University of Arkansas Little Rock / MidSOUTH

What University of Arkansas Little Rock / MidSOUTH does

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH is a grant-funded training and education organization operating as a unit within the College of Business and Health and Human Services at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. It serves as the designated IV-E partnership training provider for the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), delivering a comprehensive workforce development portfolio that includes an 18-week new staff onboarding program (NST Foundations and Specialty tracks), an eight-module Safety Organized Practice curriculum, continuing education for substance use disorder professionals, peer recovery specialist certification, and family support programs including Triple P Positive Parenting and Resource Family Training.

The organization's technology infrastructure is built on Moodle-based learning management systems for online course delivery, a proprietary ACE registration system for CEU enrollment and certificate management, and REDCap survey tools for registration workflows. It operates three physical training sites (UA Little Rock main campus at 2801 S University Ave, a Little Rock office at 415 N McKinley, and a Fayetteville location) and supplements classroom delivery with Zoom-based live webinars and self-paced online substance use education. Content partnerships with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and End Overdose extend subject matter expertise into opioid response and CBT-based treatment training.

MidSOUTH operates on a managed services revenue model funded entirely through federal and state grants, including SAMHSA block grants, IV-E child welfare training partnerships, the State Opioid Response (SOR) Program, and the Substance Use Block Grant (SUBG). All training is provided at no cost to participants. The organization holds NAADAC Approved Education Provider status (#226778) and coordinates with a network of 13 regional prevention provider organizations across Arkansas for community-based program delivery. It is governed by UA Little Rock with no independent ownership, venture capital, or external equity structure.

Name

University of Arkansas Little Rock / MidSOUTH

Legal name

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH

Website

https://midsouth.ualr.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH is a grant-funded university training organization providing free continuing education, 18-week DCFS new staff onboarding, Safety Organized Practice curriculum, substance use prevention/treatment training, peer recovery certification, and Triple P parenting programs for Arkansas's child welfare and behavioral health workforce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Training and Continuing Education Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (61), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD), Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG), Dislocated Worker & Rapid Response / Reemployment Programs (EDAAAOAF)

Keywords

• Child welfare training
• Continuing education services
• Workforce development programs
• Substance use prevention
• Peer recovery certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock, AR

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Grant Funding: MidSOUTH operates as a grant-funded training organization under the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, receiving funding through federal programs including Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants, IV-E child welfare training partnerships, and state-administered block grants for substance use prevention and recovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MidSOUTH delivers workforce training and continuing education programs for the Arkansas child welfare and behavioral health systems, including an 18-week New Staff Training curriculum for DCFS Social Services Specialists, an eight-module Safety Organized Practice curriculum, substance use prevention and treatment courses, and peer recovery specialist certification. Programs are delivered through in-person classroom training at three Arkansas sites, virtual Zoom webinars, and self-paced Moodle-based online learning, with all offerings provided at no cost to participants.

Product overview

MidSOUTH is a training and education organization affiliated with UA Little Rock providing a comprehensive portfolio of workforce development programs for Arkansas's child welfare and behavioral health systems. The core offering is the Training Academy, which delivers New Staff Training (NST) for DCFS employees through Foundations and Specialty tracks (Investigations, Resource/Adoptions, Social Services Assistant), supplemented by Safety Organized Practice modules and coaching. Prevention and treatment services include the Center for Prevention and Training, Arkansas State Opioid Response (SOR) Program, Substance Use Block Grant programs, Peer Recovery Specialist Training, and substance use disorder continuing education courses. Family support programs encompass the Resource Family Program with Connecting (AR) Families and ARKinship Connect training, Triple P Positive Parenting Program, and Baby & Me. Online learning is delivered through Moodle-based portals for DCFS staff and a separate SAP online training platform. The organization operates three physical locations (Little Rock campus, Little Rock office, Fayetteville) and provides virtual training via Zoom webinars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MidSOUTH Training Academy: Provides training for the child welfare services workforce in Arkansas, supporting new staff, foster parents, and adoptive parents of the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), alongside a continuing education program for a broader audience serving children and families.
• The Center for Prevention and Training
• Arkansas State Opioid Response (SOR) Program

Products and services

• MidSOUTH Training Academy Core training program providing comprehensive education for the Arkansas child welfare services workforce, supporting new staff, foster parents, adoptive parents of DCFS, and continuing education for community professionals serving children and families.
• New Staff Training (NST) – Foundations Initial training component for new DCFS Social Services Specialists covering orientation activities, practice coaching, and simulated learning experiences during the first 18 weeks of employment, aligned with the DCFS Practice Model.
• New Staff Training (NST) – Specialty Specialized training tracks for DCFS staff (Investigations, Resource/Adoptions, Social Services Assistant, Regional Support Specialists) providing depth in specific practice areas with participant manuals, facilitator guides, and transfer-of-learning materials.
• Safety Organized Practice (SOP) Collaborative, strengths-based approach for Arkansas DCFS integrating solution-focused, trauma-informed, and structured decision-making practices. Includes eight training modules with participant guides, handouts, and coaching resources covering Three-Column Mapping, Safety Networks, and Structured Decision-Making tools.
• Peer Recovery Specialist Training Training program for individuals seeking certification as peer recovery specialists, part of the Arkansas State Opioid Response (SOR) Program initiatives.
• Arkansas State Opioid Response (SOR) Program Federally funded initiative combating the opioid crisis through prevention, treatment, and recovery services including naloxone distribution, medication-assisted treatment access, peer support networks, and workforce development.
• Arkansas Substance Use Block Grant (SUBG) Prevention Program State-funded prevention initiative providing community outreach, awareness campaigns, and training to reduce substance misuse and promote early intervention across Arkansas.
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment Training Continuing education for behavioral health and substance use disorder clinicians covering documentation best practices, pharmacotherapy, ethics, cognitive behavioral therapies, motivational interviewing, SBIRT, and specialized topics like xylazine and emerging synthetic opioids.
• Resource Family Program Comprehensive training for prospective resource families, relative caregivers, fictive kin, and adoptive parents including Connecting (AR) Families Training (15 hours) and ARKinship Connect Training (7.5 hours).
• Triple P – Positive Parenting Program Level 4 evidence-based parenting initiative with 10 weekly sessions covering causes of behavioral challenges, positive reinforcement, discipline strategies, and relapse prevention for healthy child development and behavior management.
• Online Substance Use Education Moodle-based platform offering six online courses on substance misuse and abuse topics with enrollment through the online SAP login system.
• IV-E New Worker Training Training program for new DCFS workers as part of the IV-E Partnership with Arkansas universities.
• The Center for Prevention and Training Workforce development initiative supporting prevention professionals with training, technical assistance, and resources for planning, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based prevention programs.
• Arkansas Peer Recovery Conference Annual two-day conference offering 13.5 continuing education hours for peer recovery professionals, featuring pre-conference social, all-recovery meetings, awards banquet, and national speaker. Limited to 400 participants.
• Influence inAction: Practical Strategies to Improve Youth Engagement and Outcomes Youth engagement training program delivered at multiple Arkansas locations (Marianna, Little Rock, Pine Bluff), covering behavior influence, communication strategies, and prevention concepts aligned with Pillars of Prevention.
• Motivational Interviewing for Substance Use Professionals Virtual workshop for behavioral health professionals, clinical supervisors, leaders, mentors, and educators to strengthen motivational interviewing skills for substance use practice.
• Arkansas Youth Drug Use Reduction Program Prevention-focused initiative targeting youth substance use and promoting drug use reduction strategies among young people in Arkansas communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18-week structured onboarding program for new DCFS staff combining classroom, coaching, and simulated learning
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidSOUTH serves as the primary training partner for Arkansas DCFS, delivering new staff training, IV-E training, Safety Organized Practice curriculum, and ongoing professional development for DCFS personnel across all Arkansas counties. Training aligns with DCFS Practice Model and entry-level competencies.
• Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHS funds and oversees state opioid response and substance use block grant programs that MidSOUTH implements, including prevention education, peer recovery training, and workforce development for behavioral health professionals.
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock - College of Business and Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidSOUTH operates as a unit within UA Little Rock's College of Business and Health and Human Services, providing educational stipends for BSW/MSW students who agree to work for DCFS.
• Regional Prevention Provider NetworkmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 13 regional provider organizations including Community Clinic NWA, North Arkansas Partnership for Health Education, Crowley's Ridge Development Council, Harbor House, Family Service Agency, and others delivering prevention programming across Arkansas regions.
• Hazelden Betty Ford FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational addiction treatment and education organization providing subject matter expertise and instructors for MidSOUTH courses including CBT for Substance Use Disorders and related professional training.
• End OverdoseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner focused on ending drug-related overdose deaths through education, naloxone distribution, and community training, collaborating with MidSOUTH on opioid response initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals: National professional association that approves MidSOUTH as an education provider (#226778) and accredits competing CE programs across the U.S. Overlaps in CE accreditation, behavioral health CE delivery, and professional credentialing.
• National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI): National resource center funded by the Children's Bureau to develop child welfare workforce capacity across all U.S. states. Broader in scope (national vs. single-state) but operates in the same content category (child welfare workforce training curricula and leadership development).

Emerging players

• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: National addiction treatment and education organization that is both a content partner to MidSOUTH (providing instructors and curriculum) and a partial competitor in continuing education for behavioral health professionals. Comparable on substance use disorder CE delivery and NAADAC-related training offerings.
• JBS International: Federal contractor that operates SAMHSA-funded training and technical assistance programs (including the ATTC network) competing for the same federal training dollars MidSOUTH accesses. Overlaps in behavioral health workforce training delivery under similar grant mechanisms.

Direct peers

• Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC): Federally funded ATTC regional center providing substance use disorder workforce training and CEUs under the same SAMHSA grant architecture MidSOUTH draws from. Directly comparable on evidence-based practice training, CE delivery, and addiction workforce development.
• California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC): University of California–affiliated consortium that coordinates IV-E child welfare training and workforce development across California, structurally analogous to MidSOUTH's IV-E partnership role in Arkansas. Compares on mandate, funding mechanism, and university-based delivery model.
• University of Kentucky Training Resource Center: Kentucky university-based training center providing IV-E child welfare and behavioral health workforce development under a similar state-level contract structure. Directly comparable in scope (DCFS-style staff training) and funding (state-administered Title IV-E).
• Academy for Professional Excellence (San Diego State University): Operates within San Diego State University as a statewide workforce development and training program for California's child welfare, behavioral health, and prevention professionals, funded through similar federal/state grants. Closest direct peer: same university-anchored, grant-funded, multi-program model serving public-sector human services staff.
• University of Maryland Institute for Innovation and Implementation: University of Maryland School of Social Work center providing child welfare, behavioral health, and workforce training under similar Title IV-E and state agency contracts. Strong match on the academic-anchored public-sector training model.

Regional players

• Muskie School of Public Service (University of Southern Maine): University of Southern Maine public service school that delivers grant-funded training and workforce development programs for Maine state agencies (child welfare, behavioral health, public health). Compares on the public university + state-contracted human services training model, though geographically distinct.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ualrmidsouth
• Facebookfacebook.com/UalrMidsouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-&-children-first

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Arkansas Little Rock / MidSOUTH