NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – University of Oklahoma faculty and a graduate student in the Department of Sociology built a cost estimation tool for the state to view the cost of possible legislation by accounting for a wide variety of factors such as geography and staffing.
The state of Oklahoma has since used the tool to guide the budget for the first year of the Family Representation and Advocacy Program that will provide better legal representation to families in the child welfare system.
“Working on the project was great,” Mitchell Peck, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Sociology, said. “Working with judges, legislators, attorneys, social workers and other stakeholders to help solve a real-world problem in Oklahoma was very rewarding. It was especially gratifying to see the work result in legislation that stands to improve the lives of Oklahoma families and children.”
Heather Lepper-Pappan, a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in sociology, said her primary task for the project was to research the average pay for each of the positions needed to build the interdisciplinary team.
“I used the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify average salaries for all positions and helped determine the values needed for the cost simulation tool,” Lepper-Pappan said. “I also helped develop and present our final report that was submitted to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. This project was very fulfilling for me to see the direct implications of our work in helping improve policy surrounding parent representation and the preservation of families within our child welfare system.”
The Family Representation and Advocacy Program will be under the Administrative Office of the Courts to ensure all attorneys are trained and supported to work with families. With the help of the cost estimation tool, the state will spend $4.6 million to set up the central office.
“This project is a great example of state and university partnership that led directly to positive impact for our state and the hundreds of parents who would otherwise enter dependency court without adequate legal representation,” Erin Maher, associate professor in the department of sociology and senior associate director for OU’s Data Institute of Societal Challenges, said. “Our state partners needed tools to help them advocate for change and make decisions about what that this change would look like. Our team was able to respond quickly based on our expertise in policy simulation, quantitative analyses and simply being able to see the issue and provide them with something flexible and useful from a trusted, outside source.”
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information about the university, visit ou.edu.
The University of Oklahoma has received a transformative gift from Jon and Shannon McCartney, which will name the McCartney Family Tunnel of Champions, the McCartney Family Gate of the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and the McCartney Family Grand Lecture Hall in the Michael F. Price College of Business. The gift will also support the Inspiring Champions and the Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund, in addition to establishing the McCartney DFW Career Trek program at Price College.
The University of Oklahoma today celebrated the opening of a new air traffic control tower at the OU Max Westheimer Airport. Standing 106 feet tall, more than double the current 52-foot facility, the new tower will modernize air traffic control operations and improve safety for pilots and students operating in the airspace.
Do I buy groceries or pay the electric bill? Should I pawn some of my belongings to afford my prescription? My child is sick, so I will have to miss work to take care of him. Those are just a few of the difficult choices that OU-Tulsa health professional students confronted during the Community Access to Resources Experience. The role-playing activity challenged students to navigate the financial, family and other pressures that can affect a person’s health and ability to follow medical advice. Held annually during the SCM Institute orientation week, the experience is designed to generate understanding and build empathy.
