1959
On May 15, 1959, Ms. Alma Black founded The Jackson County Retarded School for children in the east industrial district of Newport. It was the second organization of its type founded in Arkansas. Ms.Black founded the organization to provide services for her child with developmental disabilities and others like him. During that time, DD services were not readily available and children with disabilities were not integrated into the school systems. The organization was built as a residential and educational facility for adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities Within this setting, children and adults both lived and went to school.
1976
On June 28, 1976, the school was re-organized and re-incorporated as Jackson County Learning Center.
1986
Once children with ID/DD were integrated into the public-school system – JCLC
discontinued all of its services to children on June 30, 1986. The organization shifted direction to focus on adults 18 years and older. The facility became a training facility for adult day services. The consumers were moved off-site into group homes in order to better integrate them into the community.
2014
In 2014, Jackson County Learning Center changed its name once again to the Arkansas Center for Independence to better align with the organization’s mission of providing services and supports to allow consumers to become more independent.
2022
The organization remained in its original location and building from 1959 until 2022. Today, ACI has a brand-new state of the art facility in the middle of Newport and is still serving adults 18 years and older through various programs. ACI remains a small, tight-knit organization that is able to have the flexibility to structure programs and supports to meet the needs of each individual served.
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