Like so many of you, we have spent the last several days and weeks learning about the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
and how it is impacting our world. For Central Arkansas Development Council, that means understanding how it affects
our employees, customers and communities, and then making the necessary adjustments to our work and operations.
We are closely following the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines and recommendations on the steps we can
take to help prevent the spread of the virus. We have shared specific instructions with our employees on the importance
of washing their hands and staying home if they feel sick or are returning from an area of the world identified as posing
a coronavirus-related risk. Our main focus is on keeping you and our employees safe!
With that in mind, we have made several moves in our agency in response to the threat of the coronavirus.
Please bookmark this page to keep informed about changes that may affect programs and services.
SCAT Transportation:
Updated: 03/26/2020
All public transportation has been suspended, with the exception of Dialysis and Chemotherapy passengers.
All Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation remains open at this time.
Early Head Start/Head Start/Arkansas Better Chance:
Updated: 04/06/2020
On April 6, 2020, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that there would be no more on-site instruction in Arkansas schools for the remainder of the current school year. Governor Hutchinson stated that all schools for the remainder of this school year would be distance learning as CADC EHS/HS/ABC has been doing since March 13, 2020.
Therefore, the Central Arkansas Development Council Early Head Start/Head Start/Arkansas Better Chance (CADC EHS/HS/ABC) program will continue to do outreach to our children and families through the following methods.
CADC EHS/HS/ABC full-time employees will work:
Remotely to continue to make daily/ weekly/bi-weekly (as needed on a consistent basis) phone calls and/or other forms of contact such as email; to parents and legal guardians of enrolled children in order to touch base with them during times of closure to check on the student’s well-being and family well-being, assist with needed resources, etc.
Remotely use CADC social media and the CADC EHS/HS/ABC YouTube channel as tools to reach our children and families by having virtual classroom activities and lessons. CADC EHS/HS/ABC teachers will virtually instruct our students remotely. CADC EHS/HS/ABC teachers will also utilize Arkansas AMI Learning Guides that have been developed to support home-based instruction in association with the PBS educational television programs to promote activities that students and families may use to practice existing skills, learn new topics, and interact with one another in a meaningful way. The Arkansas PBS link is: https://www.myarkansaspbs.org/arkansasami/k-2
CADC EHS/HS/ABC teachers will click on the orange boxes underneath the video, you will find materials for students, including children with disabilities and materials for teachers. Arkansas Better Chance and several Arkansas public school districts are utilizing Arkansas PBS with their students.
Remotely to conduct Parent-Teacher Conferences/Home Visits will be conducted over the phone or virtually through FaceTime or other IT methods of choice with parents and legal guardians of enrolled children.
Remotely conduct Policy Council Meetings and other advisory committee meetings virtually or by mail-out voting, options to meet funding source requirements.
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To continue to do outreach to our children and families on a weekly basis, if not more frequently depending on the needs of our families.
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To continue to engage families and check on their well-being to see if they are in need of resources in order to meet the needs of the children and families.
To participate in the alternative method of instruction, you can visit the CADC Early Head Start/Head Start/ABC YouTube page by visiting https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWFeH4Yi6zwp9mTVTZEpPA/playlists
Senior Activity Centers:
BENTON and BRYANT SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS TO CLOSE TEMPORARILY:
Following advice from Local and State officials, CADC will close Senior Activity Centers in counties where school districts are closed. Currently, this includes the county of Saline. Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, until March 30, 2020, the Benton and Bryant Senior Activity Centers will be closed.
For further information contact Lavel Neal at 501-315-1121.
Tax Assistance
All CADC/VITA tax assistance locations are temporarily suspended until further notice.
For more information call 501-326-6203.
LIHEAP:
Effective Monday 03/16/2020 Until further notice:
In ALL CADC serviced Counties, ALL applications for assistance must be submitted by one of two options listed below:
