LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries (ABCHomes) is not letting the Coronavirus pandemic become a roadblock to helping others. While the recent pandemic has generated hurdles, the agency of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention is doing everything in its power to help fellow Arkansans through this trying time by offering free counseling and participating in timely ministry projects.
Christian counseling services available to all Arkansans
Secure, video counseling services are available for any Arkansan via the Living Well Counseling ministry. Arkansans can speak to a licensed Christian Counselor from home or their workplace, and online fees related to the services are waived through April 30. Counseling is available for individuals, couples or families. Living Well’s services include treatments for depression, anxiety, family trauma, grief counseling, spiritual issues and conflict resolution. Derek Brown, executive director of ABCHomes, stressed that all counseling sessions are confidential, “the counseling sessions are on a video service like FaceTime, but meet all HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) security standards.””Everyone is under a lot of stress. You are not alone,” said Brown. “During these challenging times, our counselors are ready to help.” For more information on Living Well Counseling’s services, call statewide at 877-455-8554, or go to https://arkansasfamilies.org/counseling/. Northeast Arkansas residents can also call 870-336-1300.
ABCHomes serves those on the front lines Children and teens at the Baptist Home in Monticello are also seeking to help fellow Arkansans stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 crisis. Foster and staff children of all ages made homemade cloth masks for medical personnel. Older children sewed the masks, while younger kids made cards, cut ribbon and sorted the sewing materials. Baptist Home staff will deliver the masks to Monticello and Little Rock health professionals. While health experts say cloth masks are not a direct replacement for surgical masks, homemade varieties can be used in certain circumstances to preserve the availability of traditional masks for those treating COVID-19 patients. Cloth masks can also be used on the outside of the more protective mask, providing additional benefits. “All of our children helped in some way with the masks,” said Kaylyn Johnson, an ABCHomes foster mother. “We hope it will help healthcare workers as there is a shortage of masks for them during this COVID-19 outbreak.”
By Stella Prather, director of communications for Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries.