OKLAHOMA CITY (JR) – The Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Oklahoma Department of Human Services have announced a partnership and new program to better address the health and behavioral health needs of children in custody of Child Welfare Services.
Through the Specialty Program for At-Risk Kids (SPARK), the agencies hope to identify behavioral health and medical needs in children earlier so that they might be referred for needed interventions.
“Many times, the first experience families and caretakers of these children have with Oklahoma’s behavioral health treatment system is when the child is in crisis and has an immediate need for crisis stabilization or inpatient treatment,” State Medicaid Director Traylor Rains said. “By identifying behavioral health needs earlier in the child’s life through screening and individualized care management, we can ensure services are available in the least restrictive environment possible and prevent the additional trauma that comes along with removing a child from their home to receive inpatient services.”
The DHS will refer to OHCA children who have been screened and identified as in need of help. A designated OHCA care coordinator will then work with the child’s primary caretaker and providers to recommend and coordinate mental and physical health services covered by SoonerCare.
SPARK care coordinators will be licensed mental health professionals, the partner agencies said in a release. They’ll be charged with finding best-suited resources to meet a child’s needs, scheduling appointments, coordinating between specialists and physicians, and monitoring progress.
According to the release, a goal is for five care coordinators to handle caseloads of approximately 150 children each. Currently, DHS is responsible for 6,900 children in custody and provides post-adoption support for another 21,000.
“We know children and families can thrive when they have access to the right supports and tools at the right time in their lives,” said Dr. Deborah Shropshire, director of child welfare services at OHDHS. “We are grateful for this partnership with OHCA and opportunities for earlier interventions that can positively change the trajectory for Oklahoma families who are facing challenging behavioral health needs.”
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April 08, 2022 at 05:58AM
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Program launched to better care for kids in custody of welfare services - Journal Record
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