Oklahoma Human Services receives grant for domestic violence survivors to safely access child support resources
OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 31, 2022) -- Oklahoma Human Services is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1.26 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to implement critical domestic violence (DV) services to survivors who need assistance accessing child support. Oklahoma is one of 13 state and one tribal child support agencies to receive awards totaling $11.2 million. The award will be distributed over the next five years with the FY 2023 award amount for Oklahoma totaling $420,000. Grantees could receive up to an additional $210,000 each successive year for a total of another $2.73 million by the end of the five-year grant.
This grant was awarded as part of the Safe Access for Victims’ Economic Security (SAVES) demonstration model designed to develop, evaluate and implement best practices to provide safe access to child support as well as determining the safety of the schedule and conditions for when each parent is with their child(ren). Oklahoma Child Support Services (CSS) will use the SAVES grant funding to implement a number of DV strategies including safety policies, procedures, training and outreach activities to enhance the safety and self-sufficiency of victims.
“Oklahoma Human Services is grateful for the opportunity to continue our work to strengthen systems and remove barriers to independence for survivors of domestic violence and their families,” said Jogeina Tharp, CSS Programs Supervisor and Chair of the Oklahoma Human Services Domestic Violence Council, also called the Protection and Access Toward Hope-Centered Support (PATHS) Demonstration Council. “We are proud that Oklahoma PATHS will offer more lifesaving services to address the needs of the victims of violence and will build upon our critical partnerships with the legal community, indigenous community partners and providers, domestic violence partners and providers and the general public.”
More than 18,000 custodial parents in Oklahoma have a family violence indicator noted within their child support case. Regular child support payments increase the financial independence of custodial parents helping survivors stay away from their previous abusive relationship. One primary reason given by domestic violence survivors for staying with or returning to an abusive partner is financial dependence.
“The SAVES demonstration grants will provide a lifeline for domestic violence survivors that have previously been unable to receive critical monetary support when their families are seeking safety,” said ACF Assistant Secretary January Contreras. “It is important that all parents, especially domestic violence survivors, have pathways to provide for their children’s safety, health, economic security, and overall well-being. These demonstration grants will allow them to do just that by providing a mechanism for them to safely receive greatly needed child support to which they are entitled.”
For additional information about Child Support Services or how to initiate a case, visit https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs.html.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please seek help by contacting the Oklahoma Safeline at 1-800-522-SAFE (7233).
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Administration for Children and Families (ACF) works to promote the economic and social well-being of children, families, and communities. View the ACF news release about the SAVES grant including all awardees on the ACF News & Events page.
Funding for this project was approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant Number 90FD0254-01-00. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
