Steen named Deputy Director for Child Welfare Services in southern Oklahoma

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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Rick Steen has been named the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Deputy Director for Child Welfare Services in Region Two, which includes much of southern and central Oklahoma.

As deputy director, Steen will oversee child welfare in the following counties: Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman, Comanche, Caddo, Cotton, Grady, Stephens, Jefferson, Carter, Garvin, McClain, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Murray, Lincoln, Love, Johnston and Marshall.

"I look forward to this opportunity to help improve child welfare in Oklahoma," says Steen, "and to continue improving upon OKDHS excellence."

OKDHS continues to undergo organizational restructuring as part of the Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan and Steen is one of five newly-named deputy directors for child welfare services across the state.

The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan is the improvement plan for child welfare services. OKDHS settled a class action, civil rights lawsuit against its foster care system by agreeing to make improvements in targeted areas of the state's child welfare system. A portion of the plan called for the reorganization of child welfare field and program staff.

"Reorganization will enable us to better focus on child welfare services," says Steen, "so that we can better serve families and children in the state of Oklahoma."

Steen began his career at OKDHS in 1981 as a child welfare specialist. He graduated from Blair High School and earned a degree in Business Administration and Finance from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 

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