Program Overview

Arkansas hopes to take care of its children and youth. Especially those with special and exceptional needs. To ensure that these needs are catered to, the State has established the Arkansas Foster Grandparent Program. A program that helps the elderly residents of Arkansas to play their part in the community. Foster Grandparents are allotted through this program to serves as mentors, tutors, and caregivers. In simple words, they are there to guide the youth and children. These foster grandparents carry out their responsibilities through community non-profit agencies. This may include schools, daycares, and Head State Centers. They volunteer at these agencies to meet the vital needs in various parts of a child’s life. Their presence helps to solve critical problems in education, public safety, health, and human needs. This is not only a fruitful experience for the children but also for the elderly involved. They enrich their own lives through this experience. They are able to contribute to the community in their own way. They believe that their contribution also helps them as well. Therefore, the benefits that they may experience are:

• Help their community
• Help themselves
• Make a difference

Save money for the organizations they are serving. Their time and skills help the organizations to allocate the funds for other critical needs. These foster grandparents have played their vital role since 1965. That is when the program came to be, known as FGP. It has since then helped to provide valuable resources to the community. This is possible through their mission which involves the encouragement of senior citizens. It can also be stated as, “Encouraging and engaging senior citizens in helping to enrich the community and the lives of children.” All elderly residents of the state of Arkansas are motivated to join this program. It is their way to make a difference in the life of the future generation. There are certain benefits involved in this program as well. These can be outlined as:

• Annual physical exam
• Mileage reimbursement
• Supplemental accident and liability insurance while on duty
• Pre-service orientation and bi-monthly training
• A tax-free stipend of $200 per month. This stipend does not interfere with any of the other benefits stated above.

Eligibility Requirements

Similar to other programs, the FGP also has a set criterion for the Foster Grandparents. These requirements help the residents to find out whether or not they can apply. Therefore, it is important for foster grandparents to have the following set of traits.

• They should either be 55 years old or older.
• They should pass the income limit that has been set according to the DHS Poverty Guidelines. The limitation states that the household income must not exceed 200%.
• They must pass a physical exam to ensure that they can easily carry out the activities related to FGP.
• They must clear a criminal background check. For the safety of the children, it is important to make sure that the foster grandparents don’t have a record.
• They must care about children. This is important as it serves as motivation for these individuals. It helps them to ensure that the children reach their maximum potential.

How to Apply

Interested individuals can start their application process without any issues. If they believe that they fulfill the eligibility criteria stated by the program, they simply have to contact the DHS. County offices of this department can be found throughout the state of Arkansas. The applicants would be guided towards the appropriate representative. They will be provided with an application form that must be completed. It will include a basic facts section to gain the appropriate information about the candidate. It will also include other information that is more in line with the mission of the program. Moreover, it will also include a Pre-Employment Background Screening. This part of the application is important to ensure that no fraud takes place. It is vital considering that the youth of Arkansas are involved.

For Further Information

The Foster Grandparent Program is managed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services. The DHS has a website that can be accessed easily. It contains their contact information including the telephone number which can be used. That is 501-682-1001. A county office of DHS can also be contacted which has been established state-wide. The program coordinator can also be reached. This is Robert Watson who can be approached through email and number. He is a representative of the DHS and can be reached out to Robert.Watson@dhs.arkansas.gov. If anyone finds the phone to be an easier option then they can call at 501-320-8902.