In fiscal year 2006, Howard H. Hendrick, 14th director of Oklahoma human services, completed his eighth year at OKDHS. Hendrick also serves as the longest tenured director in the same state of any presently serving director in the nation.
A single mother struggles to feed and clothe her children. A family needs care for a beloved aging parent. Children without a voice need safety, security and protection. They all have their stories. They are the stories of persons who live in the shadows of life and lack the personal or family resources necessary to care for themselves and their family. Each of them need help and hope.
At the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, help and hope are offered. Hope is offered through a reassuring word, an approval for benefits, a referral to a relevant service, or an opportunity for personal growth by participating in a human services program.
In fiscal year 2006, we offered hope to more than half a million Oklahomans:
- 1,336 children found hope, love and strength in an adoptive family - the most authorized adoptions ever;
- 1,150 adults and their families found hope by participating in adult day services - the most ever;
- A record 2,014 child care facilities earned two star status and a record 189 child care facilities achieved national acccreditation and received three star status. Nurturing, educational child care facilities offer hope to hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children and their families;
- A record 5,118 persons with developmental disabilities found hope through community-based Medicaid waiver services during June 2006, an increase of 15 percent from the previous record of 4,448 in June 2005;
- Elderly Oklahomans received more than 3 million meals through community meal programs and home delivery services;
- Oklahoma's children found hope through the more than $230 million collected in child support - the most ever;
- A record number of Oklahomans - more than 700,000 mostly children - were certified through the Medicaid program, offering hope for healthy tomorrows;
- Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services offered hope by providing the protection, safety and security needed by thousands of Oklahomans;
- Thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims found hope through the efforts of staff who expedited emergency food stamps, both in Oklahoma and in the devastated regions.
… and the list goes on, as hope is limitless, imaginative and inspiring.
This report is a collection of stories. They are representative of the hope to hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans by the 7,500 employees of OKDHS. They are stories of hope found, dreams fulfilled and brighter tomorrows.
Howard H. Hendrick
Director of Human Services