The Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides effective prevention, intervention, and treatment programs for youth in the Arkansas juvenile justice system. Their goals are to give youth and families the opportunities and services they need to be successful in a way that ensures public safety. The purpose of the juvenile justice system is providing youth with treatment – not punishment – so they can flourish when they return to their homes and communities. The mission of the DYS education system is to provide, in a manner consistent with public education in the state of Arkansas and the nation, a method of high-quality education programs to address the needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. For treatment they assess all youth in DYS to determine their treatment needs, including medical, mental health, and substance abuse issues. The same unit monitors the youth’s progress and adjusts the plans as necessary to allow the youth to successfully return to the community. Please contact them for more information on the services provided by DYS.