Guest column: Our mental health providers need Oklahoma to invest in rural youths

Western Plains Youth & Household Companies (WPYFS) is a nonprofit, licensed youth psychological well being company serving seven counties in northwest Oklahoma, together with the Panhandle. Western Plains serves this space via foremost places of work in Woodward, satellite tv for pc places of work in Guymon and Laverne and the Northwest Oklahoma Juvenile Detention Heart. The nonprofit accepts kids statewide within the emergency youth shelter and detention middle. A cell disaster unit is offered to reply to emergencies at any time. Nobody is charged for providers. 

Growing numbers of infants, younger kids and their households who want psychological well being help is a urgent subject throughout rural Oklahoma. Toddler and Early Childhood Psychological Well being Packages (IECMH) are tough packages to ship, particularly as infants will not be at all times in a position to inform caregivers or their mother and father what’s incorrect. We face an enormous duty in assembly this want.

What particularly has Western Plains finished to serve this rising subject? In 2020, a brand new wing was added to our foremost places of work to develop into the Toddler and Early Childhood Psychological Well being Heart. The middle is absolutely outfitted to ship toddler and early childhood providers and has amenities accessible for coaching caregivers working with younger kids. Western Plains sees the packages as a prevention. Psychological well being specialists are positioned with mother and father, lecturers and different adults who give care to infants and younger kids, with Western Plains having the potential to work instantly with the youngsters as the necessity arises. Our aim is to equip caregivers with the data and assets wanted in order that the caregiver can facilitate the youngsters’s regular improvement. 

Western Plains acquired monetary help from the Arnall Household Basis, and others, together with the Potts Household Basis, have shared expertise, data and supported this system. The monetary help was used to create “The WPYFS Expanded and Enhanced Toddler and Early Childhood Psychological Well being Companies (IECMH Supply Mannequin).” which might now supply help and coaching for lecturers, early childhood improvement professionals, youngster welfare employees, mother and father and foster mother and father. And this can be a supply mannequin that may be replicated in different areas of the state. 

Operation of the juvenile detention middle offers Western Plains a complete take a look at successes and failures of psychological well being packages. Our detention program focuses on actual rehabilitation designed to return the youths again to a standard productive life. We inform them “We’re investing in you to by no means come again.” It’s working. Nevertheless, it’s evident that we wouldn’t have as many children in detention if our state centered extra on early and less expensive prevention providers and packages. 

These challenges have to be met. We’re investing in folks now in order that they are going to be able to stay a full life. We can not afford for these kids who need assistance now to develop up later with having the advantage of being helped at an early age.

Kevin Evans is the manager director of Western Plains Youth & Household Companies in Woodward, Oklahoma.