May 2003

By Dustin PyeattPublic Information Officer

The music makes youwant to move, and she knowsexactly how. Spinning grace-fully as the trumpets pelt out astaccato melody, her feetmove to the buzz of the guiro.Watching Imelda Rivera, youalmost envy her ability to usethe music for what it wasmade for, dancing.

Rivera, a Secretary IV forthe Children and FamilyServices Division (CFSD)KIDS Technology andResearch Unit, began learningLatin dance two years ago

Children Services’ Imelda RiveraSpices Up Life with Dance

when the teacher at her daugh-ter’s dance studio asked her tojoin their dance group. Sincethen, Rivera not only haslearned salsa, flamenco,merengue and hula, but shenow teaches dance, as well.

“Salsa is my favorite styleof dance because it’s the mostcommon. So no matter whereyou go, if there is Latin musicand dance, it’s probably salsa.But I don’t do lambada,” saidRivera. “I’m a mom, so no‘forbidden dance’ for me.”

Rivera began working forOKDHS 12 years ago as a

Esther Houser Joins Elite Oklahoma Women By George Earl Johnson, Jr.

Oklahoma Department ofHuman Services Long-term CareOmbudsman Esther E. Houserwas inducted into the OklahomaWomen’s Hall of Fame March 29.

Houser was recognized forher role during the last 24 years indeveloping and administering thestate’s ombudsman program,which started with the passage ofPublic Law 95-478 in November1978. This state advocacy pro-gram has been charged withensuring a voice for nursing home

patients and their families whenthey have concerns or complaintson care and treatment.

“Esther is an outstandingadvocate dedicated to improvingthe quality of life for nursinghome residents,” says OKDHSAging Services Director Roy R.Keen. “Because of her dedicationand commitment during the pastquarter century, thousands ofnursing home residents have ben-efited.”

Her leadership recentlyearned Oklahoma’s ombudsman

RIVERA continued on page 6

HOUSER continued on page 9

pride in our military and our pre-cious men and women who are

willing to lay down their lives forour freedom and the freedom ofothers.

Also, there are the familieswho wait anxiously and who arealso sacrificing so much. There isno way my finite mind can beginto comprehend how they feel. Ican only lift them up in prayer toone who does know and under-stand.

I am so thankful for allOKDHS employees. You arealways right there, ready to doyour part. Many have asked,“What can we do?” Thanks to ourDirector, our EmployeeRecognition Committee and theOffice of Communications, we areworking together to help answerthat question.

We now have 10 chaplainsaround the state serving everycounty in Oklahoma. Of course,chaplains are there to work withyou, your pastor, priest or rabbi tohelp in any way they can. And weare always looking for more qual-ified people to serve as chaplains.

Sometimes we wonder whatto say to people in our offices whohave loved ones already serving,or to those service men andwomen who are waiting for thecall to leave. The “hurry up andwait” people really need our loveand support. Just let them knowthat you have them in yourthoughts and prayers and are therefor them.

One helpful thing we havebeen taught as chaplains is to hear,hug and hush. Those three thingsserve a better purpose than anywords we might have.

“Workers do not leave

their problems,

emotions, and worries

at home.

A chaplain can be a

very positive influence

in the workplace.”

- Chaplain Mary Harrison

INSIDE OKDHS — May 20032

Kyle McGraw, MHR,CDAC, director of OKDHSSubstance Abuse Services,has been named OklahomaAlcohol and DrugProfessional of the Year bythe Oklahoma Drug andAlcohol ProfessionalsAssociation.

The association presentsthe annual award to the pro-fessional who has demonstrat-ed strong leadership andunselfish devotion to improv-ing the lives of individuals,families and communitiesthrough providing and imple-menting effective drug andalcohol services and pro-grams.

Before coming toOKDHS in early 2002,

Kyle McGraw NamedProfessional of the Year

McGraw served as the execu-tive director of the OklahomaCity-based A Chance toChange Foundation for 10years.

Kyle McGraw

By Judy HillChaplain Co-coordinator

In recentweeks we

have allb e e nglued tothe TV,r a d i o ,

Internet andother news as

we anxiouslywatch, listen and read reports onthe war in Iraq and the MiddleEast. Many different emotionssweep over us. Mainly, we feel

The Chaplain’s Corner

Hear, Hug and Hush: The Best Help…

INSIDE OKDHS — May 2003 3

Governor Brad Henrysigned enrolled HB 1127 March31, which is effective immedi-ately. This act prohibits supervi-sors from considering “incidentsthat occurred longer than fouryears prior to an offense in orderto move to a higher level of dis-cipline.”

This prohibition does notapply to five categories of con-duct: criminal activity; sexualmisconduct or harassment;racially discriminatory behaviorand/or harassment; threats oracts of violence against employ-ees in the workplace; and drugand/or alcohol use or abuse.

Note from OKDHS Legal Division

Progressive Discipline Law AmendedThis act will be implement-

ed by modification of meritrules. This act should notadversely affect existingOKDHS disciplinary practice.Pending issuance of emergencymerit rules, OKDHS managersshould not consider any disci-pline that is more than fouryears old in applying progres-sive discipline and should notlist discipline more than fouryears old in certificates of priordisciplinary action required forproposed discharge, unless inone of the five exceptions listedabove.

Baby boomers have made aremarkable impact on Americanlife. They spurred the rise of sub-urbs, transformed popular cul-ture, and continue to define thepolitical landscape.

As they have aged, theirimpact on the nation’s economyhas evolved. Now, as they pre-pare to retire, their influence willbe felt in new ways. This phe-nomenon, known as “The Pig inthe Python,” introduces an arrayof unsolved dilemmas. Are we, asa society, prepared for these babyboom retirees?

In a study published in theJanuary 2003 issue of Gnosistitled “Baby Boomers’ Retire: AreWe Prepared?”, authors ZohreSalehezadeh, Ph.D., and KennethKickham, Ph.D., describe howeconomic and budgetary con-straints impact the systems ofsocial programs. Gnosis is a pub-lication of the OKDHS Office ofPlanning, Policy and Researchthat provides facts for informedhuman services decision making.

The search for ways to payfor baby boom retirees can beseen as an opportunity to help thedisadvantaged, while bolsteringthe economy and the federalbudget. The most promising strat-egy is to expand the taxable wagebase by 1) increasing productivitythrough enhancing education andtraining and 2) increasing thenumber of people earning wages.Welfare agencies are in a goodposition to further both of theseobjectives.

For example, it would make

Baby Boomers’ Retirement: Are We Prepared?sense to consider nursing degreeprograms as a welfare-to-

work strategy. The labor marketwould welcome these new nurses,and pay them very well, therebyincreasing the taxable wage base.Moreover, there would be morenurses to care for the elderly.

Many retirees could also ben-efit from retraining and employ-ment programs that help themremain productive. AuthorsSalehezadeh and Kickham con-cluded that to meet the needs ofthe elderly while fostering eco-nomic growth, policies directed atimproving education and wagesmay be the most effective waysto prepare for The Pig in thePython.

The entire 12-page studycan be found on the OKDHS

Internet website.It’s worth reading.www.okdhs.org/iopprsa1/Vol2/issue1.pdf

INSIDE OKDHS — May 20034

By Sheree PowellDevelopmental Disabilities Services Division

Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry spoke to anaudience of more than 500 at the 2003 Governor’sConference on Developmental Disabilities, heldMarch 31-April 1, in Oklahoma City. The conferenceis one of the longest running of its kind in the nationand concluded the state’s celebration of March asDevelopmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

Governor Henry commended OKDHS DirectorHoward H. Hendrick, the employees of OKDHS andprivate providers for their commitment to servingpeople with developmental disabilities, particularly

Governor, Director Praise DDSD Staff at Conference

Midge Vanbuskirk, a 24-year SORC employee, received a“Best of the Best” award from DDSD Director JamesNicholson.

during tough financial times.“We have tremendous challenges ahead of us,”

said Henry. “We are facing the largest budget crisis inour state’s history, but I will work as hard as I can tomake sure that during this budget crisis that we do aslittle harm as possible to Oklahomans that need helpthe most. Yes, there will be some belt-tightening untilwe get through this, but we will get through thistogether.”

Hendrick added his praise for the work being doneby the Developmental Disabilities Services Divisionstaff saying, “I think our staff deserve a great big `attaboy’ because I’m very proud of the work they’ve done.

“In Developmental Disabilities, we’ve servedeverybody that was on the waiting list four years ago,nearly 3,000 people. Some are getting in-home sup-port, some are getting other kinds of support, buteverybody who was on that list has been served. Ofcourse, when you move people off the waiting list, youcontinue to get more people applying, so we still havea very long waiting list that still needs attention.

“At the resource centers in Enid and Pauls Valley,our staff have taken on many crises. There have beensome private Intermediate Care Facilities for theMentally Retarded close, and they’ve had to step up tothe plate and take on some of those cases that werevery difficult.”

During the first day of the conference, DDSDhosted the 3rd Annual Awards of Excellence in DirectSupport Services. These awards recognize outstandingdirect support professionals who provide the day-to-day care for people with developmental disabilities.

“For me, this is the high point of the conference,”said DDSD Director James Nicholson. “We areblessed with excellent direct support professionalswho work with the individuals we serve. What reallymatters in terms of quality is how well the service isprovided to the individual who is receiving the servic-es, and most important is the interaction between thedirect support professional and the individual.”

A total of 40 direct support professionals were rec-ognized from around the state, including employeesfrom the Northern and Southern Oklahoma ResourceCenters in Enid and Pauls Valley.

of us across the Department rightnow and everyone has helped,”Johnson said. “We will continueto publish the employee newslet-ter, Inside OKDHS, and when

possible, we will expand anissue a little to tell the storiesof employees and the thingsthey do to be well-rounded cit-izens in the communitieswhere they live.

“It’s important for us toknow some of the addeddimensions available in ourworkforce. We are more thanjust government public ser-vants sitting at computers giv-ing out benefits, which is oftenthe only public portrayals onesees through the media andother public outlets.

“When resources areavailable, we will resume pub-lishing the magazine to contin-ue telling more in-depth sto-

ries about those who deliverOklahoma human services on thefrontlines and behind thescenes.”

INSIDE OKDHS — May 2003 5

OKDHS CommunicationsDirector George Earl Johnson,Jr., suspended the award-winningInside OKDHS Magazine inApril as part of budget-cuttingmeasures.

Johnson said while thequarterly magazine was a vitalinternal communications tool, agreat deal of time, energy andresources were needed tomaintain the quality ofthe publication. Hethought those resources couldbest be used to support front-line, direct service operationsuntil the state’s budget chal-lenges were less severe. Directproduction funding for the pub-lication came from the OfficeSupport Services Divisionbudget.

Inside OKDHS Magazinereceived the 2002 UPPERCASE Award of Excellencefrom the Public RelationsSociety of America, which ratedthe magazine as the top InternalCommunications publication in

Communications Director Suspends MagazineOklahoma.

Suspending the magazinewas the latest cuts made inCommunications this fiscal year.Earlier, funding for two full-time

positions and 20 percent of theoffice’s operating budget wereapplied to cost-saving measures.

“Things are very tight for all

Communicating a Clearer Vision of the People Who Provide Human Services

The Cookie Lady

The Other Sides of J.R. Dillard

Mail Center: The Standard for Safety

The Cookie Lady

The Other Sides of J.R. Dillard

Mail Center: The Standard for Safety

WINTER 2002SUSPENDED

technical and is too seductivefor her age.”

Rivera, a single parent,also has a 12-year-old son,Estevan, who has recently takenup hip-hop dancing too. “He

likes it, but Idon’t reallythink he’s inter-ested in otherkinds of dance,”said Rivera.

“I’vebeen raising

them bym y s e l ffor 10y e a r sn o w , ”

a d d e dRivera. “We

have the usualchallenges. I

have to discipline my timeand budget, but I have the

support of my family. Andbeing involved in dance togeth-er is great. I hope that beingable to spend more time withthem will have a positive influ-ence and help set a good exam-ple for when they become par-ents themselves someday.”

Next on Rivera’s dancecard is learning ballroom danc-ing and to tango.

INSIDE OKDHS — May 20036

switchboard operator at the OklahomaCounty 55-C office. She then workedas a typist clerk for Child Welfare inOklahoma County before moving tothe OKDHS State Office, where shehas worked in adoptions and fostercare. Today, Rivera uses her years of

experience to track e-mailinquires for the Children andFamily Services Division.

“I track public inquiriesabout child protective services,foster care, adoptions, youname it,” said Rivera. “We haveto make sure that we respondtimely to the public. These peo-ple have legitimate concerns,and it makes the agency as awhole look bad if it’s even per-ceived that we’re ignoringthem.”

Rivera’s Latin dance grouphas performed at the OklahomaCity Arts Festival, OklahomaState Fair, Septemberfest at theGovernor’s Mansion, thestate LatinoH e r i t a g eCelebration,G l o b a lOklahoma atRose StateCollege in OklahomaCity, and theInternational Festival inLawton. They’ve also startedperforming in Bricktown.

“Salsa is really popularright now,” said Rivera.“There’s even an actual Latinclub on the canal in Bricktownnow.”

Rivera’s daughter, Trinity,10, usually accompanies hermom when dancing.

“She does tap, flamenco,jazz, hula and hip-hop, she doesballet, but she kind of getsbored with that. She’s a littledancing machine,” said Rivera.“She’s too young to do salsathough. Even though it’s a mod-erate tempo dance, it’s very

Rivera, continued from page 1

INSIDE OKDHS — May 2003 7

Activated OKDHS Employees on FrontlinesBy Stephanie M. BondOKDHS Publications

Twenty OKDHS employeeshave been called to active duty andare currently protecting the peopleof the world. These employees,who have pledged dual-allegianceto the state ofOklahoma, as well asto the Army, Navy orAir Force Reserve orthe Army or AirNational Guard, arecurrently fulfillingtheir military mis-sions to support thewar in Iraq. OKDHS employeesalso have more than 100 immediatefamily members deployed to sup-port the war effort.

“The Department is working toassure that all emplo yees called toactive duty, and all employees withfamily members called to activeduty, receive the Department’s fullsupport and consideration,” saidJoe Kirk, Human ResourcesManagement Division EmployeeServices Administrator.

In January HRMD sent emailsto managers, supervisors andemployees requesting informationabout those facing military dutyand employees with activated fami-ly members. Kirk and HRMDEmployee Services assistant TinaTate created a new database to trackthe employees affected.

“We are working to make surethe Department is in full compli-ance with all federal and statestatutes and rules regardingemployees called to active duty,”said Kirk. “We also want to assessthe impact that the activation ofOKDHS employees will have onthe Department as we continue tomeet its mission and goals.”

In their March meeting,OKDHS chaplains heard fromOklahoma City Police Departmentchaplain Jack Poe and militarychaplain Capt. Quintin Collinsfrom the 137th Air Wing.

“Many people see the work of

a chaplain being only prayer,” saidPoe. “The umbrella can be a littlebroader. We try to address any needthe family may have.”

“Every person deployeddirectly affects six to eight peopleback home,” said Collins. “It’simportant for those left behind tohave a strong support system.People don’t realize how much thepeople at home are impacted.”

While deployed, theDepartment pays the difference ofthe employee’s regular salary andmilitary salary.

At a time when the nationaleconomy and the OKDHS budgetare very tight, losing the work

efforts of 20 employ-ees can affect theDepartment’s mis-sion. According tofederal law and toDepartment policy(DHS: 2-1-41), acti-vated OKDHSemployees will

return to the previous positionsthey held. In the interim, supervi-sors and managers have the optionsof hiring a temporary or unclassi-fied individual for a limited term,assigning the workload to otherstaff, or detailing another employeeto the position.

“We look forward to welcom-ing our employees back into theOKDHS family,” said Kirk.

Several residents from the Northern Oklahoma Resource Center of Enid(NORCE) designed this flag with the help of staff to display outside theirrooms. It was created with their handprints to show support for the U.S.troops overseas. The names of friends and family members of NORCEemployees who are currently in Iraq are written on the larger handprintsthat make up the stripes.

Serving with Honor

INSIDE OKDHS — May 20038

By Dustin PyeattPublic Information Officer

Oklahoma faces a shortage ofquality foster homes for abusedand neglected children, but in thesparsely populated area that com-prises northwestern

Oklahoma, miles of lonely high-way compound the problems.

“We have a critical need forquality foster homes in our area ofthe state,” said Becky Cole,Oklahoma Department of HumanServices Area I Foster CareResource and Retention Specialist.“There are 23 counties in OKDHSArea I, and within this nearly25,000 square mile space, there areonly 189 foster families to helpsupport more than 620 foster chil-dren.”

Of those children, more thanhalf cannot be placed in their com-munity due to the lack of fosterhomes. Of the 23 counties, 13have more than half of their fosterchildren placed over the countyline. This is especially trouble-

Miles Beyond the Horizon

some in the most remote countieslike Texas, Woods and Alfalfa.

The lack of foster homes inthe Area is especially hard on sib-ling groups.

“It’s a challenge to place sib-

ling groups together even whenthere are enough foster homes,because not all foster parents willtake siblings,” said Cole. “Placingthem in different counties makes itmore difficult for them to visiteach other. It’s not uncommon tohave to take them out of schoolearly to make the long drive sothey can see their brothers and sis-ters.”

The miles also hamper thereunification process.

“Having to take them fromcounty to county disrupts theirschooling, takes them away fromtheir friends and their churches,”said Cole. “It’s important for thesekids to stay connected sincethey’ve been removed from theirhomes. The fewer losses these

children have, the better.” Cole added, “There are also

economic concerns as well. Thecost of transporting these childrenacross county lines adds up both intime and money. And a lot of theserural schools are

already strappedfor cash. Losing a student doesn’thelp. Not to mention child careproviders.”

Further, Native American fos-ter homes are also difficult to findin Area 1, said Coal.

“We have more than 80Native American foster children,but only seven Native Americanfoster homes.”

According to the Indian ChildWelfare Act, preference is given toNative American foster homeswhen placing Native Americanfoster children. Six of the 39 tribalgovernments located in Oklahomaare based in Area 1.

“It would be easier on every-one if these kids could be placed intheir hometown,” said Cole.“Unfortunately, until we havemore people stepping up to help,we’ll continue to go where the fos-ter homes are, and out here, thatusually means a long, long drive.”

Foster Children Lack Homes in Area I

“Until we have more people

stepping up to help, we’ll

continue to go where the

foster homes are...”- Becky Cole

INSIDE OKDHS — May 2003 9

program national recognition asone of the top two programs in thecountry.

“Esther is the only state long-term care ombudsman Oklahomahas ever had,” Keen said. “She isrecognized nationally as one ofAmerica’s top ombudsman.”

Houser is a charter member ofthe National Association of Long-term Care Ombudsmen. Sheserved on the executive boardfrom 1989-94 and served twoterms as national president; 1989-90 and 1993-94.

Houser has been an outspokenadvocate in her role and just whatthe system needed, according toseveral who praised her ombuds-man work. She has pushed for leg-islation to increase the levels ofcare in nursing homes and workedtirelessly on issues that supportimproving the quality of life for allOklahomans in the sunset of life.

In her position, Houser leads a

staff of 30 employees and morethan 250 volunteer ombudsmenaround the state. The ombudsmenvisit nursing home facilities on aregular and sometimes unsched-uled basis to ensure care providersare delivering quality of care andquality of life.

Many don’t know that Houserserved as Oklahoma’s firststatewide program coordinator ofProtective Services for the Elderly,known today as Adult ProtectiveServices. After starting the APSprogram as mandated in SB 309 of1977, she was then recruited tohead the state’s new ombudsmaninitiative.

Houser spends a great deal ofher time educating anyone whowill listen of the issues affectingthe elderly. She worked diligentlyfor the passage of such legislationas the Oklahoma Nursing HomeAct of 1980, the Health CareInitiative of 2001 and dozens of

other pieces of legislation over theyears to improve the lives of eld-erly Oklahomans. She speaks andlectures at many Oklahoma col-leges and universities. She hasauthored and co-authored articleson adult protection, health care,nursing home care and mentalhealth.

In 1972, Houser earned herbachelor’s in social work from theUniversity of Oklahoma. She thenwent to work as a nurse’s aidebecause it was the closest fit tosocial work she could find thatpaid a salary. In August that yearshe first joined OKDHS. She leftOklahoma several years later toearn a Master’s of Social Workdegree from the University ofTexas, Austin, in 1977.

In her “spare time,” Houserhas been lauded for her work withthe Sierra Club. She was named“1999 Sierran of the Year” by theOklahoma City Regional Group.

Houser, continued from page 1

This prime space in your employee newsletter isblank because there are good stories in your officesthat you didn’t let us know about. When you have astory or story ideas contact us.

Communications@OKDHS.orgCommunicating a Clearer Vision of Human Services

The War… Health and Human Services

INSIDE OKDHS — May 200310

For most of March and April,we have strained ourselves look-ing for favor in the war with Iraq.More than 100 of our ownOKDHS co-workers or theirimmediate family members haveset aside their civilian clothes anddonned the military uniforms ofthis country to defend freedom aswe know it. Freedom is not freeand has never been free. In everywar we studied in history classesin school, there were illustrationsof battles where hundreds, thou-sands and millions of people died.Today, technology has broughthistory into our homes in realtime. Social scientist are busy try-ing to figure out how it is affectingus now and changing our children.

While the images we areviewing of the war in the MiddleEast are vivid and life changing,we need to understand that there isa bigger war we must individually

and collectively fight everyday.Because it is so close to home, weoften don’t see it as one would seeit viewing the battles foughtworlds away.

It is a health and human serv-ices war. It comes to our doors

dressed in the clothes of our rela-tives, friends and neighbors. Theyare listed among the 1.2 millionlives in the open case files wecarry in the OklahomaDepartment of Human Services.The battle is fighting to help fam-ilies, whatever their composition,overcome weakened and brokenlives, to get on their feet and beable to live out the Human

Services mission that hangs overour heads – “to help individualsand families in need help them-selves lead safer, healthier, moreindependent and productivelives.” The battlefield is up thestreet, down the road and aroundthe corner from where we live.

As long as there is war, wewill lose life; however, our indi-vidual and collective efforts hereat home can save a few lives inour neighborhoods. How well weput our Best Foot Forward in serv-ing those who come to us will be adefining factor. Most of us willnot be called upon to fight a waron foreign soil, but we can put ourstrength into winning the healthand human services battles athome by giving the familiesaround us the support and toolsthey need to help themselves. Thisis a war worth winning, too…

- George Earl Johnson, Jr.

This could have been your space, too!See page 9.

Communications@OKDHS.orgCommunicating a ClearerVision of Human Services

INSIDE OKDHS — May 2003 11

By Dustin PyeattPublic Information Officer

The walls of the Westin Hotelin downtown Oklahoma Cityvibrate to the bass of rap musicwhile Cassandra Mack, president

of Strategies for EmpoweredLiving, Inc., of New York, leads acheering group in a trivia gameabout urban music.

“Who can tell me who intro-duced the genre of Gansta Rap tothe public,” asks Mack during hersession on reaching the Hip HopCulture during the 2003Oklahoma Independent LivingPathways to AdulthoodConference.

The difference between rapand hip-hop and understanding theculture can help in understandingfoster youth, said Mack. Morethan 200 child welfare workers,care providers, tribal workers,juvenile court personnel and fosterparents attended the two-day con-ference April 9 – 10.

The Oklahoma Pathways

Independent Living Charts Pathway to Adulthoodconference provided the opportu-nity for youth service profession-als throughout the state to networkwith colleagues, refine their skillsin preparing youth for adulthoodand also find some inspiration.

“I really enjoy coming,” saidMichelle Owens, an OKDHSWashington County permanencyplanning specialist. “I’ve beengetting depressed about cuts toprograms that help the youth. Irecently had to tell one of my fos-ter youth who was all excited andready to move into her first apart-ment that it wouldn’t happenbecause of funding. It was thehardest thing I’ve ever had to do.But listening to these speakers hasreally spoken to my heart andrefueled me.”

Along with speakers likeMack, participants also heardfrom Mark Kroner, director,

Lighthouse Youth Services,Cincinnati, OH; Charles Lee-Johnson, executive director,National Family Life andEducation Center, Culver City,CA; and Steven Pemberton, vicepresident of Strategy andDevelopment, Monster.com,Framingham, MA. Attendantsalso had their choice of work-shops on subjects likeFatherhood, Mentoring, Making aConnection with Youth and the“Yes I Can” Network.

The 2003 OklahomaIndependent Living Pathways toAdulthood conference was coor-dinated by the University ofOklahoma National ResourceCenter for Youth Services andsponsored by the OKDHSChildren and Family ServicesDivision’s Independent LivingProgram.

Independent Living CoordinatorClaudia Hunter receives a congratu-latory hug. Hunter retires fromOKDHS in July 2003.

From left: Cathy Connelly, Children & Family Services Division, Mark Kroner, direc-tor, Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati, OH, and Claudia Hunter, IndependentLiving Coordinator, listen as Peter Correia, executive director, National ResourceCenter for Youth Services addresses more than 200 participants.

Inside OKDHS is published for employees and retirees of theOklahoma Department of HumanServices as a joint effort of theOffice of Communications, thePublications Section and the PrintShop.

Howard H. Hendrick, DirectorDepartment of Human Services

George Earl Johnson Jr.Director of Communications

Alice CarrilloPublications Section Supervisor

Bob FergusonPrint Shop Supervisor

Editorial Team:Vacant, Editor

Dustin Pyeatt, Associate Editor

Stephanie Bond, Pubications Editor

Carla Garrett, Office Manager

Casey Harvey, Asst. Office Manager

Tony Hennigh, Graphic Artist

Jim Gumm, Photographer

OKDHS S30601 Issued 5/2003Publication of Inside OKDHS is authorized by theOklahoma Commission for Human Services in accor-dance with state and federal regulations and printed bythe Oklahoma Department of Human Services at a costof $4,839.60 for 4,033 copies. Copies have beendeposited with the Oklahoma Department of LibrariesPublications Clearinghouse. Contents are not copyright-ed and may be freely quoted unless otherwise noted.

Oklahoma Department ofHuman ServicesP.O. Box 25352Oklahoma City, OK 73125

OKDHS State Games

May 30-31, 2003

3-on-3 BasketballDominoes

SkipboSpades

VolleyballTrivial Pursuit

BowlingDartsGolf

HorseshoesRunningSoftball

Play on a Winning Team

For registration information contact:Shawna Perry, (918) 684-5389 Deana Pilgrim, (918) 421-6101

McAlester, OK