OKDHS child welfare services grant project wins Governor's Commendation for Excellence

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) has been awarded the coveted Governor’s Commendation of Excellence for its Bridge to the Future project. The project was recognized for innovation, effectiveness and efficiency in foster and adoption recruitment and retention.

The Bridge to the Future project is a federally funded recruitment and retention demonstration grant that was awarded to OKDHS in September 2008 by the Children’s Bureau in Washington, D.C. It focused on four key areas within child welfare services: recruitment, retention, process improvement and customer service.

“This is the second year in a row that Children’s Bureau funded grant projects awarded to OKDHS have been so honored by the Governor of Oklahoma,” says Karen Poteet, OKDHS Project Manager for the grant project. “In 2012, the Kinship Bridge Family Connection grant project was also awarded the Governor’s Commendation of Excellence. We are grateful for the recognition and for the support of the Children’s Bureau in the administration of these projects.”

The project seeks innovation in customer service interventions to aid in the recruitment of Bridge Resource families for the foster care and adoption of children in OKDHS custody. The project provides enhanced support for current foster families through training and timely information about efficient processes and improved resources. The project continues to confirm that current foster families are the best resource in the recruitment and retention of new foster and adoptive families in Oklahoma.

The project was a partnership between OKDHS Child Welfare Services, OKDHS Office of Planning, Research and Statistics, and the University of Oklahoma Center for Public Management (OUCPM).

“We are so proud to be a partner with OKDHS on this project,” says Vincent Deberry, OUCPM Executive Director. “Some amazing things are happening at the Bridge Resource Support Center, which has been funded by this federal grant. So many lives have been touched through these efforts and we have had the opportunity to work with some incredible people.”

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