Morgan Hatcher remembers the moment she was inspired to join the mission of The Centers.
It was last year, sitting with her husband Layne at the nonprofit’s signature Evolve Gala, listening to stories of transformation that turned a night of philanthropy into a personal mission.
“It tugged at my heartstrings because it’s such an important cause,” she says. “I remember telling him I would really love to get involved with this organization because the impact they have is huge and the work they do is so important.”
The couple wasted no time joining that work and will serve as chairs of the 2026 gala this month, fueled by a newfound understanding of how deeply the organization’s endeavors affect the local community.
The Centers, a private nonprofit organization providing mental and behavioral health services in Little Rock and Monticello, is intently focused on the challenges confronting specific populations including at-risk youth, runaway youth, foster children and families, victims of human trafficking and adults experiencing mental and behavioral health issues.
Layne was familiar with The Centers through the long-term connection his father (owner of The Hatcher Agency and philanthropist Greg Hatcher) has had with the organization, but he admits he was unaware of just how many services and resources it offered until he upped his roles within the nonprofit.
“I quickly learned just how much of a need there is,” Layne says. “It’s a good feeling knowing there are people trying to fill that need locally.”
Their preparation for the gala has served as a masterclass in the organization’s specialized services — particularly its family-centered treatment (FCT) program and trauma-informed care approach — and the impact these resources have on building a mentally healthy community.
Foundation director Melissa Hendricks says FCT is an evidence-based and well-supported trauma treatment model of home-based family therapy.
“FCT practitioners partner with all members of the family to learn about what’s working and what families would like to change,” Hendricks says. “They work together to find each family’s strengths and help them use those strengths to reach their goals.”
“They are going into the homes of families and working on a full family approach to tough situations,” Layne says. “(Therapy) isn’t just for the individual needing help. It can help the whole family know how to react or make decisions when problems are occurring.”
Layne explains that interactions among family members can sometimes trigger issues, but FCT helps create strategies for improving how loved ones communicate and respond to each other.
The Centers’ trauma-informed care approach involves understanding, recognizing and responding to the effects of all types of traumas. This method emphasizes “physical, psychological and emotional safety for individuals and helps them rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.”
“(Trauma-informed care) recognizes that a lot of people’s behaviors and struggles often come from experiences they didn’t choose,” Morgan says. “So, the goal is to meet people where they are with a lot of compassion.”
“It’s not just about getting rid of the problem,” Layne says. “It’s about learning to live with the problem and learning to navigate life with the experiences you’ve had. It’s treating the person alongside their trauma.”
The Centers provides therapeutic communities and residential treatment centers to help clients recover from trauma, creating a refuge where they can heal away from their usual stressful surroundings.
“From the physical security aspect, The Centers offers (human trafficking) victims the opportunity to live at their facilities and they provide security,” Layne says. “It’s an in-person, real life approach to providing a safe place for these people.”
Hendricks says they offer safe housing for up to 40 trafficked girls and help them recover and prepare for the future through counseling, crisis services and specialized treatment.
Residential treatment programs provide children and adolescents with on-site educational, medical and psychiatric services, offering distance from their usual environment for more focused healing. A multidisciplinary team collaborates with both the child and family throughout recovery.
While The Centers offers a supportive environment for those in need, it also actively engages with the broader community to establish valuable partnerships. This includes campus visits, a mobile health unit that assists underserved neighborhoods, partnering with local and state agencies and even in some cases the FBI.
Every case is studied individually and given a unique plan of action.
“They take it case by case and don’t just group people together because everyone’s experience is so unique,” Morgan says. “No two people have the same experience, and I think that helps a lot in people feeling seen and truly heard.”
Layne praises The Centers for keeping current with new and emerging issues facing today’s youth.
“They are always adapting and evolving to the always-changing landscape because the problems today are sometimes different because of technology (and other factors), and kids are facing different challenges than they were 20 years ago,” Layne says. “They are always looking for ways to improve a program or add a program. They’re just always working to get better (at what they do).”
Although new problems frequently arise, the Hatchers highlight one encouraging trend: Society is becoming more open and accepting when discussing mental health issues, which is aiding the success of mental health organizations.
“I think people are just more open to talk about it now,” Morgan says. “I think the stigma around it has diminished and people are a lot more comfortable asking for help, which I think is a good thing, and we need to keep the ball rolling with that.”
Morgan says the gala theme, Hope Blooms, perfectly captures that goal and the organization’s mission of “allowing children to hope for a better tomorrow and bloom into their full potential.”
Fittingly bedecked in bright florals, the evening will celebrate Barry Simon as the 2026 Hero of Hope and acknowledge this year’s Champions of Hope, a group of 43 junior and senior young men who have completed The Centers’ program in service, leadership and philanthropy.
Layne was part of the first Champions of Hope class and has watched the program continually reach new heights.
“The classes keep growing and growing, and those young men have done great work for the community and The Centers,” he says. “Barry Simon has been a family friend who’s been involved with the organization for decades now, is extremely deserving and has a huge heart for everything they do.”
Like many other nonprofits, The Centers must navigate difficulties in obtaining funding and adapting to evolving state and federal regulations that impact its operations. Hendricks encourages ongoing community involvement through financial or in-kind donations, advocacy for mental health care and support of the organization’s mission.
“There’s an event at least every month where people can help at The Centers, work with children and put some hope into their life,” Layne says. “Letting them know they can get through this, especially around the holiday times, makes a large impact. There’s always an opportunity to get involved financially or with your time.”
Over time, this work is how The Centers takes the rocky soil of trauma and waters it with compassion and support, reaping new pathways to promise.
Morgan finds inspiration in the deep dedication of the staff and the support of the community, “to see how much they pour themselves into people during the worst times of their life.”
Layne agrees.
“I don’t know if you’re ever going to solve all the problems,” he says, “but being able to give someone the help they need when they need it goes a long way in helping them live the life they want.”
By the Numbers
12 the average age of a trafficked minor
74% of minor trafficking cases are familial trafficking
40-60% of trafficking survivors report being re-exploited after escaping or being recovered
71% of trafficking victims are women or minor girls
2-4 average times survivors are trafficked over their lifetimes
88% of survivors had contact with a school professional while being trafficked
1.8 average time in years spent being trafficked (can range from days to 10+ years)
27 million+ estimated people worldwide trafficked in 2022
The evolve gala, benefiting the centers
April 18, 6 p.m. | Statehouse Convention Center
Info: trellis.org/evolve2026
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JASON MASTERS
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