Governor declares programs' successes

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Friday ended his second biennial conference on foster care and prison re-entry with a declaration that his administration had achieved "measurable" successes in both areas and a promise to continue his focus on both systems.

Friday's lineup of speakers included Christian-toned orators, as well as testimonials from Arkansans entwined with the foster care system. Hutchinson listened in to a portion of the program from a pew near the front of St. Mark Baptist Church, as he ducked in and out to attend to state business. The two-day summit was held at St. Mark.

Children and Family Services Division Director Mischa Martin said Friday's focus was on encouraging Arkansans to work with nonprofit groups and their communities to support families, both biological and foster.

The conference followed the release of a Children and Family Services report Wednesday that the number of foster children placed with a relative had doubled in two years, while the total number of children in the foster care system had stabilized around 5,000.

Martin added that the number of foster homes in the state had grown to 1,800 in two years, from 1,300. She attributed the rise, in part, to the governor's call to action at the first Restore Hope Summit in 2015.

"What we've done over the last two years, since the first Restore Hope Summit, has made a huge difference. Understand that, believe it, it is reality, it's measurable," Hutchinson said Friday. "You have made a difference."

Speaking to a reporter afterward, Hutchinson said his administration's efforts to follow up on this week's conference would attempt to increase further the number of foster children placed with kin, and to comply with all the recommendations of the Paul Vincent report, a critique of Children and Family Services completed in 2015.

Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, co-chairman of the Legislature's Subcommittee on Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions, said it was fair for the governor to claim successes.

"There have been some real advances made, without a doubt, Elliott said, referring to the state's opening of re-entry centers for inmates. "I see the same thing about foster care. I do want to give the governor credit with taking strides and improving that situation."

Elliott said more improvement could be had by getting the private sector to work with ex-offenders. That was the topic of Thursday's portion of the conference, when Hutchinson called on businesses to hire ex-convicts.

The governor's chief adviser for child welfare, Phyllis Bell, said she worked with the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, state agencies, a human resource group, and faith-based groups and churches to bring participants both days.

Attendees were given a sheet to fill out with ideas for how they can help -- with promises of a follow-up from the state within 30 days.

Sitting in a back pew, Bell's nephew, 24-year-old Austin Adams, whooped and clapped with the assembly of speakers quoting Bible passages Thursday. Afterward, he said he was inspired to think of ways he could pitch in.

Adams said he had been out of prison for four years and recently relocated to Mena to help on the chicken farm owned by his uncle -- Bell's husband, former state Rep. Nate Bell, an independent. Adams said he felt limited from bigger commitments such as fostering a child, but said he got ideas to start small, possibly taking a child fishing or mentoring a parolee.

Hutchinson said he chose to have a single conference on two different issues because he felt they are both areas in which the state needs help from community and religious leaders.

"They're both connected by hope" Hutchinson said. "The young child wants a first chance at life, and the ex-offender wants a second chance at life."

A spokesman for the governor said Hutchinson plans to hold another conference in 2019, if re-elected.

Metro on 09/09/2017

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