The Arnette House was started in 1981 when Gary Arnette, son of Vernon and Sara Arnette, died as a result of a drug overdose. His bereaved parents requested that monies donated in Gary's memory be given to the Marion County Mental Health Association. This organization formulated plans to use the donated funds as "seed" money for what was called "The Arnette House Project." In 1981, the first Board of Directors of Arnette House was organized and Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State. During that year the board sought funding from several sources, but was unsuccessful.

In 1982, a project director was hired and the Board of Directors located a house at 224 NE 8th Avenue and began working on remodeling the property for use as the first shelter. Its doors opened March 28th with four beds for clients. Due to a shortage of funds, HRS workers would arrive in the evenings and spend the night on a rotating basis as house parents.

After six month in the 8th Avenue residence, the lease on the property expired and the shelter was moved to a house on South Pine Avenue. A five-year renewable grant from the Florida Bureau of Criminal Justice was received and a "housemother" was hired to live at the shelter, which had been expanded to six beds.

The United Way started providing funding in 1983. A counselor and two part-time child care workers were hired to come in and relieve the resident housemother twice a week. The original project director resigned. There were hard times financially and on several occasions, the Board of Directors had to borrow funds from a local bank to meet the financial needs of the House. Meanwhile, a lease for a larger building on Sharpes Ferry Rd. had already been negotiated with the US Army and remodeling began. A Belleview contractor undertook the project and donated his time. Many merchants donated materials to complete the project. Later in 1983, talks began with HRS personnel concerning possible funding under their auspices.

In 1984, the discussions with HRS bore fruit and funding under an Emergency Shelter contract was received. A move was made in March 1984 to the Sharpes Ferry property and the facility was expanded to ten beds. It was during this time that a decision was made to have professional staff work shifts to provide 24-hour coverage.

Ground was broken in 1991 on 4.8 acres of land on NE 24th St, which had been donated by the City of Ocala. In 1993, the Marion County Builders Association took on Phase II of the Arnette House Project and ground breaking took place for the new Branan Family Counseling Center. The facility was named after Attie Branan, who donated a substantial monetary gift in the memory of her husband, Lee. In May of 2001, the Branan center addition was completed. Ferrentino and Sons provided the project management after Arnette House was awarded a CDBG grant by the City of Ocala. The Branan Center addition provided greatly needed family counseling office space and a large training room.

In 2004, an additional building, The Vernon Arnette Center was constructed. The project was made possible by a Community Development Block Grant, a donation by Sara Arnette from the Vernon Arnette trust, and other agency fundraising efforts. The Vernon Arnette Center is the home for two new programs, a Transitional Living Program and a Learning Center.

Arnette House is funded through the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Florida Department of Education, federal grants, the United Way of Marion County, and through the support of individuals and organizations in our community.