Dr. Richard Freer
Title IV-E Grant Principle Investigator
rkfreer@astate.edu, 870-972-3357
Dick Freer has been with the partnership at ASU virtually since its inception. He currently serves as the Principle Investigator. Associate Professor of Social Work at ASU, Dr. Freer has a long standing commitment to the well being of children through both advocacy and direct service. Dr. Freer is a Licensed Certified Social Worker in Arkansas with a Ph.D. is Social Welfare from Case University in Cleveland, Ohio. His dissertation examined the challenges to inter-professional coordination of Family Preservation Services in Northeast Arkansas. He is certified by the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission to provide family mediation as an alternative to child access and visitation litigation.
Karen Fullen MA, LCSW
Program Director
kfullen@astate.edu, 870-972-2199
Karen Fullen began working in child welfare in 1979. She has 15+ years’ experience as a child abuse investigator, caseworker, supervisor, administrator/manager, and executive staff of an Arkansas non-profit child abuse agency. She has worked for the Department of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a curriculum developer, program manager, and trainer for child welfare professionals. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Sociology from Arkansas State University. She also has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has been with the Title IV-E Child Welfare Partnership at ASU for 10 years and currently supervises the program. Ms. Fullen has taught several of the social work courses over the years and now primarily focuses on the Introduction to Child Welfare course. Ms. Fullen is a licensed clinical social worker with several years’ experience in the mental health field and social work in health care settings. She provides post graduate supervision to social workers seeking their LCSW certification.
Patricia Holt LCSW
Field Trainer and Stipend Coordinator
pholt@astate.edu, ph. 870-972-3599
Trish Holt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been practicing for the past 20+ years. She has extensive experience serving victims of domestic violence and child abuse and their families. She has been the director of a domestic violence shelter in Iowa, a director of social services for The Salvation Army in St. Louis serving homeless families and a juvenile probation officer in Arizona. In addition, she has worked in the mental health field serving clients with chronic mental health issues and worked for the Division of Children & Family Services (DCFS) in Arkansas as a county supervisor. For the past seven years, she has worked for Arkansas State University as a field trainer for the Title IV-E Academic Partnership in Child Welfare Grant. She coordinates the DCFS Stipend Program under that grant and teaches one of the field seminars. Ms. Holt serves as a volunteer Mental Health First Responder for the Arkansas NASW Catastrophic Response Team. She also volunteers time at the Women’s Crisis center in Jonesboro and is one of the Arkansas NASW Representatives for NE Arkansas.
Kenya Duncan, MSW
Field Trainer
kduncan@astate.edu, ph. 870-972-3146
Kenya Duncan is a new hire to the Arkansas Academic Partnership in Public Child Welfare Title IV-E Grant. She has worked as a field trainer since June 2012 after receiving a Master's Degree from Arkansas State University where she was named National Association of Social Workers Arkansas Chapter MSW Student of the Year. Kenya gained experience in child welfare while working as a student intern and employee of the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services in child maltreatment investigations and foster care. Kenya became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1998 and currently works as needed at NEA Baptist Clinic. She enjoys volunteering at the Women's Discovery Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Natalie Gatlin, MSW
Field Trainer
ngatlin@astate.edu, ph. 870-972-2918
Sandra Tate
IVE Child Welfare, Physical Support Specialist
state@astate.edu, ph. 870-972-3116
Sandra Tate began her work with the ASU Title IV-E program in the fall of 2008. Before coming to Arkansas State University she worked as an office supervisor for a construction company for 15 years. Sandra attended Arkansas State Univeristy and is a native of Northeast Arkansas.
