OK State of Mind

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, the conversation focuses on teen dating violence, healthy relationship-building, and the impact social media can have on young relationships. Andrea Carroll, Adolescent Health Coordinator at Youth Services of Tulsa, joins Saralyn Miller, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Trainer with the Child Abuse and Tra...

In this episode of OK State of Mind , a Family & Children’s Services podcast, the conversation turns toward a modern influence that touches every age group: screen time and digital content. Jessica Wrest, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner , joins Dr. Stevan Lahr , and Rachel Roberts, Public & Government Affairs Manager at Family & Children’s Services , to unpack how constant access to devic...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, the conversation centers on the mental health needs of older adults—one of the fastest-growing yet least visible populations in our communities. Eileen Bradshaw, President & CEO of Life Senior Services, joins Kaitlin Foster, Vice President of Adult Outpatient Services at FCS, and Tom Taylor, Chief Development Offi...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, Joana Melendez, School-Based Programs Supervisor, and Nichole Duck, School-Based Programs Director, unpack the complex realities of mental health within Mexican-American and Native American communities. From generational stigma and language barriers to historical mistrust and faith-based taboos, they explore how cultu...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, Stephanie Andrews, Executive Director of Student and Family Support Services at Tulsa Public Schools, and Faith Crittenden, Vice President of School-Based Programs at FCS, break down the far-reaching effects of chronic absenteeism. From falling behind academically to feeling disconnected from peers, missing school goe...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, Jesse Guardiola (Vice President of Community Engagement at Tulsa Area United Way), Adam Andreassen (CEO of Family & Children’s Services), and Anthony Adams (School-Based Program Administrator) have an honest conversation about the evolving definition of strength for men. They discuss the rising rates of male depre...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, Dr. Stevan Lahr, Medical Director, and Kaitlin Foster, Vice President of Adult Outpatient Services, unpack what anxiety truly is—and what it isn’t. From the biology behind the brain’s fight-or-flight response to the emotional toll of everyday stress, the conversation explores how anxiety manifests, how to recognize it...

In this episode of OK State of Mind , a Family & Children’s Services podcast, we explore the everyday challenges and life-changing impact of early parenting support. Lorinda Reed and Sarah Lankford Cerbino - leaders in the SafeCare® Home-Based Parenting program - join hosts Chris Posey and Rachel Roberts to discuss how Family & Children’s Services is helping families build safer, healthier...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, Dr. Paul Baker, neuropsychologist and author of The Hopeful Brain, shares how breakthroughs in neuroscience have fundamentally shifted the way we view mental health, especially in children. Exploring core needs, rooted in neuroscience, offer a lens to understand behavior not as a problem to fix, but as a message to de...

In this episode of OK State of Mind, a Family & Children’s Services podcast, we share an extraordinary story of perseverance, adaptation, and giving back. Sean MacLeod, an engineer at a Tulsa-based energy company and a Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) board member, joins Adam Andreassen, CEO of Family & Children’s Services, and Tom Taylor, Chief Development Officer of Family &am...

Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community brings with it unique challenges. According to 2023 Gallup research, 7. 6% of U. S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Within that group, most rated their mental health and emotional wellbeing much lower than their peers. In today’s episode of OK State of Mind, we speak with two members of the LGBTQ+ community who share candidly about...

Join us as we speak with Darryl Turpin and Guy Wheeler about Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy (HEAT) and Habilitation Empowerment Recovery (HER). These two group counseling interventions are culturally tailored and explicitly designed to meet unique needs of those involved with jail diversion, substance use disorder, and women’s justice initiatives. Turpin and Wheeler currently part...

When it comes to mental health, there are so many hurdles that people have to overcome just to step foot in a therapist's office or to join that telehealth meeting. These hurdles can be particularly challenging for certain people groups. In this episode, we're speaking with Teresa Williams, Clinical Director at Family & Children's Services, and Carlos Meeks, Clinical Supervisor...

Join us for a "real" conversation with two incredible leaders shaping behavioral health in Tulsa: Adam Andreassen , CEO of Family & Children’s Services, and Jim Serratt , CEO of Parkside Psychiatric Hospital. This episode isn’t just about data and strategies; it’s about the strength of partnerships and how communities can come together to make real, lasting change for people. Support...

In 2017, the City of Tulsa was receiving more than 1,300 mental health-related 911 calls annually. City services were strained, and emergency resources were stretched thin. In response to this remarkable realization, a partnership between the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa Fire Department and FCS was formed. This partnership, known as the Community Response Team (CRT), serves in part to triage...

How can individuals who suffer from severe mental illness receive they care they need upon transitioning out of inpatient care facilities? Support during this period of transition is critical to those in need to help them avoid bouncing back into inpatient facilities or suffering alone in their homes, or worse, on the streets or wrapped up in the criminal justice system. Program of Assertive Commu...

While the summer months often provide great opportunities for family members to connect with each other, they may also introduce some challenges to family wellness. In today's episode, we speak with Lorri Perez, Senior Program Director for the Child and Family Strengthening Center at FCS, about how to handle summertime situations such as vacation stress, adolescent screen time, expectation ma...

In this episode of "OK State of Mind," host Dee Harris is joined by Dr. Jennifer Hayes Grudeau and Dr. Amanda Sheffield Morris from Oklahoma State University, along with special guest Christine Marsh from Family & Children's Services. Check our our previous conversation with Jennifer and Amanda in our episode titled " Moving Beyond Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACES and PA...

According to CDC research, postpartum depression impacts roughly 1 in 8 women who go through a childbirth experience. But what is “postpartum depression”? How is defined, how does it differ from general depression, what are the symptoms, and how can it be addressed by moms, their families, and the medical community. We’ll examine these questions and more in this episode of OK State of Mind. Suppor...

Prepare to be inspired by this episode – a personal success story about one woman’s path from incarceration to a thriving career in none other than the mental health industry. With the guidance and support of the FCS Women in Recovery diversion program and one employee in particular – who also takes part in this episode – our guest altered her life’s trajectory from one of drugs and crime to one o...

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Hays-Grudo and Dr. Amanda Sheffield Morris, co-authors of Adverse and Protective Childhood Experiences: A Developmental Perspective and Raising a Resilient Child in a World of Adversity: Effective Parenting for Every Family , provide hope to those who have experienced childhood abuse, trauma, and neglect. Hays-Grudo and Morris discuss how Protective and Compensatory E...

Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACES, can have a profound and lasting effect on children’s health and well-being. Oklahoma is 41st in the country for Adverse Childhood Experiences, and 21 percent of children in the state have experienced two or more ACEs. In this episode, we sit down with Christine Marsh, Chief Program Officer for Child Abuse and Trauma Services, also known as CATS, at Family &a...

In today's special episode, we’re redefining the conversation around mental health and I’m honored to host two remarkable individuals at the forefront of Tulsa's health landscape. Please welcome Bruce Dart, the visionary Executive Director of the Tulsa Health Department, and Adam Andreassen, the dedicated CEO of Family & Children’s Services. Embark on a thought-provoking exploration...

When his son was diagnosed at the age of 19, this father embarked on a relentless search for solutions. But the road ahead was filled with uncertainty and challenges.  After many years without a solution, he found Family and Children's Services NAVIGATE program – the key that unlocked a brighter future for his son. And with a clear diagnosis and access to specialized support, a transformation...

How can incarcerated parents maintain healthy relationships with their children? In this episode of the OK State of Mind podcast, Lucie Doll, Program Director of FCS's Parenting in Jail Program, answers this very question. Lucie shares with us how her program helps incarcerated parents obtain essential parenting skills and provides comprehensive support for parents, children, and families thr...