Agency details its incredible work as it stands in the gap for one in four Oklahomans

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 1, 2022) – Oklahoma Human Services has released the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Annual Report. The report details the agency’s incredible work that has helped propel one in four Oklahomans toward a brighter tomorrow.

“Though this year’s annual report marks the end of my season as Director of Oklahoma Human Services, my commitment to our agency’s mission and the life-changing services we provide will continue forever,” said Justin Brown, Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services. “Working alongside partner organizations and others in the community whose collaboration and shared hearts of service amplify positive impacts and keeping the voices of those we serve at the forefront of every conversation helps guide us to the single greatest opportunity of our lifetimes – addressing poverty and building systems of hope for our state and nation. This is the work of Oklahoma Human Services.”

With the incredible support and historic financial investment of Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma legislature in FY22, Oklahoma Human Services is executing a bold vision to clear the state’s 13-year wait list for Developmental Disabilities Services. This plan positively impacts the lives of thousands of families and poises Oklahoma to become a no wait state.

In FY22, the agency also distributed more than $157 million in federal COVID stimulus funds to support child care providers and families. From sustainability and stabilization payments to business training and professional development opportunities, Oklahoma Human Services has been able to help support Oklahoma’s child care programs as they provide essential, quality early childhood services to families in their community.

One program that significantly addresses poverty for Oklahoma families is the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formally known as food stamps). In FY22, more than 855,000 Oklahomans (more than 408,000 families) received help putting food on their tables with more than $2.2 billion in SNAP benefits issued.

Child Support Services (CSS) is a critical lifeline for Oklahoma families, providing much-needed financial support to custodial parents and connecting non-custodial parents (NCP) with resources to help them meet their support obligations. For one dad, the coaching and motivational support received from CSS has put him on a whole new path to hope and success.

Russell Hunkapiller came to CSS with little options available to meet his child support obligations. Unemployed, homeless and behind on his payments, he saw little hope for a brighter future.

Marilyn Durbin introduced him to CSS’ NCP Coaching Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to help NCPs evaluate their finances and set goals to ensure they can financially support their children. Durbin’s genuine care for Hunkapiller’s situation, personal goals and desires ultimately helped him reconsider the options available to him so he could work and save toward a career he found meaningful and enjoyable - barbering. Durbin also helped him work through a modification to his child support order so he could continue meeting his obligations with enough money left in his pockets to work toward his personal goals for a brighter future.  

Hunkapiller sent Durbin a heartfelt thank you text message for her impactful work. “I can’t express what you have done for me and how much it means to me that you helped me through a dark time in my life. Things are so much better, and I continue to apply your coaching techniques in my daily living. I am forever in your debt.”

To read more meaningful stories about Oklahoma Human Services’ work across many more programs that improve the wellbeing of communities across the state and to see how the agency is moving toward a brighter tomorrow, visit the Library at OKDHS.org to access the full FY22 annual report.

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