OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 3, 2020) – Governor Kevin Stitt and First Lady Sarah Stitt, along with Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives Justin Brown, today announced the launch of 30 Community HOPE Centers to be stood up by the end of 2020 that will serve approximately 4,200 children and their adult caregivers. Gov. Stitt and the CARES Forward Team have approved an initial $15 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to support this statewide effort.
“The First Lady and I have put a stake in the ground to address and reverse the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences in our state,” said Gov. Stitt. “This important, transformative work will develop pathways for children and families to overcome this difficult time. Strengthening Oklahoma’s families has generational impacts and will help us continue our forward momentum toward Top Ten status.”
Community HOPE Centers will utilize community partnerships to provide critical services to families using the science of HOPE as their foundation and will serve children ages 5-18 as well as their adult caregivers.
“The negative effects of childhood trauma are significant and multi-generational,” said First Lady Sarah Stitt. “By providing mental health services, social-emotional learning programs, and educational and nutritional support, these HOPE Centers will be a foundational step to mitigating the negative impacts of COVID in Oklahoma and will ultimately lead to becoming a Hope-Centered state.”
Each Community HOPE Center will have mental health professionals, OKDHS staff, virtual learning tools such as computers and iPads, meals and snacks, a weekend backpack program and other programming available to support families. Read more here.