Thirty-seven percent of Cohort 6 is approved for services
217 families in Cohort 6 are already receiving services and 116 families are approved. In total, 37% of Cohort 6 is approved or already receiving services.
OKLAHOMA CITY (July 17, 2024) — With the release of Cohort 6 data, Oklahoma Human Services confirms it remains on track to end the 13-year waitlist for Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS).
The Legislature’s initial historic investment divided more than 5,000 applications into seven cohorts to receive services based on when they joined the waitlist. Once contact is made with families, there is a six- to nine-month process to transition the individual off the waitlist and onto services.
As of June 30, 37% of Cohort 6 is already approved or receiving services. Cohort 6 includes 895 applicants who joined the waitlist between June 2019 and May 2021.
“I’m incredibly proud of our continued, steady progress,” said Dr. Deb Shropshire, director of Oklahoma Human Services. “Cohort 6 applications were submitted no more than five years ago, which is a lot more recent than the 13-year-old applications we began processing in March 2023. We’re on track to provide families with the support they so desperately need and deserve.”
To date, nearly 1,800 families from the waitlist — or 39% of applications from Cohorts 1-6 — are approved or receiving services.
DDS Division Director Beth Scrutchins adds further effort is being made to reconnect with anyone who originally joined the waitlist but isn’t receiving services.
“There are families who previously declined services, who we haven’t located or haven’t responded to our outreach,” Scrutchins said. “We are making a concerted effort to get in touch with these Oklahomans and ensure they have the resources they need.”
If you or your family applied for services before May 2, 2022, and have not been contacted, please email DDS.Waitlist@okdhs.org or call 405-500-1866. Families on the waitlist are also encouraged to update their contact information via email or phone above.
For additional information, please visit the DDS waitlist dashboard.
Media Contacts:
Ryan Stewart, Oklahoma Human Services, DDS Communications Administrator
405-549-9188
ryan.stewart@okdhs.org
