Oklahoma

2024 YIC Oklahoma Team

Contacts:

Jeremy Evans, Program Manager II, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Jennifer Goodrich; President and CEO; Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth

James Hayes, System Improvement Specialist, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Alison Humphrey, Program Administrator, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Jeff Mader, Administrative Programs Officer IV, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Carol Miller, Deputy Director of Residential Placement Support, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Shel Millington, Director of Behavioral Health, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Roger Morris, Regional Director, OKCYC

Constanzia Nizza, Chief of Staff, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Kelly Perry, Senior Director of Child and Adolescent Systems and Crisis Services, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Randy Sheppard, Workforce Development Specialist II, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Kheri Smith, Hope Ambassador, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Capstone Description:

The Oklahoma Team seeks to design a systemic reentry model for all youth in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) exiting an out-of-home placement. OJA plans to accomplish this goal by establishing the scope of work for OJA’s Director of Reentry position and enhancing communication with families, contracted placement providers, and community-based service partners through clear expectations of each team member’s roles and responsibilities.

2022 EIYF Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs Team 

Contacts:

Yemi Adeyiga, Psychologist, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Daniel Castaneda, Institutional Program Coordinator, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs/Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center

Darryl Fields, Superintendent, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs/Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center

Amiel Fletcher, Community Consultant, Evolution Foundation

Ronald Hill, Deputy Superintendent, Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center

Rachel Holt, Executive Director, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Carol Miller, Deputy Director of Residential Placement, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Shel Millington, Director of Behavioral Health, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Leticia Sanchez, Principal, Office of Juvenile Affairs/Oklahoma Youth Academy Charter School

Union Tanyi, Residential Care Specialist, Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center

Description: 

The Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) seeks to reduce the use of isolation with the goal of eliminating the practice.  The Oklahoma team Capstone Proposal focuses on staff response to aggression through de-escalation and role modeling, revising their youth treatment programming to include behavior modification system, and increase family engagement. This effort will require the involvement of youth, their families, staff, and stakeholders.

2019 Length of Stay Policy Academy Oklahoma Team

Contacts:

Janelle Bretten, Senior Project Researcher and Planner, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Kathryn Brewer, Assistant Assistant Executive Coordinator, District Attorneys Council

Darryl Fields

Rebecca Gore, Associate District Judge, State of Oklahoma

Rachel Holt, COO/Senior General Counsel, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Dana Masquat, Deputy Superintendent of Secure Care, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Carol Miller, Deputy Director of Residential Support Services, Office of Juvenile Affairs

Paul Shawler, Chief Psychologist, Office of Juvenile Affairs

2016 SJP Oklahoma Team

Contacts:

Kate Dodoo, Appellate Staff Attorney, Oklahoma Supreme Court

Julia Sterr, Programs Field Representative, Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Joy Turner, Attorney, Oklahoma Disability Law Center

Melissa White, Superintendent/Director of Education, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Capstone Description:

Develop an annual quality-training program for the judiciary and other juvenile court stakeholders on the educational rights of students with special education needs.

Update (2017):

In 2016, the team planned the Wrightslaw Special Education Conference with over 200 attendees. In 2017, the team planned a 2-day Enhancing Educational Success for Children and Youth in Care Conference, with a total of over 120 attendees. These conferences focused on training biological parents, foster parents, DHS caseworkers, Office of Juvenile Affairs workers, attorneys, judges, and therapists.

2015 MSI Oklahoma Team (State-level)

Contacts:

Judge Cassandra Williams, Special District Court Judge - OK Sumpreme Court

Brandon Crawford, Research Assistant - OK Department of Human Services

Brett Hayes, Program Assistant Administrator - OK Department of Human Services

Nicholas Petschel, STREET Grant Project - OK Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Jonathan Roberts, Director - Be the Change

Shannon Lee, Project Director - OK Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Jacqueline McDaniel, Program Supervisor - OK Department of Human Services (Position when attending the CJJR Certificate Program)

*Note: Jacqueline is currently the Director of Program Development and Outreach, Youth Services for Oklahoma County, Inc.

Shelley Walter, Deputy Division Director - OK Office of Juvenile Affairs

Capstone Description:

To develop a streamlined process to identify crossover youth and connect them to collaborative services to improve outcomes through establishing relationships with key stakeholders, piloting a program in Oklahoma County that identifies and assesses the needs of crossover youth, and implementing new programming and collaborative services through a detailed service map that includes the development of new policies and procedures.

2014 YIC Oklahoma Team (State-level)

Contacts:

Phil Baty, Administrator of Programs - Oklahoma Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center

Janelle Bretten, Chief of Program - Office of Juvenile Affairs

Doris Fransein, District Judge - State of Oklahoma

Robert Morrey, Division Director ISD - Office of Juvenile Affairs

Kimberly Osmani, Statewide Transition Coordinator - Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services

John Pugh, Education Coordinator - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Lisa Smith, Executive Director - Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth

Terry Smith, President/CEO - Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Sheamekah Williams, Senior Project Director - Oklahoma Department of Mental Health

Richard Yahola, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist IV - Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services

Capstone Description:

Undertake efforts to engage family such as transportation and video conferencing; Create a holistic reentry plan for OK; Research reentry and family engagement practices in other states and compare with OK’s; Create online resource with information and resources for the public, employees, and families; Create a parent Bill of Rights and orientation handbook; Adjust visitation hours; Expand reentry planning meetings for all youth, early on; Train staff on reentry planning, family engagement, etc.

2013 ISCP Oklahoma Team (State-wide)

Contacts:

Lorrie Byrum, Senior Data Analyst - Oklahoma Department of Mental Health Substance Abuse Services

Teresa Croom, Oklahoma Systems of Care State Project Director - Oklahoma Department of Mental Health Substance Abuse Services

John Ely, Assistant General Counsel VI - Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of General Counsel

Connie Schlittler, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics - Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Capstone Description:

Create a crossover youth dataset that can be used for research on program and policy effectiveness.

Capstone Update (2015): 

OK Department of Human Services, Office of Juvenile Affairs, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and Department of Corrections signed a multi-agency data-sharing agreement, and has begun convening a data-sharing guiding coalition. The coalition has met monthly since June 2013. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The Capstone Project has supported the work of the Road to Independence Network two-year planning grant.

2009 MSI Tulsa County Participant 

Contact:

Felice Hamilton, Court Improvement Program, Project Coordinator - Supreme Court of Oklahoma (working with Judge Fransein)

Capstone Description:

Develop a dual-jurisdiction (child welfare and juvenile justice) trauma-informed court that will oversee the treatment, placement, and other needs of crossover youth to:

1. Make sure they are adequately cared for. 

2. Reduce gaps and duplication of services.