About

East Arkansas Youth Services (EAYS) is a community based, private, non-profit organization that provides positive alternatives to institutionalization for children who are involved or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. Nonresidential services are offered to male and female, 8 up to 18 years of age, to at-risk and delinquent youth. Residential services are provided to males and females of the same age range.   Oversight is given by a Board of Directors representative or live in one of the following counties in our service area: Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Monroe, St. Francis, Phillips, Woodruff, Prairie and White  counties in Arkansas. East Arkansas Youth Services, Inc., in compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Latest News EAYS has been reaccredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) in January 2016.
Agency Background East Arkansas Youth Services, Inc. (EAYS) is a 501C3 private non-profit corporation which is governed by a Board of Directors. The organization was incorporated in January 1989, as the successor organization to East Arkansas Regional Youth Shelter which was operated by Crittenden County. The organization was established for the purpose of providing community-based youth services for the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency.In January 1989, EAYS assumed the operation of the East Arkansas Regional Youth Shelter located at 104 Cypress Marion Arkansas, and also the outreach and aftercare treatment services in Crittenden County. The Shelter Facility served Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips and St. Francis Counties. In July 1996, the newly formed Division of Youth Services issued an RFP for all community-based youth services by Judicial District thus doing away with the contract for Crittenden County with East Arkansas Youth Services. EAYS partnered with Consolidated Youth Services (CYS) in Jonesboro, Arkansas and Multi-County Youth Services in Forrest City as a subcontractor for their proposals. CYS was awarded the contract for all community-based youth services for the 2nd Judicial District (Craighead, Greene, Poinsett Mississippi, Crittenden, Clay Counties. Due to the fact that Crittenden County had a well-established youth services program, CYS subcontracted with East Arkansas Youth Services for all community-based youth services in Crittenden County. Multi-County Youth Services in Forrest City was awarded the contract for all services in Cross, Monroe, Lee, Phillips, St. Francis and Woodruff counties and subcontracted with EAYS for the residential services.  In January of 1997, EAYS obtained the contract for all services in the First Judicial District as a result of DYS canceling the contract with Multi-County Youth Services due to allegations of bad management and fraud. EAYS has been awarded the contract through competitive bid process each time it has been RFP’d since then for a total of (4) times.

Also, in August 2018, DYS canceled the community based contract with Health Resources of Arkansas (Preferred Family Health) due to allegations of Medicaid fraud and EAYS has been contracted with to provided the community based youth services in Prairie and White Counties.

EAYS is currently the community based youth service provider for Crittenden County in the Second Judicial District through subcontract with CYS and for all the counties in the First Judicial District which includes:  Cross, Monroe, Lee, Phillips, St. Francis and Woodruff counties and for the 17th Judicial District which is White and Prairie Counties. EAYS is also an Qualified Residential Treatment provider statewide for the Division of Children and Family Services through direct contract with DCFS for youth in foster care.
Our Mission To provide comprehensive, therapeutic, educational and advocacy services to youth and their families and to instill motivation and courage to empower them to become healthy and productive members of their communities.
Our Philosophy East Arkansas Youth Services believes that services to youth and their families can best be provided within the local community. We believe that local service providers are best able to assess and treat the problems of youth by virtue of the fact that they are more familiar with the youth, his/her family and background and environment. EAYS believes that the optimum treatment setting is the youth’s own home, but if that is not possible, an alternative residential placement within the youth’s own community.It is believed that treatment must include the family and other significant persons to offer the best chances of success.  This type of treatment can be best facilitated if the child remains within the community. If the child is removed from the environment where the problems developed, it is difficult for treatment staff to determine when treatment has been successful since they are observing youth in an artificial environment. “Acceptable” behavior in an artificial environment may or may not continue when the youth returns to his original environment. EAYS believes that youth must be given the opportunity to develop the competencies they need to live freely and successfully in the community. For this reason, we believe that youth should be provided treatment services within the least restrictive environment required to assure the safety of the community. We believe that youth should be held accountable for their behavior and that one element of treatment should include the youth’s acceptance of responsibility for his/her  own behavior.It is also the intent of EAYS to incorporate cultural sensitivities into our treatment programs.

It is a goal of East Arkansas Youth Services to continue to improve its relations within the community. EAYS strives to develop strong, cooperative relationships with the service community and particularly with law enforcement and the justice system. This will help insure services are available to all youth in need of rehabilitation. We strive to convince the community through example that community-based treatment for youth is desirable and preferable to institutional commitment.
Agency Programs East Arkansas Youth Services operates the following programs:

  • Community-based Services – Treatment Programs for Delinquent, Family In Need Of Services (FINS), and At-risk Youth and their families. EAYS offers various levels of prevention, intervention and treatment services for youth and their families. Residential Services are provided at 104 Cypress, in Marion Arkansas. Non-residential services are generally provided in the community by outreach staff from offices located at the following locations:
County Address Telephone
Crittenden County 106 Cypress, Marion 870-739-4219
St. Francis, Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Woodruff counties

 

Prairie & White Counties

 

 

 

 318 E Cook, Forrest City & 500 G Street, Wynne

 

509 North Main Street Searcy

 

 

 

 870-630-0532 & 870-587-4634

 

870-291-9290

 

 

 

 
  • Community-based Treatment Programs – Services include:
    • Emergency Shelter
    • Residential Services
    • Outreach Casework Services
    • Targeted Case Management (treatment planning)
    • Intensive Casework Management Services for all youth committed to the custody of the DYS
    • Interstate Compact Services
    • Therapy
    • Substance Abuse Initiative including groups
    • Structure recreation and motivation (Cross Co.-Boys2Men)
    • Parenting Support Groups
  • Sanction Programs – EAYS provides an array of community-based sanctions, thereby providing alternative dispositions for the juvenile court and graduated levels of supervision for youth placed on aftercare from the DYS custodial placements. Graduated sanctions are available as follows:
    • Community services – all counties
    • Intensive supervision and tracking – all counties
    • GED Class, Day Services Program – Crittenden County only
    • Short-term non-secure holding as an alternative to detention – all counties
Accreditation, Affiliations & Licensure

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 aryouthsvcs aryouthsvcs
Member agency Member agency
Licensed by the State of Arkansas as an Emergency Shelter, Residential Facility and a Placement Agency.