocates used to spend hours finding resources for families. Now we can refer them to the 100 Families Initiative and know they’ll be connected. That way, we can focus on the abuse itself.”

Sanders added that what’s truly remarkable is how seamlessly partners work together. “Everyone does their little part, and it all comes together under one umbrella.”

Hannah Karnes, a former DCFS caseworker who now works for the Arkansas State Police, recalled a moment when collaboration through the 100 Families Initiative prevented a child being removed from her mother. 

“A mom had nowhere to go with her daughter,” she said. “If we didn’t find something that night, I was going to have to remove the child,” Karnes explained. She said she was able to call advocates with the 100 Families Initiative and, within an hour, a local hotel room was secured for them. The next day, the mom was also connected with a rehab program. 

“Something as small as a hotel room for one night can keep a child from being removed from their parent and being traumatized from that experience,” Hannah said. “That’s the difference collaboration makes.”