INSIDE OKDHS - IN THE NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2012

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Mark Beutler: Hello everybody, I'm Mark Beulter from the Office of Communications and it's time to see what's going on in and around the agency. 

Coming up this month, the 2012 Governor's Disability Employment Awards of Excellence will be presented October 10th. Each year these awards are given to outstanding employees with disabilities, to businesses that hire people with disabilities and to members of the media or media organizations that publicize these work programs. This event is always inspiring and great fun. 

We'll announce the winners next month, right here on this webcast. Also coming up next month, we'll look at the new structure of programs at OKDHS. Change is the current watchword in the agency with the establishment of two new divisions as a result of this transformation. To facilitate the vertical integration model, Deb Smith is offering leadership to the new Child Welfare Services and Jim Struby is now heading up Adult and Family Services. 

We'll sit down with each of these dedicated public servants and talk about the new structure and how the people of Oklahoma benefit. You'll see those interviews right here next month. 

Turning our attention back to this month, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Because many of us at OKDHS are in a unique position to work with people and families in crisis, it's particularly important to be vigilant. Licensed Professional Counselor and survivor of domestic violence, Jenny Moseley sat down with our own Caroline Miller, who also happens to be Jenny's sister, to discuss domestic violence and what we can do through OKDHS to stop abuse in families.

No Audio: Jenny Moseley, LPC. Clinical Director, Choices Counseling Center 

Jenny Moseley: One in four women will be abused in her lifetime. One in four. Every 15 seconds a woman is battered. 30-60% of perpetrators who abuse their partners in the home also abuse children, which is very important for DHS to know. 

Most women never report to the police, it's too dangerous. Women who are age 20 to 24 are at the highest risk for intimate partner violence. Dating violence is occurring at younger and younger ages. We have to start in the junior highs. We have to target those kids. We have to target high-schoolers, college age; all of those young people are at higher risks of being abused or being abusers. 

I think that the front line workers, the child protective workers who are going into the homes need to be aware of what domestic violence really is so that they can handle those situations. But watching, paying attention, watching body language, talking to her separately, not in the house but maybe a couple of days later, talking to her. She's at risk and she knows she's at risk. 

So it's about building rapport and building trust and knowing what you're looking for and not blaming her. You have to pay attention. You have to be educated because we could be in danger if we tell. There's an increased lethality risk for women who leave abusive situations. That's why it's so important to plan it, to have a safety plan, to have resources, because if he's threatened to kill her if she leaves, that's what going to keep her there. 

Mark Beutler: We want to thank Ms. Moseley for agreeing to spend time with us. We also want to thank Caroline Miller, our OKDHS photographer for arranging this interview. Both of these dedicated professionals are passionate about raising awareness and preventing further domestic violence. 

As Ms. Moseley mentioned, knowing the signs of spousal abuse and approaching the topic carefully are extremely important. Your intuition is also a valuable tool in spotting this abuse. While there are many ways to get involved in the fight to prevent domestic violence, the most important thing you can do is be aware of the help that is available. 

No Audio: www.okdhs.org/purpleribbon

Mark Beutler (continues): Find out about the resources or the lack of resources in your area. Know what you would do if you find yourself needing to facilitate an intervention of some sort. In Oklahoma City and many other counties the YWCA is in the forefront of stopping domestic violence. Check out the YWCA website for more information.

No Audio: www.ywca.org 

Mark Beutler (continues): They have lots of events planned for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and there are many ways all of us can participate. 

Moving on, before we get to the commission report, we want to remind you the State Charitable Campaign recently kicked off with a celebration in Oklahoma City. Governor Fallin was on hand and this year's goals have been set. The donations given through this campaign are, in many cases, the major portion of a charity's budget. Please be generous. These organizations provide services that aren't available anywhere else. 

Now, on to the great work of the Oklahoma Human Services Commission. We've already discussed the changes that are happening in the agency and the Human Services Commission has been going through a lot of changes as well. Nearly half of the nine-member Commission are new appointees. We introduced two of the new Commissioners on this webcast a couple of months ago. Myron Pope is Vice President of Enrollment at the University of Central Oklahoma and Brandon Clabes is the Midwest City Police Chief. 

In addition to these two gentlemen this month sees the addition of two more Commissioners. Pamela Kanaly is an author and a nationally recognized motivational speaker. She serves as President and Co-founder of Arise Ministries, a national women's organization. Her work focuses on quality of life issues for single mothers and their families. 

Karen Vinyard Waddell also joins the Commission. She is an Oklahoma City business executive and motivational activist for children and families. Ms. Waddell is Chief Executive Officer of the Lynn Institute that provides health care services, research and clinical research trials. I think everyone will agree OKDHS will benefit from the experience, education, passion and dedication of all four of these new Commissioners. 

It seems Commissioner Chair Wes Lane agrees. We visited with Chairperson Lane about the commissioners and the current priorities of the Commission.

No Audio: Wes lane, Oklahoma Human Services Commissioner Chairperson
 
Chairperson Wes Lane: Well, I'll tell you, I think what we've seen is some real leadership. The Governor's appointed, as you just said, four new individuals that have been on since Yarborough and I came a year ago there have been four more opportunities. So what you've got with that group is you have a lot of leaders. So you've got several people that are... I think they bring strong leadership and they also bring personal passion to the table, so this is really good. I was really impressed with the appointments. 

Mark Beutler: The new Commissioners got right to work at this month's meeting. Director Preston Doerflinger spent a few minutes addressing the board on the status of the agency. Let's listen to some highlights of his presentation. 

Dir. Doerflinger: So the first thing that I wanted to focus on with the agency, and it was the most timely thing was the agency's budget. I was appointed March 27th, we were in the throes of the legislative session. I was in a very unique position to be both, still maintaining my Cabinet Secretary position, which placed me in the position of helping negotiate the state-wide budget while being the Director of this agency. 

That doesn't happen. Directors of agencies don't get to participate in negotiating the state budget when we get to that point. So I think by all accounts we recognize that we were successful in securing the proper resources for this agency out of the last budgetary cycle. 

I'll also say, as I've said before that having lived in this role and having played a part in helping secure last year's funds is going to be positive for this agency going forward. I certainly am more sensitive to the needs of this agency and will be better able to take those needs into consideration as we look at developing state-wide budgets in the future. 

This may be the last time I formally address you as your Interim Director. It has been a privilege to serve. I have been challenged and stretched in many ways. I've made very difficult decisions, some that have been received well. And I've made difficult decisions that some who may be sitting in the stands may not have agreed with from their view of the field. But I made decisions nonetheless. I have lead. 

My hope is that during my time as interim I have contributed in meaningful ways to the betterment of this agency in totality. To the employees of OKDHS I say again as I have many times, you are where the good stuff will come from. Unite around each other. Link arms with one another. Do not accept mediocrity from yourselves or your fellow team members, your work is too important. 

Like no other time in your history as an agency we are all pulling for you to be successful in fulfilling your mission. And, finally, to the citizens of the state I renew my plea and my appeal to be observant and be diligent to what's occurring around you. The task this agency faces is too large for this agency to accomplish alone. It'll take all of us. 

I can't thank you enough for the opportunity, Commissioners, to serve as your Interim Director. I wish you the best of luck and I'll be around but maybe just not in the lead role. Thank you, I'll take questions. 

(applause) 

Mark Beutler: Each month we post the Director's comments in their entirety on this web page. If you'd like to hear everything he presented, look for the September comments in the near future. On the topic of the Human Services Commission, the Spirit of Service award is presented each month to an OKDHS employee who goes above and beyond the call of duty. 

This award was the brainchild of Commissioner Aneta Wilkinson and even though we've introduced you to a few of the recipients over the past year, we want to honor ALL the winners right now.
 
No Audio: Spirit of Service Award winners: January - Sean Gillespie, February - Diana Velasquez and Jamie Beck, March - Cathy Connelly, April - Kyle Chaufty and Caroline Miller, May - Tawana Laurent, June - Debbie Guthrie, July - Shan Reed, August - Mary Ann Ferrell, September - Amber Wolanski.

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Mark Beutler: We congratulate each of the award winners and thank them for their hard work. A new Spirit of Service Award is presented each month. We look forward to bringing the winners to you right here. 

That's just about all we have for you this month. Thanks for joining us and for sticking around for a longer-than-usual webcast. Before we go we want to share some fun pictures with you. As you know, it's important to combine a little fun with the difficult work we all do for the citizens of our great state. The occasional special event provides a nice break to the routine. 

We're going to leave you with photos from the Child Welfare Summer Olympics followed by photos from a luau that was held for the employees of the Data Services Division. I'll see you in a month. Thanks for joining us. 

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