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Upcoming
meetings
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INCA
holds open house in Atoka
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KI
BOIS transit maintenance program
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Partnership
puts Southwest Head Start in county building
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United
Head Start partners in Bristow for quality child care
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Carolyn
Selph honored
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Oklahoma
Community Action to acquire and rehab homes
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Off-farm
rental housing planned by Southwest Oklahoma CAG
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Natural
gas bills jump expected
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Annual
conference photos
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Opportunities
operates substance abuse treatment program
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CAP
of Tulsa sets up distribution program with grant
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Wanda DeBruler
resigns
Wanda
DeBruler resigned as executive director of the Oklahoma
Association of Community Action Agencies on Sept. 15 to begin a
private consulting practice. Kay Floyd, Head Start Collaboration
Program director, was named interim executive director.
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Poverty
rate inches downward
Census
Bureau data indicates that the poverty
rate in America dropped to 11.8 percent in 1999, the lowest point in 21
years. That is down from 12.7 percent. In Oklahoma, the percentage of
people living in poverty dropped to 13.4 percent for 1998-99 which is
down from 13.9 percent for the previous two-year average.
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KI
BOIS staff earns professional certifications
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KI BOIS Community Action’s certified staff includes (seated l-r) Charla Sloan, Certified Community Transit Manager; Linda Love, Certified Community Action Professional; (standing l-r) Pam Patton, Certified Home Development Professional; Tom
Marlatt, Carroll Huggins and John Jones, all Certified Community Action Professionals |
KI
BOIS executive director Carroll Huggins is a big supporter of
professional certification. Huggins along
with five of his senior staff have earned certifications.
The
agency boasts four staff members who have earned the Certified
Community Action Professional designation awarded by the National
Association of Community Action Agencies. The CCAP process helps
prepare younger staff members to accept leadership roles, Huggins
said.
They
include Tom Marlatt, director
of Operations; John Jones, director of Housing; Linda Love,
planner; and Huggins.
In
addition, Pam Patton, project director, is a Certified Home
Development Professional. She was certified by the National
Development Council after successfully passing an examination at
the completion of three courses.
Charla
Sloan, transit manager, is a Certified Community Transit Manager.
She earned the certification after completing training and taking
a national test from the Community Transportation Association of
America.
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Upcoming
meetings
Oct.
10 – Oklahoma
Head Start Association Directors meeting at the Biltmore Hotel
in Oklahoma City. Contact: 405-524-4124.
Oct.
10-13 - National
Association for State Community Services Programs Annual
Training Seminar in Raleigh, North Carolina. Contact:
202-624-5866.
Oct.
11 – Oklahoma
Head Start Association Parents Training at the Biltmore Hotel in
Oklahoma City. Contact: 405-524-4124.
Oct.
12-13 - Oklahoma Homeless
Conference at Metro Tech in Oklahoma City. Contact: Vaughn Clark
at 405-815-5370.
Oct.
18-20 - OKACAA Board of
Directors retreat at Shangri-La at Grand Lake. Contact:
405-524-4124.
Oct.
18 – Oklahoma
Weatherization and Housing Advisory Council meeting at
the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City. Contact: 405-524-4124.
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Memorandum
of Understanding signed at conference
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Signing the expanded Memorandum of Understanding were Gov. Bill Anoatubby, Chickasaw Nation; Leon McCowan, Administration for Children and Families; Jim Sconzo, OKACAA; David Statton, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse; Debbie Pumphrey, Oklahoma Department of Human Services; Jackie Watson, Oklahoma Head Start Association; Ann Trudgeon, Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council; Valerie Williams, University Affiliated Programs of Oklahoma; and Brenda Williams, Oklahoma Department of Commerce |
Two years
ago Oklahoma became the first state in the nation to negotiate an
agreement between government and private non-profit agencies to share
resources and coordinate efforts to help low-income families.
Six more groups signed the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
pledging to support cooperation and coordination among programs during
the annual conference of the Oklahoma Association of Community Action
Agencies (OKACAA).
“Two years ago, Oklahoma led the nation by negotiating the
first state MOU. Through their recent negotiations, Oklahoma again leads
the nation by adding new partners to the Head Start/Community Action
Agencies collaborative,” said Leon McCowan, West Central Hub director,
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
Within the scope of the agreement, the partners will create
workgroups to solve problems among programs, share information and
resources, and coordinate activities and training that directly relates
to services for economically disadvantaged families.
“Since taking the national lead over two years ago by
initiating the first MOU, the Oklahoma partnerships have grown
tremendously,” said Brenda Williams, deputy director, Oklahoma
Department of Commerce, Office of Community Development.
New partners are the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and
two of its divisions, Developmental Disabilities Services and Child
Support Enforcement; Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Services; Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council; Chickasaw
Nation’s Child Support Enforcement Program; Osage Nation’s Tribal
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program; and University
Affiliated Programs of Oklahoma.
They join the Administration for Children and Families, an agency
of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department; Oklahoma Department of
Commerce; OKACAA; Oklahoma Head Start Association; Basic Health
Management Head Start Quality Improvement Center; and the University
Affiliated Program for Arkansas Disability Services Quality Improvement
Center.
Back to Archives
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LaQuita Thornley, INCA Public Relations director (r), gives Kay Floyd, OKACAA Head Start Collaboration director, a tour of a Head Start classroom |
INCA
holds open house for new Atoka office
INCA
Community Services held an open house recently to show off its new
offices in Atoka. Located in what was formerly the Thunderbird
Elementary School, the 20,500 square foot facility allows INCA to
consolidate many of its offices that were previously scattered around
the community.
Among
the programs housed in the building are Head Start classes, the JAMM
Transit system, and food pantry.
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| INCA Director Bill Buck checks
inventory in the food pantry |
INCA
works with student groups, the Boy Scouts, local radio station, and
Postal Service to collect cans to stock the food pantry.
The
building draws many residents from the community. In a large auditorium
residents can pick up vegetables raised by inmates at a nearby
correction facility using seeds purchased by INCA.
For
the 40 three and four-year-old Head Start students a large area has been
marked off with tape in the auditorium where children can ride their
tricycles. There is also an office for the Head Start Social Services
coordinator who works with families.
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KATS
maintenance program keeps buses running
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Ron Davis
checks the oil in one of the vans
operated by KATS as Jim Oliver looks on
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With
86 vehicles racking up 1.8 million miles annually in an
eight county area, the KI BOIS Area Transit System (KATS)
mechanics Ron Davis and Jim Oliver stay busy keeping vehicles
in top running condition.
The
pair, based in Stigler, focus on preventive maintenance
pulling vehicles off the road every 15,000 miles to be checked
over. The programs has paid off with the buses lasting longer.
The
pair do everything from oil changes to repairing wheel chair
lifts to installing two-way radios.
According
to transit system manager Charla Sloan, KATS vehicles provide
transportation services for a variety of programs. They
transport children to Head Start, Medicaid recipients to
doctor appointments, developmentally disabled clients to jobs
and Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) recipients to
training or jobs. KATS also provides demand response service
which is open to the general public in a limited service area.
KATS
is partnering with five other transit programs to provide
transportation to jobs for TANF recipients under the “Road
to Work Oklahoma” program. KATS has currently committed six
vehicles to the program that serves a 33 county area.
According
to Sloan, routes are developed based on need. Some clients are
bused to Paris, Texas, Fort Smith, Arkansas, and near Joplin,
Missouri, to jobs. Riders pay a small charge.
This
job access grant, now in its first year, is funded by the
Federal Transit Administration. A $2 million grant is being
sought with hopes to expand the rural transit program
statewide.
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Back to Archives
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Head
Start located in former county health department
Colorful
cartoon characters now adorn the wall and three-year-old
children scurry around what was once the Jackson County Health
Department and is now the June Bailey Head Start Center in
Altus.
Southwest
Oklahoma Community Action Group developed a long-term
partnership with the Jackson County Commissioners which led to
complete renovation of the 9,000 square foot building that had
sat unused for two years.
In
addition to classrooms for 51 children, the center has a large
conference room, a kitchen, and a resource room complete with a
computer and reading material. There is space available for a
speech therapist from the local public schools who works with
children on an as needed basis.
Staff
housed in the building includes three teachers and aides, a
family services worker, cook, Head Start director, and support
staff.
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Carolyn
Selph honored
Carolyn
Selph, KI BOIS Head Start Disabilities Services
coordinator, was honored earlier this year at a luncheon
held by the Council for Early Childhood Professional
Recognition in Washington, DC.
Selph
and four other Head Start staff members with Child
Development Associate credentials had been selected to
be recognized during CDA’s 25th anniversary year. The
five obtained their CDA credentials in the 1970’s and
had consistently renewed them.
Selph
began her Head Start journey 28 years ago as a Head
Start parent. She worked as a cook, then moving to
teacher, center director, and family services worker.
KI
BOIS Head Start is funded to serve 877 children and
families in a four-county area.
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Southwest
Oklahoma Community Action Head Start director Joy Hardy
United Community Action partners
to provide quality child care in Bristow. Pictured are, from left,
Renee’ Farley, Bristow Programs/Operations manager; Darold Glover, Bristow Public School
superintendent; Melba Douglas, United Early Head Start/First Start director; and Dana
Renfroe, owner of Tendercare child care.
Community
partnerships lead to quality childcare in Bristow
Residents
of Bristow have access to full day, year-round, quality care
for their children thanks to collaborations among United
Community Action Program, the public schools, and many others
in the community.
Through
First Start, Early Head Start, and Head Start, children from
infants to kindergarten receive care. Some programs start as
early at 6 a.m. and continue until 12:30 a.m. to accommodate
parents working different shifts.
While
Community Action, the public schools, and day care centers are
key players in the collaboration, there are many other
partners who support the program. Health care professionals
provide medical screenings. Local company volunteers painted
one of the buildings as part of the United Way “Day of
Caring.” Still another lady crochets hats for all of the
children.
The
collaborative efforts began in 1997 with the creation of ACT
– A Community Together. Beginning with just 57 youngsters in
the Head Start program in one facility, the program has grown
to 212 enrolled in four facilities scattered around the
community. Characterized as a “big informal partnership,”
the collaborative effort grows yearly with more partners and
children.
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Back to Archives
CAA
of Oklahoma City to acquire and rehab homes
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| U.S. Congressman Frank Lucas participates in a press conference with Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties officials to announce plans to acquire and rehabilitate homes. |
U.S.
Representative Frank Lucas joined with representatives from the
Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian
Counties, First United Bank and Fannie Mae to announce a new $10
million initiative to acquire and rehabilitate homes in blighted
neighborhoods of Oklahoma City as well as Canadian and Cleveland
Counties.
Fannie
Mae is making financing available through First United Bank for
innovative loans that enable Community Action to purchase and
rehabilitate homes in targeted neighborhoods.
Under
the initiative, Community Action will purchase a distressed home
utilizing the Fannie Mae HomeStyle Investor Mortgage that allows
it to borrow funds from First United Bank for the purchase and
renovation of the home. This mortgage has been modified to allow
the Community Action Agency to borrow additional funds to make
mortgage payments for up to 12 months while the renovation is
underway.
Once
renovations are complete, the Community Action Agency will sell
the home to a qualified homebuyer. The new homebuyer will assume
the loan, thereby avoiding additional closing costs associated
with a new loan.
This
mortgage allows qualified homebuyers to purchase a newly renovated
home with a minimum down payment of just two percent of the
purchase price with the additional three percent coming from other
sources, including the OKC-CAA Home Buyer Program.
Executive
Director Jim Sconzo said he is very proud of the partnership to
further the revitalization of housing. “These improved homes
will stabilize neighborhoods and provide opportunites for low- and
moderate-income residents to achieve the American Dream of
homeownership.” According to Cindy Mielke, special projects
housing director, this new initiative will complement the
agency’s efforts to provide several hundred high-quality,
affordable homes.
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Southwest
Oklahoma Community Action to build "off farm" workers housing
Southwest
Oklahoma Community Action is working towards finalizing plans to
construct 10 “off farm” single family rental houses for farm
workers.
The three and four bedroom units are to be constructed in a
six block area in a targeted neighborhood in southwest Altus near
the Community Action’s office. Officials hope to break ground
for the project in April 2001.
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| Discussing plans for
“off-farm workers housing” are, from left, Neil
Montgomery executive director, June Bailey, former
executive director, Linda Tarpley, housing director,
Heather Camp, assistant housing director, all from
Southwest Oklahoma Community Action, and Beverly Schanfele,
Ivan Graves, Shelley Bookout and Marcia Ard, all from USDA
Rural Housing Development. |
“There is a real need for this type of housing,” former
executive director June Bailey said. She estimates there are 1,400
families that are farm laborers in the area.
The project will be funded with grants from U.S. Department
of Agriculture Rural Development and Oklahoma Housing Finance
Agency.
Jackson County is transferring two parcels of land that
will be sites for housing. The transfers were made possible by
passage of Senate Bill 840 during the past legislative session.
That measure permitted county commissioners to transfer unneeded
property to Community Action Agencies.
Bailey said this is the first project of this type in the
state. She noted that in the 60s, migrant farm workers were living
in shacks or barracks.
One of the long-term goals, according to executive director
Neil Montgomery, is to revitalize the neighborhood.
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Utility
News Briefs
Oklahomans
could see their electricity costs rise in the short run with electric
utility restructuring.
In the short run, it’s difficult to believe that prices will go
down for Oklahomans through restructuring, Ken Zimmerman, Oklahoma
Corporation Commission, told a state House Energy, Environment and
Natural Resources Committee. The interim committee is studying electric
restructuring under which consumers will select their electric provider.
Back to Archives
Annual
Conference
Linda Reasoner, project director, BHM International
HSQIC, Regiona VI-A, discusses “Child Outcomes” before a packed room of Head Start staff. |
“Incorporating Community 2020 Software for Community Planning” was the focus of Jean Cooper’s presentation. She is executive director of Northeast Oklahoma Community Action in Jay.
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Don Sykes, director, Office of Community Services, US
Department of Health and Human Services, was the keynote speaker at the
closing breakfast. |
Ingrid Gifford, Southwest Oklahoma Community Action, and Renee Hoover, Community Development Support Association, outlined ways to use data collected during the Dialogue on Poverty. |
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Frosty Troy, editor of the Oklahoma Observer, spoke on politics, government and social issues during the general session of the OKACAA Annual Conference last month. |
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How to Reach
OKACAA Staff |
Oklahoma Association of Community
Action Agencies
2915 Classen Blvd., Suite 215
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Phone: 405-524-4124, Fax:
405-524-4923 |
Back to Archives
|
 Opportunities
operates substance treatment program
Lillian Ake conducts group counseling which is a part of the recovery program in the residential treatment program.
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The
Behaviorial Care Services program operated by Opportunities, Inc.
in Watonga tries to help clients suffering from drug and alcohol
abuse to return to a more productive life through a comprehensive
program designed to equip them with the tools with which to
maintain sobreity.
The
program offers non-medical detoxification, residential treatment,
a halfway house, and outpatient services. During 1999, the 13
staff members provided detox and residential treatment for over
350 individuals. Another 30 spent time in the halfway house.
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Russell Morrison, program director, and Georgia Forthum, executive director, chat in the halfway house.
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After
clients spend three to five days coming off chemicals in detox,
they may be admitted to the residential treatment facility. During
their stay in the residential treatment facility, clients
participate in group therapy, individual counseling, and
recreational therapy.
If
clients progress satisfactorily through the residential treatment
program, they may enter a halfway house. They may remain
in the halfway house from 30 days to a year, depending upon
their progresss. While in the halfway house, clients are able to
work fulltime while continuing to participate in therapy and
receive counseling.
The
community is supportive of the program. Clients raise vegetables
in a garden adjacent to the halfway house that they share with
community residents and provide fresh produce for the kitchen.
Coping
and living skills are the focus of the therapy as clients learn
the self responsibility needed to succeed.
The
program also offers outpatient services for clients who live at
home but come in twice weekly for group therapy and counseling.
Grant
helps CAPTC set up distribution plan
Over
950 families in Tulsa County served by Head Start and Families and
Children Services are expected to benefit from a $25,000 grant to
the Kids in Distressed Situations (KIDS) from the Charles and Lynn
Schusterman Family Foundation.
The
grant helped establish a donation distribution program through the
Community Action Project of Tulsa County as a local extension of
the national KIDS charity, the Tulsa
World reported in its Aug. 27 issue.
During
the year, local families will receive an estimated $500,000 worth
of donated clothing and other items.
“This
is an excellent example of how CAP works with other organizations
to ensure that we are able to reach out to as many Tulsans as
possible,” Steven Dow, executive director, told the World.
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This
was financed in part by funds from the State of Oklahoma as administered
by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and OKACAA.
For copies of articles in an alternate format, call 405-524-4124.
Back to Archives
Copyright © 1997 OKACAA
All Rights Reserved
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