Human Development Services

Bost Human Development Services still works to fulfill the vision of Fort Smith pediatrician Roger Bost, who saw a need to help children with developmental delays and mental retardation when he founded the organization in 1959.

Bost Services has built on his solid foundation and now serves more than 700 men, women and children with disabilities in seven counties in west Arkansas.

The philosophy of Kent C. Jones, who has been executive director of Bost for 15 years, is that everyone has worth and something to contribute to the community. Jones was studying to be an engineer, but working with the handicapped at summer camps changed his direction.

The Bost network of services includes therapy, independent living, residential support and vocational choices so all individuals can live, work, play and thrive.

“Just as Dr. Bost saw that need that wasn’t being met, the enterprise he left behind continues to do that,” Jones said. “There are lots of others who need help.”

Some of the needs Bost is studying include developing residential options at Fort Chaffee to meet the housing needs of the aged; developing a family/consumer center; providing behavioral training and developing a stand-alone behavior crisis center; continuing to develop job and affirmative business careers; and offering more vocational training.

Bost Services, with 372 employees and 35 volunteers, projects 2001-2002 revenue to be more than $13.5 million. Jones is predicting 5 percent growth for the period.

More than 120 work in Bost’s vocational-training program and the organization’s newest work division, Westark Diversified Enterprises, which offers long-term career employment to 35 workers with disabilities.

The Westark division operates as a business and has contracts with Whirlpool Corp., Baldor Electric Co., Defense Supply Center and the federal government. It makes sleep shirts for the Army, Fiberglass fire blankets for the Navy and sleeper cots for Air Force tanker planes. Westark recently added 20,000 SF to provide more capacity.