Methodist Family Health

Mindy Lester, Ph.D, is our licensed psychologist in Little Rock. She helps children and their families with psychiatric, behavioral, and emotional testing.

When she isn't traveling or managing furry family members, she volunteers her time at church by raising funds to provide bicycles to hundreds of deserving children in her community at Christmas.

We adore you, Mindy. Thank you for everything you do at MFH and beyond!

Some “made-up” holidays should truly be celebrated. This is one of them. Happy National Burger Day, everyone!

Thank you, Inviting Arkansas, for sharing details about Southern Silks Stakes, benefitting MFH's Foundation! For more about all the fanfare: methodistfamily.org/southern-silks-stakes

A Southern Tradition - Inviting Arkansas The fanfare of a mint julep is undeniable. Equal parts refinement + fun and always refreshing, it seemed most appropriate for our time together with Drew and Brian Benham at Marlsgate Plantation. This delightful couple blends community service into work and family time. They jokingly jest, “We don...

Generational trauma is a cycle of trauma that passes through families, via biological, environmental, psychological, and social means.

Providing healing and care for children and adults means addressing generational challenges and breaking generational trauma, while preventing these issues from passing to future generations.

The clients at our Little Rock psychiatric residential treatment facility had a week of back-to-school competitions and special events, all culminating in the award of the coveted "Golden Chicken."

The contests and events consisted of a banner contest, obstacle course competition, field games, water wars, team challenges, fun day with a pizza party and an outing to the water park. Needless to say the kids celebrated the last week of summer in style!

It’s the end of the first week of school for a lot of children, along with aaaaall the emotions and to-do’s that come with this time of year. How fitting for National Roller Coaster Day–Here’s to holding on and letting go at all the dips and turns!

Our business development team attended the Better Together Conference, which was sponsored by Life Strategies Counseling Inc., in July. Huge thanks to MFH’s Bridgette Craig and Denise Trice-Khalaf for representing our mission, as well as to Paige Pickering, Melissa Halsell, and Madison Furhman with LSCI.

Our Little Rock Therapeutic Day Treatment kids took full advantage of National Ice Cream Day🍦back in July when they enjoyed some slow-churned goodness at Scoops Homemade Ice Cream. We hope you celebrated with a double-scoop of goodness, too!

The boys at our northeast Arkansas psychiatric residential treatment facility recently took a nature hike to get some fresh air, stretch their bodies and minds, and take in the beauty of their surroundings. It was a wonderful outdoor excursion that did everyone some good!

A lot of Arkansas public schools start today--No matter if it’s today or next week, or even last month, we want to wish all students and educators amazing successes this new year!

The kids at Methodist Behavioral Hospital recently enjoyed a drenched Back to School party. The water day consisted of an inflatable slip and slide, water balloons and blasters, popsicles, music, and a lot of fun!

Emily Shields, Program Consultant for MFH’s Qualified Residential Treatment Programs, recently took one of our youth (blurred in this pic) to attend Northwest Pride in Fayetteville, with Morgan Gramlich, the Court Appointed Special Advocate worker, tagging along. Despite the intense Arkansas heat, they all thoroughly enjoyed the day!
"I'm proud of Emily's hard work with consumers, continuing to encourage them to support the kids in everything they do," said Alicia Gammon, Director of QRTPs for Methodist Family Health.

On Sunday, July 21, high school students in the Hendrix Youth Institute program, a program for high school leaders who are exploring ministry, visited Methodist Family Health in the Spiritual Life Center. Eva Englert-Jessen, our Pastoral Care Director, led them in conversation about our mission at MFH, as well as about mental health and the role that faith communities and young people can play in combating mental health stigma.
While they were here, the students also designed thoughtful posters for our kids!

We have some incredible folks who work at Methodist Family Health, so every month we’re going to celebrate a member of our staff who is Making a Difference.
Lorranda Barnes is a Consultant at Methodist Behavioral Hospital in Maumelle. She makes a difference every day working with our youth in the acute and subacute wings at MBH. She provides them love, guidance, boundaries, and strength, which they take with them when they enter back into their communities. The highlight of her day is seeing a client return to his or her family much improved than when they entered our hospital.
Thank you, Lorranda, for all you do!

Moving from elementary school to middle school can be a bit nerve-wracking for young people and their parents. It’s 100% ok to have a few jitters, because middle school is a big step!

Middle schools are typically larger, with new students and teachers, and different kinds of classes and expectations. But parents and guardians can help set a positive tone with enthusiasm and support, while helping their students grow academically and socially.

🏠 Most middle schools have orientation events before the first day of school.
👩🏾‍🏫 These are wonderful opportunities to meet teachers and establish communication,
🔓 Run through class schedules and even test out locker combinations,
🙋‍♂️ Students and parents can also make connections with other families who are going to be a part of their educational community for the next few years.

Here are a few organizational ideas that can help your child manage middle school assignments and expectations once the year is off and going:
⏰ Designate a study space and set a study time each day. Consistency can make a huge difference with establishing good study habits.
🎒 Have your child do a weekly clean-up of their backpack and folders. File the assignments that have been graded and returned, and purge the items that are no longer needed.
📅 Keep a family calendar that includes your student’s activities, as well as their assignment due-dates. Have your child help manage those calendar entries.
👩🏽‍🦱 Support your student while they’re learning to become more organized and independent. Your child may have different approaches that work for them, and each teacher may have different classroom protocols. Help your child learn how to adapt to those expectations.

🫶 Here’s to wonderful new opportunities in the school year ahead!

MFH’s Erin Goyne was recently presented with a President's Award at the Arkansas Juvenile Officers Association for her outstanding work and dedication to the children and families in the state. Erin is pictured here with Lavon Chatman Jr, who is this year’s recipient of the Honorable Jimmy Joyce Award.

New day! New week!

National Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of every August. We encourage folks to take a moment to connect with friends today--And maybe take a chance to make a new friend or reconnect with an old friend while you're going about your Sunday.

🚌 Back to School is just around the corner for a lot of kiddos in Arkansas. In fact some local schools have already begun!

Here are a few tips to help your child get started on the right foot for the new school year ahead:

🛌 Getting back to a structured sleep schedule takes a little time. Experts recommend getting your child back into the habit of earlier bedtimes for a week before school actually starts.

🗣 Plan and discuss daily routines with your students.
For the morning that might look like making a checklist that your child can use to get the day going: ✔️make bed, ✔️eat breakfast, ✔️brush teeth, ✔️get dressed, ✔️pack backpack.
In the evening this routine might include winding-down activities after homework and extracurriculars are done: try bathtime and reading to help your child relax right before bed.

🎒 Let your child go with you when shopping for school supplies. Talk about what each supply could be used for in their new classrooms.

✏️ Most schools have open houses to drop off supplies, and meet new teachers and classmates before the first day. These are also wonderful opportunities to learn about all the new resources and expectations for the upcoming school year.

👩‍🏫 Teachers and school admin want your child to succeed! There are typically protocols for correspondence and outreach if you ever have questions or concerns. Make sure to establish connections, and foster those relationships, as a parent/guardian early in the year.

🫶 Keep that dialogue going. Check in with your student and ask if they have any jitters or worries. Likewise ask what they’re super excited about with the upcoming year.

Here’s to a wonderful new school year with amazing opportunities to grow and learn!

Thank you, Inviting Arkansas! Southern Silks Stakes, benefitting MFH Foundation, is September 21: methodistfamily.org/southern-silks-stakes

Inviting Arkansas July 2024 Arkansas Cinema Society Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Arkansas Cinema Society offers extraordinary experiences to celebrate our shared humanity and nurture the visual art. Showcasing captivating independent films and intimate conversations with the creatives behind the work, the organizatio...

At MFH we’re working to improve the lives of our young patients and their families, as well as how we go about fostering those learning and healing journeys.

Part of that process includes asking for feedback from our patients’ families through surveys to get first-hand details about their experiences. Here are a couple that we’ve gotten this summer:

“The experience helped my child a lot. She is doing really well at listening and using coping skills. Nurse Betty was a blessing. She communicated well and answered all my questions. She made a huge impact on both of us. Methodist Behavioral Hospital was truly great.”

“Our child is doing great after the stay at MBH. She had her first therapy session and she likes her therapist. Her medication is working well. So thankful for you all. God bless you all.”

We’re always thankful for our patients’ successes, and for the incredible staff members who are doing the work!

To learn more about Methodist Family Health: https://www.methodistfamily.org/

Each department at Methodist Family Health plays an important role in the mission of helping Arkansas children and their families. MFH’s Business Development team members serve as community liaisons and mobile assessors to referring providers:

Community Liaisons work with providers across the state to deliver the highest level of customer service and help make the referral process to our inpatient programs a success. They are supported by the rest of the Business Development team and by Methodist Behavioral Hospital’s Assessment and Referral department for follow-ups to referrals and admissions.

Mobile Assessors are licensed professionals responsible for completing patients’ initial assessments to determine appropriate levels of care. These assessors conduct clinical assessments and provide information to patients and their families in behavioral health crises. These team members also determine suitability of admissions for patients based on clinical criteria.

Collectively the Business Development team works to establish and build Methodist Family Health’s referral network, reaching as many families in need as possible. Located throughout the state, the team can be contacted for help at any time: https://www.methodistfamily.org/contact-us/

Making connections! Erin Goyne and Wesley Morgan welcome Andy Montgomery, a juvenile probation officer with Jackson County, at the July 15-17 Safe Schools Conference in Hot Springs.

MFH’s Business Development has been keeping it hot with meetings and tours in communities across the state. Earlier this summer Bridgette Cossey-Craig attended the Northeast Arkansas Counselors Fair with Dawn Layer (Families Unlimited), Natalie Bland (Perimeter), and Madison Fuhrman (LSCI Life Strategies).

Our staff members not only make a difference for the patients and families at MFH, but they are also invested in our local communities!
Don Cole, our Chief Financial Officer, is a boss at singing. A member of the chancel choir at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Don contributes not only his voice, but his grilling skills for the benefit of his church, the Rotary Club 99 of Little Rock, and Methodist Family Health.
Today we salute this ardent Razorback fan and thank him for his dedication and contributions to our community.