OU-Tulsa Hope Research Leads to Creation of Oklahoma Community Hope Centers
Dr. Chan Hellman, director of the OU-Tulsa Hope Research Center, joined Gov. Kevin Stitt and Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives Justin Brown last week for a press conference announcing the establishment of 30 Community Hope Centers.
Created with funding the state received through the CARES Act, the centers will provide critical services for families and children ages 5-18 using the science of hope developed by the Hope Research Center.
“Nurturing hope for the future has the power to guide us out of despair to a life where children and families of Oklahoma have the opportunity to thrive,” Hellman said. “Hope is the belief that the future will be better than today and that we have the power to make it so.”
Hellman shared that hope is based on three simple ideas – the goals we set, the pathways that allow us to achieve these goals, and the ability to generate willpower to pursue these pathways, especially in the experience of adversity.
Each Community Hope Center will have mental health professionals, Oklahoma Department of Human Services staff, virtual learning tools such as computers and iPads, meals and snacks, a weekend backpack program and other programming available to support families.
The state plans to have all 30 centers open by the end of this year.
Watch the Aug. 3 press conference announcement below. To hear Hellman’s remarks, fast-forward to 15:36.
We are live providing an update on CARES Act funding to support HOPE Centers.We are live with Oklahoma Human Services to provide an update on CARES Act funding going to support Community HOPE Centers.
Posted by Governor Kevin Stitt on Monday, August 3, 2020
By Bonnie Rucker
Article Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2020