Mental Health Resources

STATE FUNDING BRINGS DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW RESOURCES APP FOR ROGERS COUNTY

Rogers County’s District 1 Commissioner Dan Delozier and Rogers County Public Information Officer Diana Dickinson have obtained funding from the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health to develop an app for Rogers County residents. The app will give citizens immediate access to all the amazing resources citizens need. Resources included will be developed from the Better Together in Rogers County Rogers County Resource Guide that is currently already available on the website, http:// bettertogetherinrogerscounty.square.site.

Better Together Resources App

This app, which is expected to launch in about 6 months, will be a one-stop way to find the resources needed right on your phone. The fact is that this is one of the first of it’s kind in the United States. Diana Dickinson said the only other instance of a county funding such an app was in Erie Path, in Buffalo, New York. This will be the first app of it’s kind in the state of Oklahoma. County Commissioners across the state are interested. App planning is already underway with the help of Grand Mental Health, Rogers County Youth Services, Rogers County Commissioners and Better Together in Rogers County. Committee Chair for Better Together, Catherine Heimdale, said, “We are so excited about this opportunity to make a difference!”

Mental Health Support Personnel

In addition to the app, Grand Mental Health will have funding to embed support personnel in the county jail. Josh Cantwell, Chief Operating Officer for Grand Mental Health, said, “We want to decrease recidivism for those leaving the Rogers County jail. We want to increase engagement in outpatient mental health services, and we also want to increase employment, which we believe is related to both of those other outcomes.” Grand would work with inmates and those leaving county jail and reintegrating into society.

Juvenile Program

Rogers County Youth Services will be able to fund a juvenile diversion program. The nonprofit’s Director, Herb McSpadden, said they will work law enforcement to refer kids who get into trouble with the law to RCYS for evaluation and services. “When you engage kids early on, you have a greater chance of keeping them out of the juvenile justice system and out of the adult prison system,” McSpadden said. “These are innovative approaches,” Dickinson said, “This is new… and they really needed it. Everybody’s just so excited!”