November 2004
Family Legacy Continues At One Church, One Child
By Dustin Pyeatt
Associate Editor
While on a trip to Chicago in the
mid-1980s, Rev. Dr. J.L. Davenport,
an Oklahoma City minister and an
adoptive father of two sons, met
Roman Catholic priest Father George
Clements, the founder of One Church,
One Child. Davenport was so
impressed with Clements and the
national program to recruit adoptive
homes for African-American children,
that upon his return home he began
calling other ministers. Thanks to his
efforts, in 1988, One Church, One
Child of Oklahoma began its partnership with OKDHS.
Davenport passed away in 1994.
Nine years later his daughter, Valerie
Howard, a retired Oklahoma Department of Corrections parole officer,
picked up the torch for her father and
began working with One Church, One
Child. Today, Howard serves as executive director, continuing her father’s
mission from two tiny rooms located
in back of the Evangelistic Baptist
Church of Christ on Martin Luther
King Blvd. in Oklahoma City.
“At the Department of Corrections, I started seeing people coming
into the system that were younger and
younger,” Howard said. “I saw a lot of
people in prison that could have succeeded with a little guidance and a little support. I shuddered to think where
my two brothers would have been if
they hadn’t been adopted. My father
planted a seed that became my second
career and my passion.”
One Church, One Child of Oklahoma recruits adoptive and sometimes
The dedication of Valerie Howard and her late father, Rev. Dr. J.L. Davenport, to
One Church, One Child of Oklahoma has meant the placement of more than
1,000 children in state custody into adoptive homes.
foster homes in the African-American
community by reaching out through
community churches. But according
to Howard, they’ve never limited
themselves to a specific group or
denomination.
“We work to increase awareness
of the needs in the African-American
community,” Howard said. “AfricanAmerican children represent one-third
of all children in state custody. Many
are older or part of sibling groups and
are sometimes difficult to place. It is
our desire to recruit for all children, not
just African-American children, but the
recruitment of African-American families is the mission of our program.
“The reality is, everyone has his
or her own cultural differences. When
we go into the churches or the community, we have to relate to them. We
have to educate them about the need
for families. This is our charge, our
duty.”
One Church, One Child of Oklahoma relies heavily on churches, not
only for their headquarters, but for
support and guidance, as well. The
organization’s ministerial board is
composed of 20 members from ministries with various denominations
across the state.
“Our board is very helpful,”
Howard said. “Many of them have
been kind enough to provide me with
their cell phone numbers and if I need
them, I call and they always come and
help.”
Since its inception, One Church,
One Child of Oklahoma has been
instrumental in assisting OKDHS in
ONE CHURCH continued on page 19
November 2004
OKDHS Calendar Of Events
Editor’s Note: Details about these
events may be found on the OKDHS
InfoNet Calendar of Events. Dates are
subject to change.
November 1
Executive Team Meeting a.m.
FOD Area Director Meeting p.m.
November 1-19
FSSD New Worker Academy
November 2
General Election Day
Oklahoma Task Force On Minority
Aging
2004 OKDHS Network Technology
Conference
November 4
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
Advisory Committee
Oklahoma State Council On Aging
November 11
Veteran’s Day Holiday (Office Closed)
November 13
Eid-Al-Fitr
November 15
Native American Heritage Celebration
November 16
Safetown
November 16-19
County Director Academy 8
November 17
APS Field Liaison Meeting
FSSD Field Liaison Meeting
Grandfamilies Housing Task Force
November 18
Area V County Director And Field Liaison Meetings
Oklahoma Partnership For School
Readiness
November 25
Thanksgiving Day (Offices Closed)
November 25-26
Thanksgiving Holiday (Offices Closed)
November 28
First Sunday In Advent
FSSD New Worker Academy
2
The Chaplain’s Corner
Positive Words Renew The Spirit
By Gary E. Holdeman
OKDHS chaplain
Harper County OKDHS, Ellis County
OKDHS and Woodward County
OKDHS
With Thanksgiving approaching, I have been aware of how much
we take for granted. OKDHS workers
are more aware than most of the difficulty, pain and struggles of people
who live right in their own communities. Sometimes, dealing with those
struggles and pain everyday can take
a tremendous emotional toll on our
lives and attitudes.
One of the things I find helpful
is to try to make a concerted effort
everyday to focus my attention and
thoughts on things that are positive. I
do this through reading, music and
nature, plus spending time playing
with my grandchildren. Nothing
renews my sense of wonder and love
like an afternoon spent with my 10month-old grandson!
Reading is also a big encouragement booster. I have especially
enjoyed a little book titled, “The
Change Your Life Quote Book” by
Allen Klein. I want to share with you
some of my favorites:
Chaplain Gary E. Holdeman
“God gave you a gift of 86,400
seconds today.
Have you used one to say
‘thank you’?”
– William Arthur Ward
“Count you blessings,
not your crosses,
Count your gains, not your losses.
Count your joys
instead of your woes,
Count your friends
instead of your foes.
Count your health, not your wealth.”
– Old Proverb
Success
“To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
And affection of children; to earn the
Appreciation of honest critics and endure
The betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better,
Whether by a healthy child, a garden patch
Or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier
Because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
I pray you will all have a “successful” holiday season!
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Today’s Children: Being Wanted, Nurtured and Loved
By George Earl Johnson Jr.
Multimedia activities and events
today convince most of us that our
children want to be like Mike, Shaq,
Tiger, J. Lo., Kobe, The Dixie Chicks
or Tupac. Our commercialized world
sells its wares telling us that if we
have the right “brand name” on from
the latest sports or entertainment idol,
we, too, can be cool.
The tip of the iceberg says it’s
not true. Today’s children want to be
wanted, nurtured and loved. It’s what
children have always wanted and
needed most, but are we the right
examples?
You see, day in and day out in
Human Services, we see the tip of the
iceberg in the form of the children
who come to us through no fault of
their own because of some level of
abuse or neglect. While you are reading this short piece, 1,300 of the 6,200
Oklahoma children in our protective
custody have no homes to which they
can return. What each of them wants
more than the next item of brandname clothing or games is a family
that will want them back, nurture
them and meet their needs. They
want, in the dark times and the light,
to be loved unconditionally without
the threat of abuse or neglect.
While we may not be the right
family for the child, we have the
power to have positive affects on their
young lives.
You see, by putting our Best
Foot Forward, we have the power to
stop the growth of the iceberg by the
way we treat and serve all children,
whether they are in our custody or in
our neighborhoods and communities.
The power is in how we serve and
treat our children wherever they may
be. We have the power to set the right
example. We have the power to guide
their young behaviors to right deeds
and actions. We have the power to be
the adult role models that just might
cause them to want to be like us. But
to serve as that model, we have to pay
the price of doing what’s right ourselves.
After the next weekend, listen to
the conversations around you and see
who knows all the scores of all the
games and all of the actions from the
latest box office hits at the movies.
Then, see how much time was spent
with children – first our own and then
those in the neighborhood. It would
surprise you to know that most of us
can tell you more about what happened on television or at the game
than what was on our children’s
minds.
What price freedom? It’s paying
the price to have the children around
you wanting to be like you because
your work, deeds and actions say to
those very children that you’ve got
the power. So, I encourage you to join
me in putting your Best Foot Forward
and do something super positive with
our words, deeds and actions so that
the children around us may want to be
like us and even better.
Why? Because for today’s children, our words, deeds and actions
can be the best testimonies they will
ever see …
Judy! There Ott To Be A Way …
By George Earl Johnson Jr.
Just when you think that life
is unfair, the Creator of us all has
a way of sweetening our most bitter lemons and making cool,
refreshing lemonade. That’s what
happened to Children and Family
Services’ Judy Ott this summer.
And someone came into her life
some time ago with the strength
of character and resolve to
believe in Ott’s dream, too.
After more than four
decades of hoping and praying
that something would happen to
find a family member lost to
Judy’s family through adoption at
age 1, the tides turned and with
just one more Best Foot Forward
and an effort by a new friend –
new technology found the needle
in the haystack and a lost sister’s
name popped to the top of what
would become a very memorable
list.
Judy and her sister, ElizaINSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
beth Larson, have had opportunities to cry more tears of joy in the
last three months than in the past
40 years. Those of us around Judy
Mary Payne
carried our own towels to stay dry.
The irony in this mystery is that
Judy’s quest took a different path
when she moved from the OKDHS
Office of Planning, Policy and
Research to the Children and Family Services Division in 1998.
It was while sitting at the VolOtt continued on page 19
3
OKDHS’ Waiting
Child Exhibit A
Hit At Tulsa’s
Reynolds Center
Gay Larson, an account executive
with KTUL-Channel 8 (back row, far
right), poses with children attending
the Waiting Child Exhibit reception.
Larson is also an adoptive parent and
a photographer whose work is featured in the exhibit. Her hard work
helps to make the Waiting Child
Exhibit possible. – KGP and DP
(L-R) OKDHS Office of Communications Director George Earl Johnson
Jr. and OKDHS Director Howard H.
Hendrick visit with Tulsa’s KTULChannel 8 Anchor Carole Lambert
during OKDHS’ opening reception for
its “Waiting Child Exhibit” held on
Sept. 22 in the University of Tulsa’s
Reynolds Center. Lambert is the host
of the Waiting Child segment broadcast by the TV station. KTUL-Channel 8, Wendy’s Restaurants and the
Waterworks Photography Association
teamed up with OKDHS in sponsoring the exhibit, which is currently traveling around the state in hopes of
finding quality homes for children
waiting to be adopted. – KGP and DP
OKDHS wasn’t clowning around during an exhibition of OKDHS’ Waiting
Child Exhibit when it was recently on
display at the University of Tulsa’s
Reynolds Center. Here, visitors are
drawn to works created by a balloon
artist during the event. Fifty of Oklahoma’s
premier
photographers
donated their time and talent to create beautiful portraits of some of the
hundreds of children in our state waiting for a loving adoptive home. – KGP
and DP
4
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Sherry Hillemeyer’s Poetry Captures Memories
By Kevan Goff-Parker
Inside OKDHS Editor
For more than 34 years, Sherry
Hillemeyer, administrative program
officer II, Data Services Division, has
used her passion for the written word to
create hundreds of poems, many of
which are appreciated by OKDHS
employees.
“Writing is my way of expressing
my emotions,” Hillemeyer said. “It is
catharsis. I encourage everyone to write
– to get things out of their systems. It
will help them gain perspective.”
Hardly ever without her handy
writing pad since she once wrote a
poem on a Styrofoam cup because she
didn’t have access to paper during an
inspired moment, Hillemeyer’s poems
reflect whatever she ‘s pondering at the
time – from special moments with her
grandchildren to tragedies, such as the
explosion of the space shuttle and the
bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Some are light-hearted,
some are serious, but almost all use
rhyme to create verses that trip along
the tongue capturing her audiences’
imaginations.
Raised in Snyder, Okla., Hillemeyer is the only child of Dwight and
Maud Smith, a John Deere implement
dealer and a bookkeeper and office
manager. She attended classes at the
Oklahoma College for Women in
Chickasha before joining OKDHS in
1967 as typist clerk II. She worked in
the Sequoyah Building and performed
secretarial, stenographer and administrative duties before leaving OKDHS in
1980 to work in the private sector.
Hillemeyer worked for 10 years as
an administrative assistant in automotive oil and gas, before returning to
OKDHS. In 1990, she became an executive secretary in DSD. She was promoted to administrative program officer II in February of 2002 and reports
directly to OKDHS’ Chief Information
Officer Marq Youngblood.
As assistant to Youngblood, Hille-
Sherry Hillemeyer, administrative programs officer II, Data Services Division,
holds copies of her self-published books of poetry, “Rainbows and Butterflies.” A
prolific writer, Hillemeyer has written hundreds of poems during her lifetime. She
is often asked by co-workers to contribute poems in honor of special occasions
at OKDHS.
meyer provides administrative support
for all functions involved in carrying
out the initiatives of the division. These
include the development of E-business
applications, information technology
strategic initiatives and achieving operational excellence. This position works
closely with the chief operating officer
and other DSD directors in detailing,
documenting and coordinating subsequent initiatives and project activities
and ensuring transition from initiation
to implementation phase.
She is also responsible for oversight of the executive offices of the
division, assuring a professional, efficient and customer service oriented
operation. Hillemeyer’s work was recognized with an “OKDHS Public Service Award” in 1997. She is enthusiastic about her job.
“Working in DSD is exciting,”
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Hillemeyer said. “There’s always
something going on or a new challenge.”
Hillemeyer said she first started
writing poetry in 1970 and has since
branched out to include poems in
birthday cards, retirements and poems
that commemorate important family
events.
Hillemeyer won “Golden and Silver Poet Awards” from the World of
Poetry in 1985, 1986 and 1991. She
received special and honorable mention for her poems “Man’s Best
Friend” in 1984; “Proud American”
and ‘Prevailing Love” in 1986 and for
“Unseen Visions.” She received the
same for “Butterfly” and “Proud
American” in 1987. Her poem, “Freedom,” was published in 1986 in the
“Great Poems of Today” poetry book
POETRY continued on page 16
5
Spirited Fun Highlights 18th Annual State Games
By Kevan Goff-Parker
Inside OKDHS Editor
Whether it was the tasty
fried chicken, the hilarious
performance by the Kay
County Lawn Chair Brigade,
the Executive Games,
OKDHS Idol (karaoke) or
participation games like
dominoes, golf, poker, horseshoes, bowling or other
sports, hundreds of employees
enjoyed the 18th Annual State
Continued on next page
Special OKDHS State Games Photo Supplement Coming Soon
6
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Games
continued from page 6
Games and Fall Fest on Sept. 17-18 at various locations
in Midwest City.
Human Resources Programs Manager II Tina Tate
said approximately 25 vendors participated in the 2004
OKDHS Wellness Fair, which kicked off the games during
the afternoon of Sept. 17 at the Midwest City Senior Center. She said OKDHS employees from across the state
earned three hours’ supervisory training credit for attending.
Pittsburg County OKDHS’ Louise Wagnon, an
administrative technician II in Developmental Disabilities
Services, said she enjoyed the Kay County Brigade’s
lawn-chair performance during the opening ceremony on
Sept. 17.
“The Kay County Lawn Chair Brigade was just too
cute to describe,” Wagnon said. “Friday evening’s events
were planned very well.”
Marilyn H. Smalley, programs manager, overpayment section, Family Support Services Division, said that
approximately 235 people were fed a hearty dinner of
fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad, rolls, beverage
and cookies. She said even her 14-year-old grandson, Taylor Smalley, pitched in to help.
“With generous contributions from Credit Union
One, Crest Foods and the Pauline E. Mayer Center, the
dinner was a huge success,” Smalley said. “The amount of
work involved with feeding and cleaning up did not stop
the food volunteers from enjoying and participating in the
festivities of the evening. They Y-M-C-A-ed with the
crowd (to music provided by disc jockey Larry Williams)
and a good time was truly had by all!”
Connie J. Eggleston, programs field representative,
Aging Services Division, said one of her funniest memories of the OKDHS State Games came on the evening of
Sept. 17 when Director Howard H. Hendrick attempted to
beat his competitor in the Executive Games’ scavenger
hunt, OKDHS Chief Operating Officer Farilyn Ballard, in
a competition that involved finding a chair (among hundreds) that had a heart underneath it.
“If found first, Director Hendrick would win the contest,” Eggleston said. “His son, Hudson, was actually
GAMES continued on page 8
OKDHS State Games Winners
Win, Lose or Draw
1. Picasso’s Step Children: Ginger Brown, Chris
Sneed and Phylis Dawson
2. CPM Gold: Paula Green and Cheryl Crawford
3. ABAWDS (Able-Bodied Adults Without
Drawing Skills): Angela Countess, April Hunt
and Scott Alexander
Trivial Pursuit
1.(No Team Name) April Hunt, Angela Countess and Scott Alexander
2. The Trivial Minds: Christy Fore, Carie Crittenden, Debi Ream and Tracy Turner
3. Team Down There: Cheryl Crawford, Paula
Green, P.K. Palmer and Joseph Jackson
Skipbo
1. SWAP Moms: Beni Cogburn and Jerilyn
Neal
2. SKIPBO Divas: Mary Jean Rogers and Vickie Butler
3. Music Lovers: Sandy Chamberlain and Barbara Almgren.
Golf
1. Dempsey Mathis, Marty Peakell, Chris Stone
and Doug Patterson
2. Mike Fischer, Larry Garrett, Chris Mattingly
and Charles Hollingworth.
3. Wesley Priest, Mike Haskins and Chad Harness.
Women’s 5-K Race
Sara Lee
Men’s 5-K Race
1. Craig Mahl
2. Richard Davidson
3. Gary Gregg
One-Mile Co-ed Relay
1. Slow Pokes: (Now the proud owners of the
Don Smith Trophy) Helen Anthony, Amy Conway, Shawn E. Franks and Sean Gilpin.
2. Cardiac Arrest: Pat Bean, Gary Gregg, Ken
Nau and Sara Lee.
3. Creepers: Cheryl Crawford, Richard Davidson, Denise Mahl and Henry Wright.
Dominoes
1. Paula Green and Fred Schroder
2. Susan Wiest and Sue Barkley
3. Gary Williams and Andrea Hill
Bowling
1. Three Men And A Lady: Carolyn and Gene
Thompson, Travis Mills and David Hurte.
(Average team score was 639.5).
2. Rolling Stones: Kelly Kappelman, Cathy
Bone, Mary Reznicek and Sheila Lloyd. (Average team score was 586).
3. Pin Pals: Deb Garrett, Earl Merriman, Tracy
Bennett and Janet Hailey. (Average. team score
was 584.5).
* Men’s Highest Score went to Travis Mills
(Three Men And A Lady) with a score of 181.
* Women’s Highest Score went to Rose Allen
(Alley Cats) with a score of 176.
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Poker Texas Hold’em Tourney
1. Kathy Bradford. (Point total: 74,125)
2. Lee Banh. (Point total: 48,725)
3. Annette Tipton. (Point total: 47,800)
OKDHS Idol
1. Gary Williams
2. Beni Cogburn
3. Chris Sneed
Softball
1. State Office Rebels
2. Kiamichi Outlaws
3. Wild Bunch
4. Laura Dester Shelter
Horseshoes
1. Wendy Bacon and Tom Pitt
2. Bill Siegel and Ed Marshall
3. Tony Jackson and Ron Smith
Spades
1. A+ TEAM: Wanda Boren and Joyce Atkinson
2. Denise Hise and Barbara King
3. Sandy Chamberlain and Barbara Almgren
Singles Darts
1. John Hammons
2. J. David Odle
3. John Smalley
Doubles Darts
1. Dart Dodgers: J. David Odle and John Hammons
2. Old Dartheads: Rick McCoy and Kim Poff
3. Bulls-eye Buddies: Jeranda Byerly and Trish
Cooke
7
Two New Best Practices Food Stamp Winners Named
(L-R) August 2004 Best Practices Food Stamp Quiz
Winner Stacey Crawford of Oklahoma County OKDHS
55-A accepts an oversized $50 savings bond, a certificate and a “Celebrate” balloon from Kathie Wright, programs manager, Food Stamps/LIHEAP, Family Support
Services Division. His name was drawn during the Food
Stamp Quiz drawing and the gifts provided to fortunate
winners honor their participation. OKDHS posts a new
quiz each month on the Food Stamp Web site located at
http://s99web01/fssd_foodstamps/, so brush up on policy and you may be the next winner! – KGP
Games
continued from page 7
crawling on the floor looking under
the chairs trying to help his dad. This
was some sight to see, he really supported his dad and wanted him to
win.
“Farilyn Ballard found her
chair first and won. However, Director Hendrick’s son did not give up
and actually found the chair out of
over 300 in the room.”
Janet Hailey, internal audit
manager, Office of Inspector General, said her best memory of the 2004
OKDHS State Games also occurred
during the Executive Games.
“The best memory for me was
watching the Executive Team trying
to locate the 77 counties (the Director knew exactly where they all
were), answering the OKDHS Trivia
8
(L-R) Kathie Wright congratulates Ingrid Vernon of Stephens
County OKDHS for being the fortunate winner of the July
2004 Best Practices Food Stamp Quiz, as Area II Director
Debbie Williams looks on. Vernon received a $50 savings
bond, a certificate perfect for framing and Halloween balloons. Five minutes! Five questions! – KGP
Questions (while cheating) and then
the Director and Farilyn participated
in the scavenger hunt. The Director
actually carried a 5-year-old child up
to the front. And when he was
searching for the purple earring, he
was checking everyone’s ears out,
except mine.
“It was hilarious! He told me
later that he really enjoyed the games.
That really made it all special.”
State Attorney IV Pamela Jenkins, Child Support Enforcement
Division, said the Kids Zone held on
Sept. 18 was a great success. It was
held at the Joe B. Barnes Pavilion in
Midwest City.
“We had approximately 40 children who participated and we were
especially happy to have some
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
guests from one of the OKDHS shelters,” Jenkins said. “The children
enjoyed kickball, face painting,
snacks, goody bags and watched an
authentic Old West gunfight show!
We look forward to more children’s
events at future state games.”
Bob Charbeneau, Child Support
Enforcement Division, said 16 people participated in the horseshoe
competition. He joked around when
asked about his favorite memory of
the event.
“My favorite memory is that no
one got hit in the head with a shoe!”
Charbeneau said.
Congratulations to all the volunteers who made the 2004 State
Games possible! Great job!
Happy Birthday To You …
By Dustin Pyeatt
Associate Editor
Kysha came running across the
gym of the Stipe Center in
McAlester and flopped down near
the wall.
“I won lots of pops,” she
declared as she began to count her
winnings from the ring-toss game.
“One, two, three, four … five!”
Kysha pulled the small bottles of
soda from her bag, smiled and ran
off to conquer another game at the
Pittsburg County OKDHS Foster
Care Birthday Party.
“I was in training for permanency planning and we watched a
video that featured this 17-year-old
who said she’d never had a birthday
party,” said Angie Marcum, a Pittsburg County OKDHS Child Welfare
investigator and the driving force
behind the party. “We get so busy
we sometimes lose focus and think
everything’s been taken care of.
That’s why we decided to do this
quarterly birthday party for our foster children.”
Foster children whose birthdays land within each three-month
period are treated to games, crafts
and clowns. Each child receives a
Individualized cupcakes, cakes and
other goodies were enjoyed by Pittsburg County OKDHS’ foster children
during their quarterly Foster Care
Birthday Party.
Patrolman Nathan Bond of the McAlester Police Department gets into the party
spirit with Angie Marcum, a child welfare investigator, during the recent Pittsburg
County OKDHS Foster Care Birthday Party.
personalized cupcake written in
icing and personalized canvas bags,
courtesy of the Savannah High
School Art Class. The U.S. Army
Ammunition Plant in McAlester
also donated $1,000 worth of prizes
for the children.
OKDHS staff, local law
enforcement, foster parents, CASA
volunteers and the children’s attorneys all pitch in to make these parties possible.
“The children’s attorneys volunteer because sometimes they
don’t really get to meet the children,” Marcum said.
Pat Layden, one of six courtappointed attorneys who volunteered for the party described the
event as “wonderful!”
“I handle cases for about 50
children,” Layden said. “This is a
special day set aside just for them.
I’m thrilled how everyone comes
together to make this possible.”
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Cheryl Cerda, assistant district
attorney for Pittsburg County,
echoed Layden’s sentiments.
“For very little individual
effort, it means a lot to these children,” Cerda said. “Their faces are
beaming!”
One volunteer at the party,
Patrolman Nathan Bond of the
McAlester Police Department said
he looks forward to the parties for a
very personal reason.
“I was in foster care from age
eight to 19, and I never had a birthday party,” Bond said. “I finally had
one my senior year at age 19 with
my last foster family. I still call
them ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad.’
“I love this, it’s great for the
children. When I was growing up,
OKDHS would show up and move
you, and that’s all you really saw. I
had some good caseworkers, but I
just didn’t see them. I applaud them
for doing this, it means a lot.”
9
OKDHS Celebrates 15th Anniversary Of State Charitable Campaign
By Kevan Goff-Parker
Inside OKDHS Editor
Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, OKDHS Director Howard H. Hendrick and hundreds of state employees got into
the groove during a music-filled kick-off celebration on Sept. 15 located on the north plaza of the State Capitol in Oklahoma City. The hot dog luncheon and concert honored of the 15th Anniversary of the State Charitable Campaign.
The Kalazh Band delivered delightful funk, jazz and rhythm and blues causing many people in the
crowd to get up and dance. Hundreds also enjoyed hot dogs with fixings during the event. Credit Union One
and Enterprise Rent-A-Car sponsored the festivities.
Local agencies from various organizations supported by the State Charitable Campaign’s contributions
SCC continued on page 17
10
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
11
News Briefs
Foster Parents
Honored
Carol Sanders, administrative technician III, helped spin records during a
foster parent appreciation banquet.
Atoka County OKDHS’ Alishi Crawford,
a social work aide, made sure foster
parents were properly registered for
door prizes during the Atoka County
OKDHS, Coal County OKDHS and the
Choctaw Nation’s recent foster parent
appreciation banquet.
Atoka County OKDHS’ Alice Curry,
Child welfare specialist IV, and Cody
Marlow, a child welfare specialist I,
kicked off the door prize drawing during
the event. Each foster parent present
received a prize.
12
Atoka County
OKDHS, Coal County
OKDHS and the
Choctaw Nation
teamed up and sponsored a foster parent
appreciation banquet
on Aug. 27 at the
Atoka County Center
located in Atoka.
Phyllis Brister,
county director II for
both Coal County
OKDHS and Atoka
County OKDHS, welcomed the honorees
and expressed her
appreciation for the
services they provide
to abused and neglected children. After an
invocation led by
Atoka County
OKDHS’ Douglas Ishmael, child welfare
specialist III, participants enjoyed a catered
barbeque dinner that
included beef brisket,
smoked chicken and all
the trimmings.
Atoka County
OKDHS child welfare
specialist IV Alice
Curry and Coal County
OKDHS child welfare
specialist IV Robin
Kennedy presented
each foster parent with
a certificate of appreciation. Coal County
OKDHS’ Delilah
Hilliard, child welfare
specialist II, introduced
a foster child who
spoke about how caring foster parents had
brought about positive
changes in the child’s
life. Cody Marlow, an
Atoka County OKDHS
child welfare specialist
I, presented door prizes
that were donated by
area merchants.
Additional guests
included: Kimberly
Gordon, assistant
director of Child and
Family Services for the
Choctaw Nation and
Linda McDaniel, vice
president of the Oklahoma Foster Parents
Association. Additional
Atoka County OKDHS
employees in attendance included Crystie
Rhodes, child welfare
specialist II; Annette
Watson, child welfare
specialist II; Laura
Durbin, a child welfare
specialist II; Alyshi
Crawford and Carol
Sanders, while Coal
County OKDHS
employees included
Angie Williams, child
welfare specialist III;
Sandra Manuel, child
welfare specialist II;
Amy Pettigrew, child
welfare specialist II;
Sherry Loudermilk,
administrative technician III and Tommie
Martinez, a social
worker aide. – KGP
and Delilah Hilliard,
child welfare specialist
II, Foster Care Specialist, Coal County
OKDHS
Native American
Heritage
Celebration Set
The Native American Heritage Celebration Committee invites
you and your guests to
attend OKDHS’ Native
American Heritage
Celebration from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov.
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
15 in the State Capital
rotunda. This year’s
theme is “One Voice
Stronger Than Before.”
The program will
feature a number of
special guests including the Dent family,
donors of the “Lewis
and Clark friendship
letter,” which will be
on exhibition. Other
guests will include:
Bob Blackburn, director of the Oklahoma
Historical Society;
Geri Wisner-Foley of
the Muskogee Creek
Nation and ambassador
to the United Nations
representing the
Muskogee and all
Native American
tribes; tribal princesses
signing and singing,
plus dancers from the
Edmond, Oklahoma
City, Putnam City and
Anadarko schools. The
first floor area of the
rotunda will feature
exhibits and food. The
celebration is free to
the public.
All OKDHS
employees participating during normal duty
hours shall be considered to be on administrative leave. All
OKDHS staff members
are encouraged to
attend and support the
Native American Heritage Celebration. For
more information on
the event, contact Elizabeth Fine, Civil
Rights administrator,
Office of Civil Rights
at (405) 521-3529 or 1(800)-214-3529.
Continued on page 13
Black Heritage
Celebration
Scheduled For
Feb. 25
Pontotoc County OKDHS Raises More Than $3,000 For March Of Dimes
A crowd shopped away three hours into Pontotoc County OKDHS’ fund-raiser March of Dimes
yard sale held on Sept. 18 at the Pontotoc
County OKDHS building in Ada. All items
were donated by Pontotoc County OKDHS
OKDHS’s theme
staff, their family members and friends. More
for the upcoming
than $760 was raised during the event.
Black Heritage CeleOKDHS employees who donated their time
bration 2005 is “Black
included Melina Linker, Kara Alexander,
History: A Remarkable
Carla Taylor, Jodi Cotton-Jay, Tina Brinlee
Journey.” The event is
and Tanya Kinsey. Several other employees
scheduled from 11 a.m.
also helped with the sale by marking, sorting and unloading the
to 1 p.m. Feb. 25 at the
items. They included Sharon McClanahan, Vanessa Sawyers, Kelli
Omniplex Science
Hinkle, Karla Chaffin, Tonya White, Darrin Sheffield and Ivan
Museum located at the
Otero. Brinlee, a Supplemental Security Income Disabled ChilKirkpatrick Science
dren’s Program caseworker, Pontotoc County OKDHS, recognized
and Air Space Museum
Richard Petete as the “most valuable employee” because of his
in Oklahoma City. A
assistance in picking up donations. “We believe the first annual
luncheon will be
March of Dimes yard sale sponsored by our employees was a huge
served after the presensuccess because of the dedication, selflessness, and an ongoing
tations. For more inforsense of responsibility by our staff to save children.” She said addimation, contact
tional fund-raisers included a hot dog lunch, several breakfast
OKDHS’ Dustin
meals, the selling of University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State
Pyeatt, public informaUniversity bears plus March of Dimes shoes and Blue Jeans for Babies. “We’ve raised a grand total of
tion specialist, Office
of Communications, at $3,006.28 and we’re still counting!” Brinlee said.
Carla Taylor (above right) social service specialist II, and daughter, Shana, enjoyed the recent Pontotoc
(405) 522-3731. –
County OKDHS’ fund-raiser March of Dimes yard sale. – KGP and TB
KGP
OK Health Can
Work For You!
After more than
one year of testing and
participation, hundreds
of OKDHS employees
have experienced positive successes from the
OK Health Program. It
can work for you, too!
Now is the time to
start if you have been
thinking about an exercise program, trying to
eat healthy, losing
weight or managing the
stress in your life. OK
Health takes a completely new comprehensive approach to optimizing your health. It is
not a wonder drug,
overnight cure or a miracle diet and fitness
program. Instead, it
focuses on achieving
“optimal wellness” with
practical strategies that
you can enjoy for life.
Here are some
success stories:
“I have a family
history of diabetes,
high-blood pressure and
heart problems. I was
tested for diabetes, and
my doctor told me that I
was pre-diabetic. I was
told about OK Health,
and I thought it would
be really good at this
point to have someone
to mentor me into
lifestyle changes that I
needed. It was really on
time with what was
going on in my life.” –
Lisa Brown, Oklahoma
City
“I had the opportunity to participate in
OK Health program
shortly after being diagnosed as diabetic. The
information and support
I received through the
program has helped me
adjust and improve my
overall health and wellbeing,” – Peggy Butcher, Oklahoma City
“Bottom line is
I’m losing weight and
inches. My blood pressure is better now than
before. My cholesterol
levels have improved.
I’m eating healthy for
maybe the first time in
my life. I’m exercising,
and I’m even eating
fruit. Thanks OK
Health!” – Carl Evans,
Lawton
To enroll in this
program and begin your
own success story, follow these three easy
steps:
Call 405-2321190 x131 (Toll Free:
1-800-219-8115) or email: okhealth@ebc.
state.ok.us – HRMD
2005 Partnership
Conference For
Oklahoma
Families Set For
March 3-4, 2005
The 2005 Partnership Conference for
Oklahoma Families,
which helps to foster
coordinating services
and collaborating
resources to meet the
needs of Oklahoma
families, will be held
March 3-4, 2005.
Registration will
begin in December for
the conference, which
will be held at the
Meridian Hotel and
Convention Center, 737
S. Meridian Ave. in
Oklahoma City. An
online registration form
and conference information are available on
the conference Web site
at http://www.okdhs.
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
org/partnersconference/.
– DD
Just The Fax!
Help OKDHS
save dollars and trees.
Program your fax
machine to eliminate
confirmation sheets.
Send an e-mail or call if
you need verification
that the recipient
received the fax instead.
Use fax stick-on labels
instead of a separate
cover sheet. Attach a
document to an e-mail
message, rather than
printing it out and faxing it.
For more information about paper-saving
suggestions, call or email: Debby.Guthrie
@okdhs.org, Office
Support Services Division, (405) 521-3095. –
SMB
13
Knott Retires After 35 Years
Surrounded by dozens of friends and co-workers wishing her a fond farewell,
Marilynn Knott, administrator of the Office of Planning, Policy and Research,
(front row, center) recently retired after a distinguished career at OKDHS of more
than 35 years. Knott plans to stay active in her community and will dedicate
much volunteer time to her church. – KGP
Vietnam Delegation Visits OKDHS
A delegation from Vietnam recently visited Oklahoma as a part of their “Vietnam
To The United States” tour. Here, they pose with OKDHS Director Howard H.
Hendrick (back row, fourth from left) outside of the Sequoyah Building in Oklahoma City. The American Council of Young Political Leaders sponsored the
group made up of delegates ranging in age from 25 to 40 who are elected or
appointed officials in government or a political party at the local, state and
national level. The purpose of the program is to expose such delegates to the
U.S. governmental and political process at local, state and national levels, while
providing a forum for discussion, dialogue and sharing personal experiences.
Oklahoma Sen. Kenneth Corn hosted the delegation during their visit to Oklahoma after his own visit to Vietnam. – KGP
14
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Hagerman Named
HRMD Manager
By Douglas Doe
Associate Editor
The Human Resources Management Division is pleased to announce
the appointment of Kay Hagerman to
the position of personnel manager II.
Joining HRMD in Oklahoma
City, Hagerman will be responsible
for the OKDHS Benefits Services
Unit, including managing the program responsibilities currently performed by Joe Kirk, who will retire
later this year.
Hagerman began her career in
1985 at Beckham County OKDHS as
a Family Support Services Division
social worker. She most recently
served as the county director for
Custer County OKDHS and Dewey
County OKDHS.
She is a graduate of Southwest
Oklahoma State University where
she earned a bachelor’s degree in
education and is a graduate of the
Certified Public Managers Program.
Hagerman currently serves as president of the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Managers. During her
career, she has and continues to serve
in various capacities on a number of
civic, as well as Agency, committees
and task forces. In her new position,
Hagerman will report to A.L. “Al”
Smith, director of HRMD.
Caught Working
Marshall County OKDHS’ Web site
states “one thing you won’t hear around
the OKDHS Marshall County Human
Service Center these days: ‘That’s not
my job!’ ” Here many of them are
“Caught Working.” They include (from
top left and clockwise): Kathryn Sites,
social services specialist II; “the twins”
Pam Hallmark, administrative technician III, and Donna Spivey, administrative technician III; Josh Cain, child
welfare specialist I, and Angela R.
Wood, child welfare specialist IV; Mary
Jane Lowery, social service specialist II;
Rita Pruitt, social services specialist II;
Kent Hallmark, social services specialist
II; Joey Bishop, social service specialist
IV; Rhonda Tickel, social services
specialist II, and Chad Coble, child
welfare specialist II. – GEJ and KGP
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
15
Poetry
continued from page 5
by the World of Poetry. “Storm in the
Desert” was published in 1991 in
“Poetic Voices of America” and,
again, in “Great Poems of Our Time”
in 1993. “The Tomb” was published
in “Windows of the Soul” in 1995 by
the National Library of Poetry. She
has given poetry readings at church
and various other venues. She said
her poetic voice has matured during
the past 34 years.
“Our perspective changes and
we all mature as we grow,” Hillemeyer said.
Married since 1958 to Richard, a
masonry contractor, Hillemeyer has
much to write about these days. She’s
the mother of three grown children,
nine grandchildren and one great
grandchild. She said her husband
encourages her to write.
“Richard is very supportive and
he’s proud of it,” she said. “I try to
put inflections in my readings. Writing poetry is how I recharge my batteries. I never know how a poem is
going to turn out or what direction
one will take. God is the one providing the words and inspiration and any
talent I might have.”
Hillemeyer said she likes writing about OKDHS staff because they
are very loyal and dedicated people.
“Sometimes, it has been difficult
when change occurs at OKDHS, but
our culture is dedicated to helping
our citizens,” she said, “and we
always pull together and work
through our issues. We’re kind of like
a big family.
“It is important that OKDHS
employees understand that the
Agency and we (employees) are constantly going through change – we
don’t sit still. We are evolving.
Everyone works as a team to help the
citizens of Oklahoma. If you remember to embrace that concept, it will
make things easier.”
16
Champion of Children
By Sherry Hillemeyer
Little children and their plight
Have always been your main concern
Homeless children, those abused
A better life for them you yearned.
With dedication to your cause
You sought out those who shared your dreams
So years ago you made the choice
And joined the Public Welfare team.
Many cases you’ve reviewed
Some were easy to resolve
Others though were so complex
You couldn’t help but get involved.
Tear aplenty you have shed
When proper homes could not be found
You’ve given time that was your own
To see your charges safe and sound.
Throughout the years you’ve seen it all
The sadness, fear and hunger, too
That filled the world of all the kids
Whose lives were bettered, thanks to you.
And now it’s time to say goodbye
You’re leaving us to carry on
Without your knowledge in this field
‘Twill be a struggle with you gone.
Yet though you may not be with us
We’ll still be working side by side
Because the example you have set
Will always be our constant guide.
Remember, then, it’s not farewell
For we will never be apart
The joys and love that we have shared
We’ll keep forever in our hearts.
*This poem was actually written for a child welfare supervisor in
Jackson County for her retirement, but we felt it applied to any social
worker in OKDHS.
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Crum Named Mayes County Director
By Douglas Doe
Associate Editor
Shirley Crum, a 27-year veteran
of OKDHS, has assumed administration of the Mayes County OKDHS
office.
“Shirley’s experience makes her
a great resource for Mayes County,”
Judy Wyatt, Area V director, said.
“Her leadership will facilitate
OKDHS’ efforts to meet the local
human services needs.”
During the past five years with
OKDHS, Crum served as an assistant
county director for Muskogee County
OKDHS. She began her career with
the Department in 1976 as a social
services worker in Muskogee County,
and later became a Family Support
Services Division supervisor in 1988.
“The OKDHS staff in Mayes
County cares deeply about the wellbeing of our citizens,” Crum said.
“They work well together and take
great pride in what they do.”
Crum graduated from Muskogee
High School and earned a bachelor’s
degree from Northeastern State Uni-
SCC
September
Cimarron County
Nancy Kline, 22 years
•
Garfield County
Rita R. Nossaman, 15 years
•
Garvin County
Lonny L Britt, 21 years
•
McClain County
Barbara Kay Gunter, 24 years
Shirley Crum
versity in Tahlequah, with majors in
journalism and English. She has two
children, Donald, a student at NSU,
and Margaret, a nurse living in
Muskogee. She also has two stepchildren, Tracy Lynch, of Fort Gibson,
and Donna Slawson, of Little Rock,
Ark. Her husband, Don, works for
the Veteran’s Administration.
continued from page 10
set up booths and were on hand to distribute information about their charitable efforts. This year’s goal is
$325,000. More than $300,000 was
raised in central Oklahoma last year –
a significant accomplishment when
considering Oklahoma’s challenging
economic situation.
Hendrick explained to the crowd
about the traveling trophies that different state agencies have the opportunity to win (OKDHS won last year’s trophy for the most contributions). He
said OKDHS was “very blessed” to
have a state leader of the high caliber
of Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin in attendance.
Fallin later praised Hendrick for his
leadership and thanked employees for
their contributions to the campaign.
Karen Jacobs, volunteer coordinator, OKDHS Office of Volun-
Congratulations And
Best Wishes To Our
Retirees!
teerism, said the SCC kick-off event
was very successful because of the
collaborative efforts among the United
Way staff, state employees and volunteers from state agencies. She said all
state agencies provide their employees
with the opportunity to participate in
the SCC. About 200 non-profit organizations benefit from the campaign.
“I never realized the depth of
assistance provided by United Way
agencies until several members of my
family were faced with the cancer disease,” Jacobs said. “I was then introduced to numerous available services
for cancer patients. OKDHS has been
a leader in contributions, and I am sure
that with the generosity of state
employees, this year’s goal will be
attained.”
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
•
Muskogee County
Yvonne Greenwood, 30 years
•
Finance Division
(Payroll)
Lois Ann Harp, 28 years
•
Office of Client Advocacy
Joel D. Lebowitz, 22 years
•
NORCE/Garfield County
Phyllis Ann Farmer, 14 years
Rita M. Lamke, 27 years
•
SORC/Garvin County
Florence Boney, 30 years
Joe Brady, 18 years
17
Medicaid Program Services Expanding For Cancer
By Jo Kilgore
Public Information Manager,
Dan Alcorn
Senior Research Specialist
Oklahoma Health Care Authority
An expansion of the state Medicaid program is planned in early
2005 and will include two new programs, the breast/cervical cancer
treatment program and the Family
Planning Waiver.
In May 2004, Gov. Brad Henry
signed the “Belle Maxine Hilliard
Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Revolving Fund” Act which
will enable the state to exercise the
federal option under the State Medicaid Plan to provide breast and cervical cancer services for an expanded
eligibility group of women in the
state of Oklahoma. The Legislature
appropriated $2.5 million for the program in fiscal year 2005.
To be eligible for services,
women must meet certain eligibility
requirements that have been set out
by federal guidelines including:
under the age of 65; no creditable
coverage, or other available insurance providing breast or cancer services, including Medicaid; and must
have been screened for breast or cervical cancer under the Breast and
Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP) established under
Title XV of the Public Health Service
Act and found to need treatment for
either breast or cervical cancer.
Currently, three entities in the
state of Oklahoma are administering
a BCCEDP grant, the Oklahoma
State Department of Health (OSDH)
and the Kaw Nation and Cherokee
Nation. Plans are in place to expand
the current screening network.
In order to provide for the necessary coordination among the agencies to implement this program of
services, the Oklahoma Health Care
18
Authority (OHCA), OSDH and the
Kaw and Cherokee nations have
developed a collaborative work plan
and various work groups are meeting
weekly. The group is currently finalizing eligibility, policy and systems
issues to meet the expected target
implementation date of Jan. 1, 2005.
Women who meet eligibility criteria and have received an abnormal
screen for either breast or cervical
cancer will be eligible for the full
scope of Medicaid services. Upon
being determined to need further
treatment, they will be enrolled in
SoonerCare, the state’s partially capitated, managed care Medicaid pro-
gram. A woman will choose a primary care provider and receive
needed specialty referrals through the
primary care provider. In addition,
she will have available care management services, transportation through
SoonerRide, the SoonerCare Helpline
and Nurse Advice Line.
Eligible women will continue to
receive services through SoonerCare
until they are determined to no longer
be in need of cancer treatment.
According to figures released by
the OSDH, there are more than
69,000 women in Oklahoma between
the ages of 19 and 64 who are at or
below the 185 percent federal poverty level (FPL). Of this number potenINSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
tially 36,000 women will need some
form of follow-up diagnostic testing
with an estimated number of 172
women having breast cancer. Potentially 2,800 women in the same category will need follow-up for cervical
cancer, with treatment needed for
approximately 17 women with cervical cancer.
The Family Planning Waiver is
an 1115(a) Research and Demonstration waiver to provide family planning services to individuals who
would otherwise not be eligible for
Medicaid. The OHCA anticipates the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) will grant approval
of the waiver request later this year.
Enrollment and coverage of eligible
individuals will begin in early 2005.
Eligible individuals will include
uninsured women, ages 19 and older,
regardless of pregnancy history, with
family income at or below 185 percent of the FPL and who are otherwise ineligible for Medicaid benefits.
This category includes women who
gain eligibility for Title XIX reproductive health services due to a pregnancy, but whose eligibility ends 60
days postpartum. Men and couples,
age 19 and older, at or below 185
percent FPL are also eligible, regardless of pregnancy or paternity history. Medical benefits to be provided
under the Family Planning Waiver
are limited to the reproductive services currently covered under the
State Medicaid Plan.
The Family Planning waiver is
important to Oklahoma because of
the 90:10 federal match that will
enable the state to provide family
planning services to an expanded
group of women and men. Approximately 50,000 individuals will
become eligible for the reproductive
services to be covered under the proposed waiver.
One Church
continued from page 1
placing more than 1,000 children in
adoptive homes. This success is due
in large part to the dedicated staff at
One Church, One Child and their
strong partnership with OKDHS.
“Our staff is great,” Howard
said. “This is my passion and the staff
works as if it’s theirs also. They don’t
get paid half of what they deserve.”
Howard said that ever since One
Church, One Child of Oklahoma
partnered with OKDHS, the Agency
has provided a liaison to help facilitate with adoption issues.
“So, we’re not out there by ourselves,” she said. “I can’t say enough
positive things about the service
OKDHS provides to our program –
anything we need. They do whatever
they can to help us do what we do.”
As for the future, Howard’s
plans for the One Church, One Child
program are limited only by her
boundless passion for the cause and
her clever resourcefulness. During
the month of November, which Gov.
Brad Henry has proclaimed “Adoption Month,” Howard and her staff
aim to recruit 30 families in 30 days.
One Church, One Child of Oklahoma also sponsors the Family Ties
Resource Family Support Group.
This informal group of foster parents,
kinship-foster parents, adoptive parents and prospective adoptive and
foster parents meet to share ideas,
concerns and to build a support network.
A new project One Church, One
Child of Oklahoma is currently
rolling out is the Realizing Educational Achievement with Community
Help (REACH) program. REACH
allows high school juniors and seniors to fulfill their school’s community service requirements by volunteering at One Church, One Child. This
program also offers college students
interested in working with children or
in the field of social work the oppor-
tunity to get hands-on training and
earn internship course credits.
Also underway is the new
Churches as Parenting Partners program (CAPP), which is designed to
provide churches and community
organizations with an opportunity to
support and nurture the growth of
young people as they transition from
foster care to independent living
while attending college or technology
schools. The CAPP program partners
will offer encouragement, acknowledgement and access to a community
or church liaison.
As the second generation to lead
this very successful community partner, Howard has earned the right to
brag about her accomplishment, but
you’ll never hear her utter a word of
self-praise.
“I’ve done nothing,” Howard
said. “I just come in here and work. I
see the need of our children and that
keeps me working.
“My father told me that if you
take care of people, people will take
care of you. I hope I can look at these
children in the future and say that
One Church, One Child assisted them
in finding a family and a home and
gave them a chance.”
For information on One Church,
One Child of Oklahoma, call toll
free, 1 (800) 865-0225.
INSIDE OKDHS — November 2004
Ott
continued from page 3
untary Mutual Consent Adoptions
Registry desk that Ott befriended
Mary Payne, a confidential intermediary who contracts with
OKDHS. Although the case was
closed, Payne took an interest in
Ott and did a little more digging.
And just when the whole family was ready to close this life-long
chapter of searching, a breakthrough came. The whole story
appeared in the October 2004 issue
of Inside OKDHS.
What do you think about
when you think of character?
When Judy and her family speak
of character in the future, a picture
of Mary Payne’s characteristics of
persistence, determination, resourcefulness, diligence and thoroughness will be posted as the
illustrations in this family’s book
of life.
Lessons we can all learn from
this Best Foot Forward effort:
Never give up. Don’t quit. And
never let anyone steal your
dream…
“… for if dreams die, life is a
broken-winged bird that cannot
fly.” – Langston Hughes
Judy! There Is A Way …
19
Inside OKDHS is published for
employees and retirees of the Oklahoma
Department of Human Services as a joint
effort of the Office of Communications, the
Publications Section and the Print Shop.
Howard H. Hendrick, Director
Department of Human Services
George Earl Johnson Jr.
Director of Communications
Alice Carrillo
Publications Section and
Print Shop Supervisor
Editorial Team:
Kevan Goff-Parker, Editor
Dustin Pyeatt, Associate Editor
Douglas Doe, Associate Editor
Stephanie Bond, Publications Editor
Carla Garrett, Office Manager
Casey Harvey, Asst. Office Manager
Jim Gumm, Photographer
OKDHS S04175
Issued 11/2004
Publication of Inside OKDHS is authorized by the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services in accordance
with state and federal regulations and printed by the
Oklahoma Department of Human Services at a cost of
$4,033.00 for 4,033 copies. Copies have been deposited with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Publications Clearinghouse. Contents are not copyrighted and
may be freely quoted unless otherwise noted.
Oklahoma Department of
Human Services
P.O. Box 25352
Oklahoma City, OK 73125