ARKANSAS DHS PROVIDES FULFILLING, VARIED CAREER POSSIBILITIES

The Arkansas Department of Human Services is a far-reaching state agency tasked with ensuring the health and welfare of Arkansas families. Nurses are needed across a variety of job specialties and facilities that serve children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, adults and seniors with disabilities, and more.

Two departments in which nurses can play a substantial role include the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) and Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS).

The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services provides quality services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and delays. Providing clients and their families choices when selecting appropriate services in the local community, DDS provides an array of services through Medicaid-funded programs and federally funded grants.

Among these services are:

• Developmental screenings, therapy and care plans for infants and toddlers;

• Day treatment programs for children and adults;

• Community-based services and supportive life skills;

• Applied behavior analysis for children with autism and specialized autism services;

• 24-hour care in human development centers and private intermediate care facilities;

• Occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy;

• Helping coordinate care needs and case management services.

The Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services ensures an integrated system of publicly funded mental health care and alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention and treatment services to Arkansas residents. DAABHS provides the majority of state-funded behavioral health services by contracting with community providers in multiple regions to ensure statewide coverage.

These community health partners provide a full array of traditional and specialized services, including (but not limited to) crisis screenings, drug and alcohol assessments, diagnostic evaluations, medication management, case management and a variety of counseling services. State-funded mental health and substance use/misuse treatment services are available in all 75 counties, serving adults and children with varying levels and stages of mental illness, including those who have been previously incarcerated or admitted to the Arkansas State Hospital and other treatment facilities.

Certain Arkansas populations within DAABHS are identified as priority populations, served through substance use/misuse treatment contracts, including:

• Pregnant women using drugs by injection;

• Pregnant women using drugs/alcohol;

• Intravenous drug users;

• Clients with the greatest clinical needs;

• Clients from the designated region.

Visit https://humanservices.arkansas.gov to learn more.