NPM 12: Percent of adolescents with and without special health care needs, ages 12 through 17, who received services to prepare for the transition to adult health care.

 

Objective 1: Maintain the Healthcare Transition Toolkit by continuing to update specific resources for families and providers by 2025.

 

Data:

The Health Care Transition (HCT) Toolkit remained on the Sooner SUCCESS website.

In FFY22, 11 transition resources were shared via social media platforms and the Sooner SUCCESS website. Data indicated that the HCT webpage was accessed 718 times.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS staff maintained the existing HCT on the Sooner SUCCESS website over the reporting period. Content was added and updated based on newly identified resources and feedback received from providers and family members.

 

Sooner SUCCESS worked on the HCT Provider Directory to enable providers statewide to “opt-in” to having their contact information listed on the Sooner SUCCESS website.

 

The Oklahoma Infant Transition Program (OITP) expanded the Parent Resource List that was provided to parents as they discharged from the NICU. In addition, OITP administered a Facebook page for NICU parents at The Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma. As Administrators, OITP monitored the Facebook group for questions and requests for resources. OITP supplied information, as needed. The Facebook platform allowed parents to exchange information regarding helpful and non-helpful resources.

 

OU Child Study Center (CSC) provided healthcare transition readiness discussions and resources to 26 families over the last fiscal year. Each adolescent and caregiver completed the Got Transition Healthcare Transition Readiness Survey to assist with the discussion. This became much more successful after CSC team members worked with the Sooner SUCCESS HCT Coordinator, who helped improve survey administration and data collection, as well as, resource connections.

 

The Oklahoma Family Network (OFN) posted transition resources to the eight OFN Facebook pages, prepared health care transition articles for the four OFN newsletters, and co-hosted a DD/IDD/Mental Health Transition Conference for young adults in southeast Oklahoma. OFN also provided Healthcare Transition Training, a Telling your Story Training, and Community Resources Training for young adults and their parents during a Summer Transition Camp in southeast Oklahoma.

 

OFN staff participated in the Sooner SUCCESS Transition Meetings by providing input on resources and experiences related to transition to adult health care. OFN staff shared transition resources received through national partners and other Family to Family Organizations with Sooner SUCCESS staff, families, and other professionals.

 

Oklahoma Family Support 360° Center (OKFS360°) staff attended the quarterly Sooner SUCCESS Healthcare Transition committee meeting and brought expertise and family voice of the Latinx/Spanish speaking community and served as liaison between the families and the team.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic continued the Sickle Cell Disease Transition Program. A transition coordinator, social worker and psychologist collectively met with the patient/families semi-annually. A Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) specific toolkit was given to all patients upon entering the transition program and again at age 18. Sickle Cell Clinic continued sickle cell disease educational activities at the Stephenson Cancer Center, where most of the patients receive adult health care.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that a hematology fellow worked on establishing a sickle cell program for adults. The fellow attended weekly SCD clinics to receive additional training in SCD and the transition program. Dr. Sinha served as this fellow’s mentor and an application was submitted by the fellow to the American Society of Hematology, to participate in the May 2023 SCD workshop. This workshop trained health care professionals to establish a clinical center focused on the needs of adults living with sickle cell disease.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that the establishment of a dedicated adult sickle cell program in the state of Oklahoma was announced for summer of 2023, the first such program in the state.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic participated in the Sooner SUCCESS Healthcare Transition provider

educational series.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that they were onboarded to participate in the national sickle cell longitudinal registry called GRNDaD. Site Principal Investigator (PI) is Dr. Sinha.

 

Challenges:

OITP attempted to keep the Parent Resource List current with contact people and phone numbers. However, time was a barrier as staff changed at a moment’s notice frequently and it was time-consuming to maintain a current resource list.

 

CSC reported limited HCT survey administration to patients 16 and up, as it was time-intensive to complete the questionnaires, have HCT specific discussions, in addition to several other questionnaires, and sometimes-urgent discussions were needed at a clinic visit. Some providers at CSC have regular procedures in place but it has been difficult to implement clinic-wide.

 

OFN reported that caregivers and youth often ignored health care transition until they were required to change to an adult provider. At that point, it was often very difficult to find a provider accepting new patients and the young adult often did not have a chance to prepare themselves for a new provider. Many adult mental health providers were not open to taking youth ages 18-26 due to poor follow through, so there remained an extreme provider shortage for those ages.

 

OKFS360° reported that there continued to be a limited family voice from minority communities in the quarterly Healthcare Transition meetings.

 

Objective 2: Increase the number of families who are aware of the need for transition services from 37% in 2019-2020 to 40% in 2025.

 

Data:

Sooner SUCCESS County Coordinators surveyed families of transition age CYSHCN in order to assess their level of awareness around timely preparation for transition of health care for their children. For FFY22, Sooner SUCCESS surveyed 141 families of which 27 of those families reported having (or are currently working on) a plan for transition.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS worked diligently to improve access to family-centered programs via family support navigators that offered information, advocacy, and assistance in navigating complex systems. During this reporting period, Sooner SUCCESS worked with a wide range of families, including marginalized populations such as non-English speaking families, at-risk youth, parents with disabilities, low-income families, grandparents raising grandchildren, and those struggling to transition children from pediatric to adult healthcare services.

 

For non-English speaking families, Sooner SUCCESS:

• Assisted a Social Worker from Children’s Heart Hospital in finding a Micronesian Translator.
• Hired a Bilingual Family Support Coordinator to assist Spanish speaking families statewide.
• Planned and hosted the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma’s Hispanic P2P (parent-to-parent) meetings monthly.
• Hosted two On the Road Conferences – one in Spanish and another that was bilingual.
• Launched the Supporting Minorities with Disabilities Coalition in Oklahoma County.

 

For at-risk youth, Sooner SUCCESS:

• Worked across multiple counties to provide basic necessities as well as promote opportunities for growth.
• Provided food, clothing and household goods to support the independent living of at-risk youth attending Lincoln Academy, in collaboration with community partners, in Garfield County.
• Served as the Career Development Coordinator for the Watonga Foundation in Blaine County and helped bring the Remote Work Education curriculum to the Alternative Education Program.
• Participated regularly on the Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Response Team (MCART) in Kingfisher County and provided a fidget kit for the District Attorney’s office to help reduce stress for juveniles with ADHD, autism, and anxiety disorders that visited the office.
• Implemented a new reading program for struggling readers through the Logan County Tutoring Program.

 

For adults with disabilities, Sooner SUCCESS:

• Worked to create a more inclusive and supportive system through raising awareness and providing practical professional development opportunities.
• Provided a 1-hour professional training on “Supporting Parents with Disabilities in Healthcare Settings” for the OUHSC Psychiatry Department.
• Provided a 90-minute training for Children First Oklahoma County staff on supporting parents with disabilities.
• Partnered with The Association for Successful Parenting (TASP) to provide training on “Working Effectively with Parents who have I/DD” for Child Welfare staff, CASA volunteers, and legal aid offices.
• Provided a 90-minute training for the JD McCarty Care Team on ways to support and communicate more effectively with parents who have a disability.
• Provided DHS nursing staff with strategies and resources to address areas of concern when working with parents with disabilities.
• Provided technical assistance and case consultation to healthcare and child welfare professionals on 16 individual cases involving parents with disabilities.

 

For families with limited incomes that were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and steadily rising prices for rent and food, Sooner SUCCESS:

• Worked with community partners such as Tyson Foods, United Way, local laundromats and area holiday programs to ensure regular infusions of supplies to these families.
• Hosted a Sooner SUCCESS booth at the Sunbeam Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Back to School and annual Holiday Event, with over 100 grandparents in Oklahoma County served at each event.
• Hosted multiple Loads of Love events providing free laundry and antibacterial hand soap as well as community resource information.
• Distributed food boxes and holiday gifts for larger holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas and additional food boxes every 4-6 weeks as donations were made available through Tyson Foods.
• Held a Community Baby Shower in Stephens and Jefferson counties and hosted CPR and Safe Sleep classes for new parents and provided resources and items for babies/children, reaching 118 individuals.
• Continued to provide rides to medical appointments and dental appointments (and other services when no other means of transportation was available) in Cleveland County through the innovative Uber Program.
• Provided a Sooner SUCCESS Presentation to Edmond American Business Clubs in Logan County, which led to a $250 donation of gas gift cards for families needing assistance with transportation costs.
• With Creek County identified as a ‘Food Desert’, the Creek County Community Partnership addressed the lack of transportation using the Aging and Disability Resource Consortium COVID-19 Pandemic Response Grant. The grant provided gas cards, Cimarron Transit Punch Cards and Taylor-Made Delivery Vouchers to select towns in the county.

 

In July 2022, Sooner SUCCESS implemented the Supplemental Nutrition Program. Significant staff time and efforts were dedicated to sharing information about this Title V resource and assisting families with applying for and accessing nutritional supplements. During three months of the reporting period, Sooner SUCCESS was able to process 73 applications and provide supplemental formula for 41 eligible families. Fifteen families were referred to an alternate, more appropriate payee source. The remaining 17 families were to obtain additional documentation to determine eligibility for the supplemental formula.

 

Sooner SUCCESS worked diligently to help families make the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services for their loved ones. During this reporting period, Sooner SUCCESS presented HCT information to families at multiple ‘On the Road’ events and to grandparents raising grandchildren at an event held at Cargo Ranch in Pottawatomie County. Sooner SUCCESS also hosted virtual quarterly meetings with stakeholders concerned about this topic, averaging 20 providers statewide in attendance.

 

OITP was able to reach many of the NICU families at the program’s weekly parent lunch and crafting afternoon. The NICU parent lunch attendance significantly increased, by 125%, since the last fiscal year. Guest speakers were invited each week from other Title V partner programs or area resources. Guest speakers brought printed information to the group and provided a short synopsis of their mission and goals. OITP worked to provide helpful resources suggested by parents. Parents were able to meet in person and created lasting friendships, even after discharge. OITP shared that two specific mothers scheduled their outpatient appointments on parent lunch day so they could share their child’s experiences in a medical home. These shared experiences allowed friendships to grow even further.

 

Sooner SUCCESS continued quarterly HCT meetings with Title V partners and others to improve HCT efforts.

 

OFN staff attended Sooner SUCCESS HCT Meetings and promoted healthcare transition awareness via social media, newsletter, website, and one-on-one family support.

 

OKFS360° continued to bring opportunities of learning about health care transition to families served by OKFS360. During this period, OKFS360° staff continued to build outreach to the African American/Black community by attending different community events and provided information through formal and informal gatherings. The Family Support Coordinator for the African American/Black community provided information about services, support and transition services. At the same time, two OKFS360° Family Support Coordinators continued to provide family support, individualized information and care coordination to Hispanic families with children 12 to adulthood. All the families enrolled at OKFS360 with children of transitional age received a one-page bilingual document, also accessible to families and professionals on the OKFS360 website. The document covered specific state and federal information for families helping their children transition from pediatric to adulthood medical services.

 

OKFS360° started a new tablet loan program during this reporting period to help minority populations gain access to information and training opportunities, as well as applying or renewing benefits for programs like Medicaid, SSI, etc.

 

Challenges:

To address attendance issues during quarterly meetings, Sooner SUCCESS alternated virtual meetings from mornings to afternoons.

 

During the fiscal year, approximately 45 weekly parent lunches were held by OITP. OITP reported a need for a larger venue as accommodations were limited to 25 parents.  

 

OFN found that parents continued to feel the challenges of COVID, therefore, attendance at well-child or regular appointments to learn about healthcare transition was not a high priority.

 

OKFS360° reported limited technology and computer/distance learning software were challenges for families to receive learning opportunities.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported a lack of true Adult Sickle Cell Disease programs transitioning adolescents to adults during the FFY.

 

Objective 3: Increase number of families of CYSHCN who report receiving transition services from 21.8% in 2017-2018 to 24.4% in 2025.

 

Data:

The combined 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 28.9% of 12- to 17-year-old Oklahoma adolescents with special health care needs, received the services necessary for transitioning to adult health care. This rate is higher than the national average of 20.5%.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS hosted HCT committee meetings each quarter for collaborators, community partners, and families to hear about Sooner SUCCESS’s work on HCT transition. Partners shared their own experiences and identified service gaps in the community. New resources mentioned and/or discussed, and that met identified community needs, were added to toolkits.

 

Sooner SUCCESS County Coordinators navigated services for Oklahoma families to assist with HCT. County Coordinators reached out specifically to families with transition age children to consider healthcare transition and developing an effective transition plan. HCT information was shared at numerous events during this reporting period. The Sooner SUCCESS HCT Coordinator was an active member of the Oklahoma Transition Institute and the Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education Transitions Workgroup.

 

A Sooner SUCCESS Regional Coordinator participated in the Oklahoma State Advisory Committee for The Independent Future that Works Project whose primary purpose was to build the competence and confidence of young adults with disabilities. The project also provided access to independent living and employment services so they could more successfully transition from a youth entitlement system to an adult eligibility system.

 

OITP increased the number of families receiving services from 29% to 34% over the last fiscal year. OITP also increased the number of patients seen in two follow-up clinics. Both clinics were developed for families discharged from the NICU to a medical home. A nurse navigator at each clinic ensured and facilitated patients with the appropriate follow-up appointments. If noted in advance, a translator was available in clinic and assisted parents from check in to making their next appointment.

 

CSC providers referred families to Sooner SUCCESS for assistance with Healthcare Transition. CSC Family Partners also provided resources and connections to community providers for 26 families during the reporting period.

 

OFN provided specific articles/resources tied to Healthcare Transition in OFN’s quarterly newsletter. OFN hosted podcasts highlighting healthcare transition and community-based services. OFN only employs families of children/adults with special needs and disabilities. As OFN served families, it was with understanding and without judgment. OFN staff have diverse life experiences and speak English, Spanish, and one tribal language to meet the unique needs of families in our state.

 

OKFS360° supported families who were applying for transitional services, including but not limited to, Developmental Disabilities Services, SSI, RSDI and State Supplemental Payment to the Disabled (SSPD). Of the total enrolled families at the OKFS360° this reporting period, 25% each were Hispanic and Black with transition age children.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic provided guidance and assistance for various activities essential for a successful transition, including but not limited to, help with education, job, housing, etc. Sickle Cell Clinic assisted approximately 20 families with utility assistance. Twenty-five FMLA forms were completed for families and approximately 200 Section 504 forms were completed for elementary, middle, and high school age patients. Two families were provided with assistance to Make-A-Wish and three families were provided referral assistance in applying for OKDHS heating assistance.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic had mental health services/psychologists available during inpatient hospitalizations. The same psychology team and counselors were available to outpatient and inpatient patients which helped with continuity of care. During this reporting period, more than five patients worked monthly with counselors/therapists.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic hosted a comprehensive diversity-conscious hair resource for youth, sponsored by Oklahoma Children’s Hospital (OCH) Family Resource Center in partnership with The Hair Initiative.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that many of their patients had graduated high school and went on to college. Sickle Cell Clinic shared the following family impact story:

One patient with severe sickle cell anemia and multiple complications was the first generation in their family to attend college. SoonerRide helped with transportation so the patient was able to schedule clinic visits around her class and school breaks. The patient was very thankful for the clinic and the support that was offered to them.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center (CHC) reported 14 total referrals with 6 successful contacts and 8 unsuccessful contacts. Lists were provided with community-based resources and services. Two of the six successful contacts did not want to proceed with resources or services at that time. Four received the following resources/services:  Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), OFN, Sooner SUCCESS, Parent Promise Home Visiting, and Child Guidance screening.

 

Parent Promise CHC made 55 referrals to the Adult and Family Services embedded worker team to apply, reapply or seek information for SNAP, Child Care, SoonerCare, or TANF. One hundred eighty-five books were provided to CYSHCN home-visit participants or participants who completed a developmental, behavioral, or autism screening.

 

The Center for Children and Families, Inc.’s (CCFI) CHC provided transition-age youth with a warm handoff to adult therapists for counseling services. CCFI provided a resource list with potential therapists and if requested, assisted in finding a therapist best meeting the needs of the child.

 

Challenges:

Sooner SUCCESS reported that Healthcare Transition continued to be a topic that was not frequently considered by families until the actual transition point approached, or had passed. Most providers did not raise the issue as a long-term planning point with families.

 

OITP reported having only one nurse navigator made it difficult to help all parents needing more intensive assistance. For instance, one mother needed assistance with parking and navigating clinic offices. Other OITP staff members stepped in to assist parents in making their appointments and with translation services.

 

CSC Family Partner was not significantly involved with Healthcare Transition due to less than one year on the job and needing training on multiple aspects.

 

OFN did not have the funding needed to fill all roles, particularly in the central region of Oklahoma which had the highest number of families of children/youth with special health care needs.

 

OKFS360° reported a continuing challenge of a shortage of bilingual personnel in some state agencies. Several alumni families from the Latinx community contacted OKFS360° about their child being removed from the OKDHS Developmental Disability Services (DDS) Wait List after having been on the list for many years. OKFS360° assisted in placing their child (some who were now adults) back on and in some instances, at the top of the DDS Wait List. Parents/caregivers who speak/read Spanish received DDS letters in English, which attributed to the removal when contact was not made by the family. This situation left the families vulnerable due to the lack of much-needed health medical transitional services through the Waiver.

 

OKFS360° reported a lack of knowledge regarding adult medical providers where a child could be referred when transitioning out of pediatric care. Families would often contact the Center asking for an adult medical provider because their medical provider was not clear on where to send their child.

 

OKFS360° reported that enrollments continued to be a challenge, since it is a choice for families with CYSHCN, and there is no control over the age of the child.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that COVID continued to limit in-person meeting opportunities and were unable to hold Annual Sickle Cell Day in 2022 due to COVID restrictions still in place. Transportation issues for families were also a barrier.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center reported challenges in tracking outcomes of referrals.

 

Objective 4: Continue to expand the ongoing initiative between Sooner SUCCESS and selected clinics at OUHSC, as well as other urban and rural clinics across the state, to establish a formal health care transition policy by 2025.

 

Data:

In FFY22, Sooner SUCCESS maintained its partnership with the CSC, Sooner Pediatric Clinic and the Sickle Cell Clinic with the ongoing implementation of HCT policy. The CSC and Sickle Cell Clinic provided iPads for families/patients to utilize when completing their HCT readiness assessments. Due to staff changes within the Sooner Pediatric Clinic, iPads were not utilized for readiness assessments but the Clinic did actively work on finalizing HCT policy and procedures.

 

HCT policy examples were shared with the U.S. Public Health Service Lawton (USPHS) Indian Hospital in Lawton, OK. The Sooner SUCCESS HCT Coordinator, through the HCT Provider Training Series, was able to furnish 29 providers with HCT specific resources.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS continued its HCT initiative with the selected clinics at OUHSC. Other clinics and health care providers reached out to Sooner SUCCESS for resources on creating HCT policies after attending the HCT Provider Training series.  

 

Sooner SUCCESS increased involvement with the CSC in order to improve direct assistance to families around Healthcare Transition HCT. The Sooner SUCCESS HCT Coordinator improved access to the Got Transition HCT Readiness surveys through posters and QR codes. CSC providers were able to directly refer their families to the HCT Coordinator at Sooner SUCCESS for support.

 

OFN disseminated information to families and providers across the state regarding Healthcare Transition and partnered with other organizations to do so.

 

OFN staff were also involved in LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) as family mentors and provided Charting the LifeCourse Training and Training around Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness in Tribal Communities. OFN was involved in training using the LifeCourse Tools to assist families who were preparing to transition from the DDS Wait List.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic continued to provide support for any sickle cell disease related concerns to providers on the adult side, other sub-specialties and primary care physicians. The Clinic collaborated closely with the clinic in Tulsa for any patient related concerns. Educational materials were created that became part of the national sickle cell disease compendium by the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ).

 

Sickle Cell Clinic created new forms and templates, in anticipation of a new Electronic Health Record, which will streamline documentation regarding transition related activities.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center partnered with Bethany Children’s Center to provide concrete supports. Concrete supports included items for the Center’s Job/Skills Development and Adaptive Technology. Approximately 20 individual patients used the items provided for vocational and life skill purposes.

 

Challenges:

Sooner SUCCESS reported that many clinics and providers saw a high rate of change in staff, which made it difficult to set meetings to provide resources and discuss health care transition.

 

CSC reported that not all CSC providers were aware of the Sooner SUCCESS Healthcare Transition Coordinator’s role and capacity to support families.

 

OFN did not have the capacity, staff, or funding to fulfill all requests from community partners.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic continued to wait until a transition to a new Electronic Health Record system at an institutional level. This delayed the incorporation of standardized forms and templates, educational materials, order sets and algorithms used in practice.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center reported that concrete supports being accessed and utilized offsite were a challenge.

 

Objective 5: Complete a minimum of two provider trainings on Healthcare Transition by 2023.

 

Data:

In FFY22, Sooner SUCCESS held two HCT Provider Training series in a virtual format

with a total of 41 providers in attendance. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits were approved for the training series.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS held two HCT Provider Trainings during this reporting period. CME credits were approved for the training to all providers that attended.

 

Sooner SUCCESS and providers from the CSC, and other Pediatric clinics, established and facilitated a CME series on Healthcare Transition that was successfully conducted twice in 2022.

 

OFN provided assistance with the planning and implementation of the Oklahoma Transition Institute and provided training in English and Spanish at the conference.

 

OFN partnered with the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities/Center for Learning and Leadership (UCEDD/CLL) to provide training, to OU College of Allied Health Students through the Self-Advocates/Family Advocates as Medical Educators (SAME/FAME), in an interdisciplinary class teaching healthcare students basic information about I/DD patients, family caregivers, and the systems shaping the patients’ lifespan experiences. The course was intended to strengthen students’ skills in working collaboratively with I/DD patients and family caregivers as part of the healthcare team. The course also provided students the opportunity to consider societal attitudes towards diverse people with I/DD, their families and the impact of their attitudes on healthcare.

 

OFN provided a practicum experience for the OU College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics with family leaders from Center for Learning and Leadership (CLL) and the Family Support 360’ Center to present parents’ perspectives when receiving diagnoses of developmental disabilities of their children. First, second and third-year medical residents learn from family members how to interact with patients and families, especially when delivering a diagnosis.

 

OFN staff were involved in provider training at Integris Baptist Medical Center with new NICU Nurses discussing family-centered care and family transition from NICU to home. OFN staff hosted MCH staff during their orientation to share about OFN, how family and youth voice may benefit their role at MCH, and how OFN and MCH have partnered to ensure the voice of the recipient on their care.

 

OKFS360° provided two videos from the Latinx family perspective this reporting period, both selected to be part of the Healthcare Transition training to medical providers hosted by Sooner SUCCESS. The videos were created to bring awareness to the medical field about the diversity of Oklahoma and the growing rate of Latinx/Hispanic families, including families of young Latinx individuals of transitional age.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic completed numerous provider training activities throughout the institution including medical students, residents, fellows, NP and PA students, nursing students, nursing staff, emergency room, pharmacists and providers.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic participated in the Sooner SUCCESS Healthcare Transition provider educational series.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that Dr. Carrick Carter, psychologist, presented at a regional sickle cell TeleECHO meeting, hosted by Washington University at St. Louis, on a transition related topic of “Addressing Disparities in Healthcare That Influence Health-Related Quality of Life Among Youth with Sickle Cell Disease.”

 

Challenges:

Sooner SUCCESS was challenged by competing events, needs and holiday schedules when planning the HCT Provider Training series dates. Adjustments were made several times to the dates to ensure the most optional time to reach as many providers as possible.

 

OFN reported that the Oklahoma Transition Institute (OTI), OU Resident Training, and SAME/FAME were all provided virtually which limited the interaction and relationship building among participants.

 

OKFS360° reported challenges in creating the videos for the medical providers. There were time constraints with their grant as well as one-on-one support challenges. It was difficult to gather the information needed to create the videos and to enlist participation of the families.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported challenges in creating a standardized program and being able to offer CMEs.

 

Health Equity Objective 1: Develop a plan to increase healthcare transition awareness among the CYSHCN population, to include addressing health disparities for CYSHCN, by 2025.

 

Data:

OKFS360° provided two videos, from the Latinx family perspective, that were selected to be part of the HCT Provider training hosted by Sooner SUCCESS.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS continued to host HCT committee meetings each quarter where collaborators, community partners, and families, had an opportunity to hear about Sooner SUCCESS’s work around HCT transition. Partners shared their own experiences and identified service gaps in the community. New resources that were mentioned and/or discussed that met community needs were added to toolkits. HCT transition information was shared at numerous events including, but not limited to, On the Road events, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren events, and community coalitions. The Sooner SUCCESS HCT Coordinator was an active member of the Oklahoma Transition Institute and the Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education Transitions Workgroup. In those workgroups, Sooner SUCCESS actively worked together with other community and state agencies discussing ways the group could create new state specific resources for health care transition that would be family and provider specific.

 

OFN and Evolution Foundation (EF) implemented a Child Abuse America Grant in February 2022, which allowed for minority family voices at coalitions in LeFlore County and other eastern Oklahoma counties. Family Advisory Groups were developed. Needs were identified among African American, Tribal, and Hispanic families. The needs identified in LeFlore County were accepted as priorities for the larger coalition, which resulted in the near completion of a new Resource Guide for three counties and identified local evaluators for children in LeFlore County.

 

The newly formed OFN/EF Minority Advisory provided insight into the needs of Oklahoma families across the state. OFN and EF also supported the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) in developing a Family Advisory Group. They provided valuable input into policy and strategies used at OJA.

 

OKFS360° created learning opportunities about transition and adulthood. OKFS360° created Platicas Comunitarias, a community conversation, which was available during the school year and welcome to family participation. OKFS360° reported that professionals also attended the conversations held in Spanish and English.

 

An OKFS360° staff member presented Charting the Life Course, during the Oklahoma Transition Institute, for Spanish-speaking families who have children of transitional age.

The newest OKFS360° staff member participated in a coalition called Supporting Minorities with Disabilities, where she brought the voice of the African American/Black community as both a parent and a professional.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic met with Oklahoma Health Care Authority to discuss the state of sickle cell care in Oklahoma. Sickle Cell Clinic started work on the creation of a state action plan for sickle cell disease to be finalized by August 2023.

 

Dr. Sinha at Sickle Cell Clinic was a member of the institutional clinical care committee

for Justice, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

 

Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) Community of Hope Center completed a Community Needs Assessment. CCFI partnered with agencies to provide a warm handoff and collaborated between services as needed for CYSHCN.

 

CCFI reported that they were able to refer to programs inside of CCFI, such as Counseling, Boys and Girls Club, Bringing Up Babies, and Parenting Programs, which created an in-house referral network addressing mental health disparities for CYSHCN.

 

Challenges:

Sooner SUCCESS reported that very few agencies share or collect data in regards to health care transition.

 

OFN reported that it was more difficult to gain trust on the east side of Oklahoma County, so worked progressed slower than in LeFlore County.

 

OKFS360° reported that the communities that OKFS360 served, Latinx and African American/Black communities, were culturally and linguistically disproportionally underserved. These families were often unaware of the services and tools that support children and youth of transitional age.

 

NPM 11:  Percent of children with and without special health care needs, ages 0 through 17, who have a medical home.

 

Health Care Access Objective 1: Increase the percent of children with special health care needs, ages 0 through 17, who have a medical home from 39.7% in 2018 to 42.5% in 2025.

 

Data:

The Annual Joining Forces Conference hosted by OFN provided parent-professional partnership training and breakout sessions to 302 participants, including 21 Spanish-speaking families. The conference was provided in-person and virtually by using Whova (an online platform), which allowed for numerous interactions and connections among participants.

 

Successes:

Over the last reporting period, Sooner SUCCESS consistently worked to make sure CYSHCN families were aware of and had access to the community services they needed across multiple disciplines.

 

Sooner SUCCESS, in partnership with education providers, raised awareness about autism in Blaine County. Sooner SUCCESS facilitated mental health first aid training for school staff in Garfield County and facilitated CPR and epilepsy training in Waukomis.

 

Sooner SUCCESS provided professional development training around developmental disabilities evaluation and diagnosis. Sooner SUCCESS provided Neuroscience Epigenetics Adverse Childhood Experiences Resilience (NEAR) science training in Logan County and shared information on accessing community resources at Back to School Bashes in Oklahoma County. Sooner SUCCESS also provided IEP support for parents in both English and Spanish across the state.

 

Sooner SUCCESS shared the following family impact story:

Sooner SUCCESS staff were contacted by a single father whose child attended a public school and had an ADHD diagnosis with some behavioral problems. He reached out to school several times to request a meeting with the Special Education Department with no response. He was frustrated and felt as though he was alone in the process. Sooner SUCCESS contacted the Special Education Director of the school and received a contact name and phone number. Sooner SUCCESS reached out to the school contact and made introductions. A meeting was set up with the staff and the father was glad to be able to start the [Individualized education program] IEP process. He had another test done with the child’s doctor, and the school was able to address the specific needs of the child and get him on an IEP.

 

Sooner SUCCESS provided or facilitated training opportunities directly to parents and professionals. Sooner SUCCESS facilitated training on Life Course Tools for family caregivers in Canadian County and provided updated resource directories across multiple counties. Sooner SUCCESS also shared the directories with community coalition partners and posted them on the Sooner SUCCESS’ website for easy access by families.

 

Sooner SUCCESS connected training opportunities with interested rural providers. This reporting period, Sooner SUCCESS recruited a new Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) provider for Garfield County and southeastern Oklahoma. In addition, Sooner SUCCESS provided a scholarship to cover the costs of PCIT training. Sooner SUCCESS also recruited providers in Garfield County and Canadian County for Healthcare Transition Provider training. Sooner SUCCESS hosted Crisis Intervention training at the Chisholm Trail Technology Center for 23 law enforcement officers from seven counties (Kingfisher, Garfield, Canadian, Blaine, Major, Washita, and Custer), plus the Oklahoma Heart Hospital.

 

The Logan County Coordinator presented NEAR Science to:  Logan County Partnership, the Child Abuse and Neglect Conference, Avedis in Shawnee, and a local college class.

 

Sooner SUCCESS had a well-established module (i.e., On the Road Conference) that allowed the program to share information and raise awareness among caregivers on what resources were available to them and how to access those resources.

Sooner SUCCESS, as a founding partner in the Oklahoma Caregivers Coalition, partnered with OKCares for the Virtual Oklahoma Caregiver Conference with 198 in attendance.

 

OITP sponsored multiple parent education sessions, either one-on-one or group sessions. Examples of topics covered included, but were not limited to: “How Your Baby Needs You in the NICU”, “Keeping Your Home Safe Once Discharged”, “How to Use a Care Notebook”, “Keeping Mother’s Milk Going”, “Journaling for Mental Support”, etc. Attendance in these sessions increased by 54% over the last year.

 

OIPT shared the following family impact story:

We had a dad attend our “How to Read Your Hospital Bill” session. He shared how he had received a $351,000 bill from the hospital, not knowing how he was ever going to pay it off. He saw the flyer and unsure it would help, came to the session anyway. He said a huge burden was lifted off his shoulders knowing that no one could “kick his baby out” because he could not pay his bill.

 

OFN provided 201 Care Notebooks through group and one-on-one trainings. Staff provided Telling Your Story Training to 57 family members. OFN staff connected with 821 individual family members for one-on-one support.

 

OKFS360° continued to provide one-on-one support services to families during this reporting period. OKFS360°’s location was convenient for families as it was housed at OUHSC Medical Center. Families were able to stop in and fax documents and make copies in addition to having access to an array of resources. OKFS360° provided the one-page bilingual document and offered cultural-appropriate trainings.

 

During this reporting period, OKFS360° continued healthcare notebook trainings, adolescent and mental health trainings, and Applied Behavioral Analysis training for Spanish speaking families. Other organizational tools were provided to families.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic utilized a nurse navigator to help coordinate discharge education and follow up appointments. Sickle cell disease educational packets were provided to each family containing handouts/links utilized to direct patients/families to further appropriate educational resources.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic supported the standard of care and FDA approved treatments for sickle cell disease, including the new approved medications, options for automated red blood exchange transfusions, if needed, in collaboration with Oklahoma Blood Institute, standard of care screenings, preventive care, bone marrow transplantations, etc.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic started a quality improvement project on pain management to standardize patient care and experiences. This pilot project was successful in showing decreased hospitalization.

 

Dr. Sinha with Sickle Cell Clinic was a panelist in the Top Ladies of Distinction (TLOD), Inc. Area I Sickle Cell Webinar “Bringing Hope and Awareness” during the reporting period.

 

Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) Community of Hope Center trained one provider on care notebooks.

 

Challenges:

Oklahoma Infant Transition Program reported no visible barriers for the educational sessions. OITP’s attitude of, “if you build it, they will come”, has proven successful so far. OITP reported that parents are very receptive and eager to learn how to care for their child both in the hospital and once they get home.

 

OFN budget did not increase over the past several years yet agencies and other partners asked for expanded scopes of work. The Family-to-Family Health Information funding declined, which contributed to a reduction in staff in some areas. The workloads of OFN staff contributed to burnout and exhaustion of staff. The cost of living significantly affected staff as well as the organization as a whole.

 

The OFN Joining Forces Conference was hybrid, with fewer than 50 attendees in person, for health-safety reasons. Even though the Whova app was used, it was not the same as being together to encourage working together as partners. Some of the activities conducted by the keynote did not translate well for those viewing online.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that many of their patients lacked a Primary Care Provider (PCP). An additional challenge was the absence of an outpatient pain clinic for the pediatric population.

 

OKFS360° reported that access to technology and the use of technology continued to be a challenge for the families served. OKFS360° was new to the African American/Black community and reported that families needed time to trust OKFS360°.

 

Health Equity Objective 2: Continue to improve care integration and cross-provider communication for healthcare providers using evidence-based tools by 2025.

 

Data:

OITP arranged 47 care conferences during the reporting period. Care conferences were scheduled for families whose infant had complex medical issues and had a length of stay greater than 60 days in the NICU. OITP developed and printed a care conference brochure for parents that outlined their purpose and process, along with the role of physicians, family members and NICU staff. Consulting physicians were encouraged to attend.

 

Successes:

OITP continued to organize multidisciplinary care conferences on discharge planning meetings for parents, follow-up specialists and pediatricians. Once a care conference was concluded, information from the minutes was distributed to all members along with any necessary action items. OITP was able to discharge three babies earlier than expected after coordinating care at home and making sure parents had appropriate backup care when needed. This coordination saved the hospital $3,750/ day x 2 days for early discharge.

 

For each patient discharged from the NICU, OITP sent their pediatrician a discharge summary prior to the first outpatient visit. For complex care patients, the neonatologist called the pediatrician and gave a “soft handoff” prior to discharge from the NICU, which allowed the pediatrician to ask questions about current and future care.

 

OFN provided families with information and resources through their NICU NEST (Nurture, Encourage, Support, and Trust) program. OFN also participated in resource fairs at hospitals, schools, and community coalitions. OFN staff were able to transition back into face-to-face support within hospitals and in the community. The families and staff were overjoyed.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic continued to increase educational resources for the families. New materials and books were printed for patients and when possible, telemedicine was made available for patient care.

 

Dr. Sinha at Sickle Cell Clinic participated in multiple educational activities to providers,

trainees - residents, medical students, NP and PA students, teaching them about new updates in the field of sickle cell disease. Dr. Sinha provided an annual lecture and a clinical correlations session for first-year medical school students on sickle cell disease, increasing their awareness and education on the topic early on in their careers. Dr. Sinha provided education to the genetic counseling students on sickle cell disease as part of their formal curriculum.

 

Emily Braly, ARNP at Sickle Cell Clinic, participated in multiple educational activities to increase education for transition and sickle cell disease education and awareness. Ms. Braly was also a clinical associate professor in the nursing school and led the effort to increase sickle cell disease education among nursing students.

 

The Sickle Cell Clinic team continued to participate in sickle cell disease related CME activities including annual American Society of Hematology Conference and regional TeleECHO sessions, keeping up to date on current knowledge.

 

Challenges:

OITP struggled with scheduling all of the subspecialists, parents, neonatologists, primary care physicians, and outpatient therapists for a single, massive meeting (care conferences). Occasionally, the care conferences had to be broken into multiple smaller meetings. Every attempt was made to get all who would be caring for the patient, and the family, into a single meeting to achieve agreement in care and management.

 

OFN reported that the mailing of resources to families and professionals lacked the face-to-face interaction during much of this reporting period. Additionally, many of the OFN staff and family members experienced prolonged illnesses which kept them from supporting families in person.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic struggled with the identification of clinics and providers in order to be able to collaborate.

 

Objective 3: Educate health care providers on the use and benefits of telemedicine and how to implement strategies to increase usage, including billing, by 2025.  

 

Data:

OFN facilitated bilingual telemedicine training via Zoom and provided in partnership by Family Voices. OFN also uploaded a recording of the training on Oklahoma Family Network’s YouTube channel. Telemedicine resources were shared, via social media and website.

 

Successes:

OITP developed criteria for patients that would be good candidates for telehealth, as well as instructions for parents on how to use the Zoom app. OITP received positive feedback from parents, particularly rural Oklahoma parents.

 

CSC successfully conducted numerous developmental-behavioral pediatric ongoing management and therapy sessions via telemedicine platforms. The OU Health Neonatology Follow-Up Program (NFP), at OU Children’s, provided specialized multi-disciplinary developmental assessments, recommendations, and supports for children who have a history of premature birth with a NICU stay. The NFP Little STAR clinic provided helpful resources and recommendations to 3–6-month-old infants whose mothers were part of the Substance Use Treatment and Recovery (STAR) initiative. These visits were all conducted virtually.

 

Challenges:

OITP reported that not all physicians were eager to embrace telehealth and many felt they were putting their practice in jeopardy if they missed something they would have seen in person.

 

OFN reported that not all families in rural communities had access to internet providers capable of supporting web-based communication and/or appointments.

 

SPM 3: The percent of families who are able to access services for their child with behavioral health needs.

 

Objective 1: Increase the number of children who receive behavioral and mental health services from 6.7% among children with Autism/ASD and ADD/ADHD disorders in 2017 to 7.8% by 2025.

 

Data:

The J.D. McCarty Center served 62 families/children through the Respite program over the last fiscal year. This allowed children with special health care needs to receive socialization and interaction with other kids, and gave the caregiver a much-needed break.

 

Successes:

Sooner SUCCESS provided multiple caregiver events and activities to raise awareness about the need for and benefits of self-care and respite. Caregiver support and respite were vital to families maintaining successful health and well-being within their family units.

 

A Sooner SUCCESS Regional Coordinator assisted the Mayors Committee on Disability Concerns with securing a caregiver grant to distribute 41 Walmart Plus Subscriptions so families could safely order food deliveries during the ongoing pandemic.

 

Sooner SUCCESS hosted the arts and crafts booth at Special Olympics Oklahoma annual Summer Games Competition. Coordinators attended in shifts and visited with families across the state about services and programs that would benefit their child and  family.

 

Sooner SUCCESS supported the efforts of OKDHS by sharing presentations and resource tables at multiple two-day Wellspring Weekends focused on foster and adoptive families, families raising a child with autism or other special needs, and grandparents raising grandchildren.

 

Sooner SUCCESS hosted four weekend retreats to enhance caregiver access to respite. Each retreat focused on a unique setting in the state, like a hotel or pastoral conference center. Each featured complimentary meals and lodging along with activities designed to promote self-care and relaxation (massage, yoga, painting, outdoor activities, etc.). A ‘pre-retreat’ service navigation session was held with each caregiver to connect families with needed resources to help caregivers brainstorm ways to have more consistent access to respite in their lives. Respite vouchers were issued to each caregiver to assist them in obtaining a substitute caregiver for their loved one. The following statements were made by families who attended the retreats:

• “This respite retreat was so fun and helpful to have fellowship with other families who understand my situation.”
• “I feel everything was very well organized and thought out. The interaction with staff and other caregivers was phenomenal. I would highly recommend this program for others!"

 

Sooner SUCCESS recognized the lack of experienced respite providers in many rural communities so there was a continual search for service providers who could provide care or activities that would interest individuals with special healthcare needs. These activities, if located, were paid for with respite vouchers, and allowed both the caregiver and the care-receiver benefit from time apart.

 

Sooner SUCCESS reported that the Family Caregiver Fall Festival was held at New Life Ranch/Frontier Cove in Adair, OK. This event provided family caregivers the opportunity to network with other families and offered an exciting day of accessible and inclusive activities for the whole family. There were a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that encouraged and supported the physical and mental health those with disabilities. Registration included entry to the park, unlimited play, activities, professional family photo, and lunch.

 

Sooner SUCCESS hosted a Sibshop (programming for siblings of CYSHCN) in Logan County.

 

OITP began an early developmental clinic to screen for autism and other neurodevelopmental delays within 3-6 months of discharge from the NICU. A developmental pediatrician and physical therapist assessed 3–6-month-old NICU graduates for delays. A neurologist was also scheduled during this clinic to screen for cerebral palsy or other neurologic sequences.

 

The J.D. McCarty Center provided respite services for children birth to 21-years-old through the Title V CSHCN partnership. The majority of the Center’s respite program was through the Center’s summer camp, “Camp Clap Hans”. The Camp was held in six separate sessions, with each session being four days and three nights. Camp Clap Hans offered activities, such as horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, archery and field trips. The J.D. McCarty Center served 62 families/children through the Respite program over the last fiscal year.

 

CSC Family Partner and JumpStart Preschool Autism Evaluation Team provided assistance to a total of 95 unique families through 214 service navigation instances with a goal of assisting families in accessing behavioral/mental health services over the reporting period. This was slightly less than the prior year in which 120 families were directly served. However, the decrease was attributed to having a vacancy in the Family Partner position for much of the first quarter. After the vacancy, the position was changed from a part-time funded position to a full-time funded position. This change allowed the current Family Partner to reach a reasonable number of unique families served and actually increased service navigation. The majority of these families were provided support on the date of their CSC JumpStart evaluation.

 

The CSC Family Partner provided increased direct resource navigation for several families, especially Spanish-speaking, in other clinical programs at the CSC, including, A Better Chance Prenatal Substance Exposure, JumpStart Follow-Up, and Developmental-Behavioral Medical Clinics. All families seen during the JumpStart visit received a diagnosis/diagnoses (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, intellectual disability, receptive-expressive language disorder, anxiety, disruptive behavior disorder, ADHD) and a plan of action, referral recommendations, and resources. During the JumpStart visit, the Family Partner welcomed families, ensured their comfort, assisted the team with various set-up/family support needs, and provided 1:1 information on local and national community-based family resources. The Family Partner increased families’ access to service, in particular, connection to ABA and other resource information on relevant behavioral health services, therapies, and school-based or community-based services to the families. The Family Partner/JumpStart Team assisted with scheduling a 6-month follow-up with a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician for those children diagnosed with autism to check-in and determine if additional assistance was needed in accessing behavioral/mental health, school, medical and/or community services/resources. The Family Partner also contacted every family approximately one month after their JumpStart visit to discuss follow-up concerns.

 

The CSC Family Partner conducted a community resource survey directed to the CSC providers to understand areas of need for resource education. They also participated in weekly meetings with Sooner SUCCESS Bilingual Coordinators and team members. Health equity and coordination of care within the local Spanish-speaking community were a frequent topic of discussion.

 

The CSC Family Partner worked with Sooner SUCCESS to create an ABA interactive provider map to help parents find therapists according to their geographic locations. The link went live and additional providers were added as they were found.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=18VcyuAPQbDw-HQBnBnZhNHoDA4SxrUU&usp=sharing

 

The CSC Family Partner shared the following family impact story: 

A provider at the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric (DBP) Clinic asked for translation help with one of the Spanish-speaking families they were serving. The caregiver shared that she had some health issues and had gone to the hospital. Additionally, one of her sons had been hospitalized. As a result, the family had more than $10,000 in medical debt. The caregiver worked part-time and cared for three children. They lived on her husband’s small salary from a local restaurant. Staff visited Children’s Hospital and talked to a bilingual financial counselor, who contacted the caregiver and helped her complete an application for financial hardship. One day later, the caregiver called me saying that they had waived all of her debt. She was extremely grateful.  

 

The CSC Family Partner utilized a whole family approach when working with each child with special health care needs seen at CHC. The primary focus of the work was to provide the family with resources for the child with special needs, but the secondary focus was to assist the family unit with other day-to-day concerns and stressors so that their focus could be on helping their child with special health care needs live a fuller and healthier life.

 

OFN provided family and youth access to the Oklahoma Children’s Behavioral Health Conference in person. With funding from Title V and other partners, OFN hosted 90 family members and 5 staff for the conference. OFN provided all lunches and dinners as well as 147 conference bags with swag and snacks for their families during the conference. Families were able to learn best practices in caring for youth with behavioral health concerns alongside the behavioral health providers in the state. Family gatherings were held each evening to encourage families to not feel alone and more involvement in decision-making at all levels. Youth under 13 attended their own activities and youth over 13 learned about self-care, reduction of anxiety, suicide prevention, and other topics. OFN staff connected 151 parents/caregivers who have children with mental health or behavioral health concerns to services and resources.

 

OKFS360° continued to bring awareness about behavioral health to the families. This was done on an individual basis as well as through support groups and Community Conversations. The newest staff member to OKFS360° connected with the African American/Black community regarding mental health information and, resources. She assisted the families she served with making referrals for the care they needed. Often, the African American families came to the Center with no formal or specific diagnosis and the Family Support Coordinator referred them for evaluation and treatment at various clinics.

 

OKFS360° continued to collaborate with the OFN and a medical provider in offering quarterly bilingual trainings and information on mental health and behavioral health to support families who have children with autism, ADHD or related condition. These trainings were available to all the families served at OKFS360°.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that their social worker met with all patients/families at least twice per year. Additionally, a psychologist and licensed counselor were available to all patients with sickle cell disease for counseling services, meeting patients a minimum of once annually. They provided behavioral and mental health services as well as referrals for neuropsychological testing, counseling services, cognitive behavioral therapies and psychiatry. Additionally, Sickle Cell Clinic provided a sickle cell educational event during sickle cell awareness month.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center held a Child Guidance Screening Event. Three out of the four registrations were filled and three out of the three registrations were completed. Two developmental screenings and two behavioral screenings were administered.

 

Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) Community of Hope Center employed three infant mental health professionals who received consultation in infant mental health from seasoned professionals in the state. Additionally, CCFI employed three non-endorsed professionals who went through the Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) collaborative, helping bring evidence-based practice to children 0-6 years of age and their caregivers. These identified clients have special health care needs and/or were in foster care, as child-parent psychotherapy focused on providing treatment to complex trauma. The three professionals in the collaborative brought the total of CPP trained individuals at CCFI up to six providers. CCFI received referrals from various sources, including DHS, caregiver referral and primary care providers.

 

CCFI CHC provided reflective supervision based on best practices in infant mental health to help support their providers and to encourage them to stay in the field.

CCFI CHC shared the following family impact story: 

CCFI provided a parent support and mental health home for a family who first entered CCFI through the DHS-requested parenting class. From this class, the family was referred to the Bringing up Babies program (support for families with a child aged 0-6). The four-year-old in this family has autism, and BUB was able to make outside referrals for ABA, and occupational therapy, as well as provide in-home supports. It was discovered that the family could benefit from counseling services, and staff were able to get the school-aged sibling into services, and provided support to the caregivers on parenting tweens. The child was also home schooled, and a referral was made to Boys and Girls Club, where the child was able to gain quality after-school socialization with peers, and additional adult support.

 

Challenges:

OITP reported that limited funding was a large barrier as well as finding providers to accept new patients for physical, occupational or speech therapy.

 

The J.D. McCarty Center reported the most prevalent challenge to be the difficulty in hiring Registered Nurses over the two months of the Camp. Another challenge encountered was the ability to reach smaller communities so that those children and their families can have the same opportunities.

 

CSC Family Partner reported IT/device access and general employee training barriers for the new Family Partner largely related to recent transition/infrastructural changes that occurred at the institution during the reporting period.

 

CSC Family Partner reported some barriers with the rules around interpretive services at OU. CSC Family Partner reported lack of overall access to therapy services, particularly ABA, in rural areas. Tracking the families’ ability to get into these services was challenging and warranted multiple phone calls, paperwork completion and faxing of information. Additionally, Oklahoma significantly lacks access to bilingual therapy services.

 

OFN reported that the cost of the Children’s Behavioral Health Conference went well over budget, which affected FY 2023 negatively. Additionally, OFN continued to receive referrals and requests for this population, which often took extra time and effort. OFN reported the need for additional staff to meet all of the growing needs.

 

OKFS360° reported that behavioral health/mental health continued to be a difficult topic to discuss in the Latinx community.

 

Sickle Cell Clinic reported that lack of transportation limited patients’ ability to attend clinic visits.

 

Parent Promise Community of Hope Center reported challenges in including screenings only focusing on children ages 0-6 years old due to restraints of the program model.

 

Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) Community of Hope Center reported that keeping providers engaged in the non-profit was a challenge as the work is complex and the clientele, the most vulnerable.