Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families

Oklahoma

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma CARES

For alIa chipita (small or young children), the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will develop a culturally competent system of care to deliver effective comprehensive community mental health services to 400 to 500 children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances (SED). The system will include the families of the children and will provide mental health and other related services, treatments, and supports to the families of the Choctaw Nation. Choctaw Nation CARES will focus on developing comprehensive and collaborative community mental health services for Native children with serious emotional disturbances. The following activities will be carried out over the next 6 years: a system of care for Native children with SED and their families will be developed based on the planning that has occurred over the past three years during the Circles of Care funded project; a broad array of mental health and other related services, treatments, and supports will be provided to the Native people living in the ten and one-half county area known as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; and the effectiveness of the system of care and its component services will be evaluated collaboratively with project staff, administrators, community members, and providers. Families will be involved in all phases of the development and the evaluation of the system and the services, and will be further empowered in the care of their own children. Throughout the process cultural competence, using the Choctaw culture will provide the foundation for the approaches that are developed to serve Native children and their families.

Oklahoma Systems of Care Initiative

The Oklahoma Systems of Care initiative will establish a comprehensive, integrated system of care through: expansion of formal services and non-formal support services; active involvement of families and youth throughout the project and at all levels in the administration of the system of care; and assurance that family members have a voice and choice in the treatment of their child. Oklahoma systems of care will be child-centered, family-driven, community-based, culturally competent and offered in the least restrictive environment. The project is to serve five counties in Oklahoma: Kay, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Canadian, and Beckham. It is expected there will be more than 300 children served by this project. The primary functions of the SOC state team will be to: manage, implement, and develop systems of care; identify and facilitate the removal of barriers; hold SOC accountable for meeting high standards of care, including standards for cultural competence and family involvement; ensure standards of practice that are evidence-based; monitor that cooperative agreement funds are expended appropriately within the community; and monitor the clinical and functional outcomes of children to ensure that services are making a positive contribution to the well-being of children and their families.

Susan Stromberg

Grantee Project Officer
1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 6-1050
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 240-276-1929
Fax: 240-276-1990
E-mail: susan.stromberg@samhsa.hhs.gov 

Jackie Shipp
Principal Investigator
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
P.O. Box 53277
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277
Phone: 405-522-4142
Fax: 405-522-3650
E-mail: jshipp@odmhsas.org 

Keith Pirtle
Program Director
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
P.O. Box 53277
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277
Phone: 405-522-4151
Fax: 405-522-3650
E-mail: kpirtle@odmhsas.org 

Carol Schneider
Family Advocate
P.O. Box 53277
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277
Phone: 405-522-4155
Fax: 405-522-3650
E-mail: cschneider@odmhsas.org 

Jacqueline Pereira 
Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator  
Oklahoma Systems of Care  
ODMHSAS P.O. Box 53277  
Oklahoma City, OK  73152-3277 
Phone:  405-522-4152 Fax:  405-522-8166 
E-mail: JPereira@odmhsas.org 

Brittany Couch 
Youth and Social Marketing Coordinator 
Oklahoma Systems of Care  
ODMHSAS P.O. Box 53277    
Oklahoma City, OK  73152-3277 
Phone: 405-522-0994  Fax:  405-522-8661  
E-mail:  BCouch@odmhsas.org   

David Asetoyer  
Cultural Competence Coordinator 
Family Advocate
P.O. Box 53277
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277
Phone: 405-522-4155
Fax: 405-522-3650
E-mail:DAsetoyer@odmhsas.org