The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) is an

agency Agency may refer to: Organizations * Institution, governmental or others ** Advertising agency or marketing agency, a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients ** Employment agency, a business that ...

of the government of Oklahoma. Under the supervision of the

Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services The Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serve ...

, OKDHS is responsible for providing help to individuals and families in need through

public assistance Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...

programs and managing services for seniors and people with disabilities. The department is led by the Director of Human Services, who is appointed by the

Governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma Executive (government), executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The gove ...

, with the consent of the

Oklahoma Senate The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.Kevin Stitt John Kevin Stitt (born December 28, 1972) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he began his first term as governor in January 2019 and was reelected to a second t ...

on June 17, 2019. The department was established in 1936 during the term of Governor of Oklahoma E. W. Marland.

History

The state agency was established in 1936 by the voters of Oklahoma by an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution. By a two-to-one margin, voters approved Article XXV, a state constitutional amendment, “to provide … for the relief and care of needy aged … and other needy persons.“ The Department was established under the name of the Department of Public Welfare.Doe, Douglas D. and George E. Johnson Jr
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed May 10, 2013) The agency began with the four divisions of finance, statistical, child welfare, and public assistance. In 1951, Lloyd E. Rader was appointed director of the agency, and he turned the then poorly functioning agency into a model for other states.O'Dell, Larry

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed May 10, 2013) During the 1950s, the agency's responsibilities were expanded as other agencies were transferred under Rader's leadership. Rader would serve as the agency's director until his resignation in 1982. Lawmakers changed the agency's name to the Department of Institutions, Social and Rehabilitative Services in 1968 legislation. In 1980, the

Oklahoma Legislature The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 sta ...

changed the name to the Department of Human Services. Under Rader's leadership, the agency gained a large budget with the addition of federal funding. By 1966, the agency budget was $235 million. By 1970, it paid out more in welfare than any of its neighboring states. In November 2012, Oklahoma voters amended the Oklahoma Constitution by passing State Question 756, which reorganized the agency. Prior to the amendment, the Department of Human Services was governed by a nine-member Commission on Human Services, whose members were appointed by the

to serve fixed terms. The commission would then appoint a director under the commission's oversight. The 2012 amendment abolished the commission and provided for the appointment of the director by the governor directly.

Scope and goals

The Department of Human Services provides a number of assistance programs to help Oklahomans by administering federal programs for food benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; and the state's child welfare, developmental disabilities, aging, adult protective, and child support systems; and child care assistance, licensing and monitoring. The agency also handles applications and eligibility for ABD Sooner Care, the state's Medicaid program offering health care to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with low incomes.About Us
OKDHS.org (accessed May 10, 2013)

Organization

The growth of the Department of Human Services has created a complex organization that includes agency leaders, division directors and county offices in each of Oklahoma's 77 counties.

Leadership

The state agency is led by the

and day-to-day operations are administered by an agency director. Under

Kevin Stitt John Kevin Stitt (born December 28, 1972) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he began his first term as governor in January 2019 and was reelected to a second t ...

, the Secretary is Justin Brown, and Justin Brown is also serving as agency Director.

Structure

As of January 2023, the organization of the Department is as follows: * Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services **Director ***Chief of Staff ****Financial Resources ****Human Resources ****Support Services ****Policy and Planning ****Communications ****Office of Civil Rights ****Office of the General Counsel ***Adult and Family Services **** Child Care Subsidy ****

Food Distribution Food distribution is the process where a general population is supplied with food. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) considers food distribution as a subset of the food system. The process and methodology behind food distribution varies ...

**** Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program **** State Supplementation Program **** SoonerCare ****

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, ad ...

****

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF ) is a federal assistance program of the United States. It began on July 1, 1997, and succeeded the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, providing cash assistance to indigent Ame ...

***Child Care Services ***Child Support Services ***Child Welfare Services ****Family Centered Services ****Child Protective Services ****Foster Care Services ****Adoption Services ***Community Living Services ****ADvantage Services ****Adult Protective Services ***Developmental Disability Services ***Office of the Inspector General ***Office of Client Advocacy

Budget and staffing

The Department of Human Services is the third largest state agency by annual appropriation. Expenditures made by the agency are divided into two major areas: an annual operating budget used to run the Department and funded primarily by state appropriations and a Medical and Assistance Fund used to fund the assistance programs. The agency receives both federal and state funding and has additional sources of revenue. The agency received a state appropriation of $587 million and had a total budget of $2.3 billion for fiscal year 2013. The Department of Human Services is the largest employer in Oklahoma state government. As of February 2012, the staffing is as follows:

References

External links

Oklahoma Department of Human Services official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Department Of Human Services Human Services, Department of 1936 establishments in Oklahoma Government agencies established in 1936