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Family services agency welcomes new director for Fort Smith area

Times Record - 7/17/2018

July 17--A new director for the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services is excited about the opportunity to work in Area 2.

Cheryl Hunt-Holleman was welcomed as DCFS' Area 2 director at a reception at the Hamilton House Child and Family Safety Center in Fort Smith. Monday's event was also meant to express gratitude to Hunt-Holleman's predecessor, Melanie Cleveland, as she passed the torch to her.

Area 2 consists of Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties, according to the DHS website.

Hunt-Holleman said she applied for the position in April because she has always had a love for children and families. She herself grew up in a family of 11 children around Cedar Creek.

"We grew up poor, but happy, raised in the church," Hunt-Holleman said. "And I've always had a love for children and helping people, and I had a school teacher that kind of took me under her wing and I cleaned house for her and her husband, and worked in their restaurant."

Hunt-Holleman said she wanted to be in a position to help children all through school. She started with DCFS in 1993 as a worker before becoming a county supervisor in Mena a few years later.

"I started out in Mountain Home," Hunt-Holleman said. "That was my very first job, in Mountain Home, Ark., and went to Salem, and then took a supervisor position in Mena, and from there, we moved to Russellville, which is Pope County, and became the area director there. I was the area director in Area 5 for about 14 years."

Hunt-Holleman said she then transferred to Area 2.

Cleveland, who had been in the DCFS Area 2 director position for about a year, said eight people were interviewed for the position. Hunt-Holleman's first day was May 1.

As the area 2 director of DCFS, Hunt-Holleman said she hopes to continue to ensure the health and safety of area children, working with community providers to provide services and resources and working with organization staff to train them to better serve area families.

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(c)2018 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.)

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