HJAR May/Jun 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  MAY / JUN 2022 45 them together.” Reganmay be the direct recipient of waiver services, butWendie benefits as well. She gets peace of mind and a part of her life back that she thought was gone forever. “I feel like I have a new identity in a way because I used to just be Regan’s mom,” Wendie said. “It’s been nice to have that other identity now. So, I’mnot just Regan’s mom. Now, I’m a teacher. I’mMrs. Reaves. I can do my job and feel like I don’t have to worry about Regan. I know she’s being taken care of.” This is why it is so important for provid- ers to build capacity. Making waiver services available for thousands of deserving families is one very important part of the process. Be- ing able to deliver those services in a timely manner is also critical. It’s made all the difference for the Reaves Melissa Weatherton Director Division of Developmental Disabilities Services family. And, Wendie knows the combination of waiver availability and provider accessibil- ity will make the same difference for other families. “We’ve seen a lot of changes for the better. You have waited this long, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Waiver services is a great thing. It has impacted us for the bet- ter. Know that your life is going to change.” n Keith Metz has spent nearly 25 years working with Arkansas DHS as both a contractor and a state em- ployee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hendrix College and amaster’s degree in English from the University ofArkansas at Fayetteville.After serving as a data analyst and quality assurance evaluator with the Division of Children and Family Services,he joined the DHS Office of Communications and Community Engagement,where he now leads theMedicaid com- munications team.He and his wife,Missi,(and Emma, their Boston terrier) are proud residents of theArgenta neighborhood in North Little Rock. Melissa Weatherton received a Bachelor of Arts and Science in English from the University of Arkansas in 2001 and aJuris Doctorate from theWilliamH.Bowen School of Law in 2005. She has worked for the Ar- kansas Department of Human Services for over 15 years and currently serves as director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS). She oversees Arkansas’s five Human Development Cen- ters, division policy, and procedures and represents DDS as legislative liaison. She is dedicated to serving Arkansans with a developmental or intellectual dis- ability and recognizes the importance of providing themwith an array of service options. Wendie and Wade Reaves, of Bryant, with their daughter Regan. Scan to watch a video profiling the Reaves family and how waiver services have affected them.