The purpose of the Foster Care and Adoptive Association of Oklahoma (FCAO) is to encourage the recruitment, retention and training of foster and adoptive families in Oklahoma. All individuals involved with foster care and adoption in Oklahoma are encouraged to join the FCAO.

For more information visit www.fcao.org or call 405-387-5052.

Contacts for the Foster Care and Adoptive Association of Oklahoma’s Board of Directors are as follows:
Lana Freeman
Executive President, Newcastle
Lanaf73@gmail.com

Holly Morris
Executive Vice President/Sponsorship Coordinator, Norman
Holly.morris@cox.net
Linda McDaniel
Vice President, Krebs
Lkmcd2@allegiance.tv

Carol Collins
Vice President, Bartlesville
Cscatcasa@aol.com

Mark James
Secretary, Shawnee
Mjames@okkids.org

Sandy Brown
Treasurer/Conference Chair, Wellston
Brown@safy.org

Cindy Graybill
Member at Large/Therapeutic Representative/Public Relations, Broken Arrow
cgraybill@earthlink.net

Carrie Loper
Member at Large, Oklahoma City
cl@couponcloset.net

Adoptalk is a quarterly newsletter published by the North American Council on Adoptable Children. The publication contains information on policy issues, post adoption support, recruitment of adoptive families, parenting strategies and other relevant topics to adoption.

To view the latest issues of Adoptalk please visit  www.nacac.org.

To receive Adoptalk electronically register at http://www.nacac.org/about/membership.html.

Morton Comprehensive Health Services, located in the Tulsa area, provides high quality professional and culturally sensitive primary and preventive health care without regard to financial status or citizenship status. Morton accepts SoonerCare, Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance, and will assist you in filing the necessary claim forms. Morton offers discounts on medical and dental services based on income. Patients with insurance should provide verification at the initial visit and upon request. Free transportation services, including handicap accessibility, are available to all patients.

To schedule or cancel an appointment, please call (918) 587-2171 for the MCHS Inc. main location, (918) 295-6185 for the East Tulsa Family Health Center, (918) 295-6942 for the Midtown Family Health Center and (918) 273-9911 for the Nowata Family Health Center.

For more information about MCHS, visit www.mortonhealth.org

The Independent Living Program provides educational tutoring services for youth who are over the age of 16 and in OKDHS or tribal custody. A referral is required for youth to receive assistance. To download a referral form please visit referral form.

For more information about the Independent Living tutoring services, please contact Kami Robinson, Academic Coordinator, by email at Kamirobinson@okdhs.org or by phone at (405) 522-3456.

The Oklahoma Independent Living Program (IL) is for any youth in need of guidance about how to plan for the future. IL uses the seven elements of health, housing, education, employment, essential documents, life skills, and permanent connections in order to help youth establish and reach their individual life goals.

Yes I Can is a program offered by the Oklahoma Independent Living Program that is specifically for youth who were in OKDHS or Tribal Custody for at least 9 months between the ages of 16 and 18, as well as youth who entered into an OKDHS approved guardianship or adoption after the age of 16. In addition to the life planning assistance offered by the traditional IL program, Yes I Can also provides financial assistance, resource information and case management.

To become a participant in the Yes I Can program, individuals may call (800) 397-2945 Monday through Friday from 8:00am until 5:00pm.

For more information about Independent Living Services or the Yes I Can program, please visit www.okil.ou.edu.

The National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program (NFIMR) is a collaborative effort between the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. NFIMR publishes newsletters, bulletins, guides and manuals all containing information concerning the health and well-being of fetus and infants.

To access these publications or to learn more about the NFIMR visit www.nfirm.org.

The national organization supports and contributes to local efforts made by communities to assess the causes of fetal and infant mortality, improve infant outcomes and provide resources to women. In Oklahoma there are two local Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Projects.

The Fetal and Infant Mortality Review of Central Oklahoma
Project Manager: Mary Beth Cox
Phone: (405) 425-4406
Email: fimr@occhd.org

The Fetal and Infant Mortality Review of Tulsa
Project Manager: Pam Rask
Phone: (918) 595-4418

The Oklahoma State Department of Health has created an Infant Safe Sleep Education Tool that is now available online. Resource Parents are able to earn up to one (1) hour of in-service training upon completion of the online course. The online training is hosted by The Training Finder Real-time Affiliate Integrated Network (TRAIN).

To access the course, Resource Parents must visit https://ok.train.org and create a login. After logging in, search for course number #1019123.

2-1-1 is a hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 100% of Oklahoma’s residents. The hotline connects individuals with human services in their local communities. Services 2-1-1 provides information for include; rental assistance, food pantries, health resources, financial programs, literacy programs and job programs. All calls are answered by professionals equipped with up-to-date information.

In addition to the hotline, 2-1-1 also provides community specific information online at www.211oklahoma.org.

The Office of Client Advocacy provides advocacy assistance, conducts investigations and maintains grievance programs for clients of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS). The mission of the office is to promote client safety and independence and ensure the delivery of OKDHS programs and services in a fair, honest and professional manner.

You may contact the Office of Client Advocacy if you have a grievance regarding any of the following:

• Minors in OKDHS custody
• Youth in voluntary care of OKDHS
• Foster Parents

Contact Information for the Office of Client Advocacy:

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 25352
Oklahoma City, OK 73125

Phone: (405) 525-4850
Fax: (405) 525-4885

For more information about the Office of Client Advocacy visit http://www.okdhs.org/divisionsoffices/oca/.

Kate Randall, Director of Family Services
64700 E. Hwy 60
Wyandotte, OK 74370
Telephone: (918) 678–2297
Fax: (918) 678–3087
Email: krandall@wyandotte-nation.org

Dana Butterfield, Family Services Assistant
Email: dbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

Tera Gragg, Family Services Assistant
Email: tgragg@wyandotte-nation.org

Website: www.wyandotte-nation.org