For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Brandi Hinkle, Deputy Director of Communications 
[email protected] 
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Tracy Turner among 10 receiving special DHS recognition

During the 2017 Arkansas Human Services Employees Association (AHSEA) banquet Thursday night in Little Rock, Tracy Turner was named Outstanding Employee of the Year across the agency.
Turner, a Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) First Connections Coordinator in Central Offices, was named AHSEA Outstanding Employee of the Year. The conference room in the office of the director will be renamed for the year in her honor.   

The First Connections (Part C Early Intervention) Program is a statewide system of services to assist infants and toddlers up to age 3 who have certian levels of developmental delay and their families on an individualized basis. By assisting in locating and coordinating services, the program enhances not only the child’s abilities to learn and interact with their peers but assists the family with education and training to better understand their child's needs and promote development.Turner works with the families of 900 children throughout the state. 

“Tracy instills her love of families into each of her duties,” said DDS Chief Financial OfficerThomas Tarpley, Turner’s supervisor. “Many of our colleagues are themselves parents of a child who has developmental disabilities, so Tracy sees first-hand the importance of the services she coordinates. She uses her quirky personality and seemingly unlimited knowledge to make the workplace conducive to being productive, yet relaxed.
“Overall, she’s an outstanding representative of DHS,” Tarpley said. “Tracy frequently speaks at conferences and conventions which are attended by human services employees from across the nation. She uses an impressive solutions-focused approach to navigate through and complete her responsibilities.”            

Turner, who has been with DHS for more than 24 years, was one of 10 employees from across the state honored Thursday.

Additional honorees are:

• Stancie Cartwright, Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) – Arkansas County
• Betty Dukes, Shared Services (Office of Communications and Community Engagement, OCCE) – Central Offices
• Jacob Grace, Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) – Sebastian County
• Blondell Hinton, Division of Youth Services (DYS) – Central Offices
• Evelyn Lambert, Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) – Central Offices
• Alicia Langston, Division of Medical Services (DMS) – Pulaski County
• Kristi Moyers, Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS) – Saline County
• Michele Rodgers, Division of County Operations (DCO) – Central Offices
• Arlene Rose, Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE) – Central Offices

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