Commission for Human Services Honors OKDHS Employees During July Meeting

OKLAHOMA CITY--Several OKDHS employees were recognized for outstanding service to the agency and to the state of Oklahoma during the July 2010 Commission for Human Services meeting in Oklahoma City.

Human Services Commissioner Aneta Wilkinson presented the inaugural Spirit of Service Award to Donna Mason, who works in the Developmental Disabilities Services Division in the Tulsa 72G Human Services Center.

“She epitomizes the Spirit of Service Award and the service we want to recognize across the state,” Wilkinson said.

“I love to see clients succeed,” Mason said. She enjoys finding the right combination of encouragement and service to help them succeed.

Wilkinson and Commissioner Gerri Webb will visit Mason’s office to make the awards presentation.

OKDHS Director Howard Hendrick also recognized some OKDHS employees during his presentation.

Hendrick congratulated Karen Jacobs, coordinator, Office of Volunteerism, for her outstanding support of the Family Advocacy Program of the 72nd Medical Group Commander at Tinker Air Force Base. The award was presented by Sheryl Milton, family advocate treatment manager and Capt. Michelle Gramling, USAF.

Hendrick also thanked George L. Johnson, Jr., director of communications, for 30 years of service to the state and OKDHS. Johnson is retiring after having served under five gubernatorial administrations, eight Human Services directors and 44 Human Services commissioners.

Director Hendrick introduced Deborah L. Smith, the new director of the Division of Children and Family Services. Smith replaces Judge Gary Miller, who was recently appointed a district court judge in Canadian County. Smith has worked as the rural and urban child welfare supervisor, the Area III field liaison and helped develop the child welfare practice model and the enhanced practice model.

Hendrick released the latest numbers for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In June, 588,334 Oklahomans received SNAP benefits. Thirty percent of the state’s children, or 270,531, received SNAP during that same month. June also represents the 27th consecutive month of SNAP increases.

The Director also discussed preliminary SFY 2010 highlights, such as:

• Finalized adoptions achieved a new all-time record of 1,696. The previous year’s record was 1,537.• There were 7,975 children in out of home care, the lowest number of children in more than a decade.
• Child Support collections totaled $329 million, largely due to stimulus tax intercepts
• Children receiving an adoption subsidy will reach an all-time  high in excess of 12,000

Hendrick said budget challenges will need to be addressed again in the upcoming fiscal year. There will be $58.9 million in one-time funding that won’t be available in SFY 2011 and the FMAP stimulus funding will end as well. This will result in a need for $27.5 million more in 2012, plus any overruns in the ADvantage Waiver program. Challenges in maintaining technology infrastructure, addressing provider rates and managing employee retirement costs will continue.

Finance Director Phil Motley gave a report on the agency’s financial position. FY 2010 ended with expenditures slowing toward the end of the fiscal year. This helped to produce a modest gain in the current year fiscal position, he said. The reduction in spending is directly related to the maturing of personnel reduction strategies earlier in the fiscal year. The financial position for FY 2010 is almost $3.9 million positive, Motley said. The position for prior years is a little over $600,000 positive. The total position at June 30 for all years is almost $4.5 million. The Commission voted to approve the financial report.

A presentation from the Human Services Centers was provided by Larry Johnson, director, Field Operations Division, Terry Martin, McCurtain County director and Carmen Hutchins, Pottawatomie County director, on the Task-Based System in Family Support Services.

A plan was developed and implemented to help staff in both counties efficiently manage growing caseloads in Family Support with no additional staff. Both McCurtain and Pottawatomie counties are faced with high unemployment rates and SNAP usage rates that are higher than the state average. Staff is grouped into teams that allow them to focus on a specific area in order to provide better customer service and to help staff maintain and even increase efficiency. The teams hope to further refine and improve the plan and thereby increase staff morale.

The Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives gave a presentation on the work of several grassroots organizations to provide foster care support. Three community and grassroots providers spoke about their rewarding personal experiences as foster and adoptive parents.

Commission Chairman Richard DeVaughn set the next Commission meeting for Sept. 28, 2010. The Commission voted to go into executive session. Upon their return, they returned to regular session and voted to adjourn.

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