Waypoint Podcast Episode 1: Justin Brown, Secretary of Human Services and OKDHS Director
Waypoint PodcastShow Notes
On today’s episode, we’re speaking with Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services and OKDHS Director, Justin Brown. Secretary Brown was named OKDHS Director in June 2019 and, under his leadership, OKDHS is working to revolutionize the delivery of human services to benefit all Oklahomans, and trail blaze innovative strategies that can be replicated across the country. We hope you’ll continue to join us on this podcast where we’ll explore topics that affect and uplift Oklahomans. To listen to future Waypoint episodes, or raise your hand to share innovative ideas, visit ourOKDHS.org.
More from Waypoint Podcast
Welcome back to Waypoint, an Oklahoma Human Services podcast intended to help you chart your course, by informing, educating and enhancing collaboration in service to Oklahomans.
In our tenth episode, we’re talking with Adult and Family Services employees, Cari Crittenden and Amber Margarit, about SNAP Education and Training (SNAP E&T) or “OK SNAP Works,” farmer’s markets programs and SNAP as a whole. These programs are critical pieces of the social safety net and help families lift themselves out of poverty. This discussion will teach us the basics of OK SNAP Works and the SNAP program as a whole, including how to apply for or access services. We’ll also talk about how SNAP customers can get more out of their SNAP dollar through the Double-Up Oklahoma program by using their benefits at participating farmer’s markets, grocers or mobile markets.
In our ninth episode, we’re talking with OKDHS Child Care Director, Brittany Lee to learn about the importance of early childhood education through quality, licensed child care. Through this discussion, we learn how Child Care Services focuses on safety and quality for every child and the critical part child care programs play in the lives of Oklahoma’s children and families. Brittany also discusses some exciting initiatives coming later this year for child care programs across the state!
In our eighth episode, we learn about the Child Welfare Nursing program through a conversation with registered nurses and foster and adoptive mothers, Susan Oliver and Shelly Lee. This program supports child welfare workers by giving insight into complex medical conditions throughout the investigatory process to help staff make the best safety decisions possible. Nurses also support both biological and foster families with training and education related to the medical needs of children, increasing family stability and better long-term outcomes for the children involved.
In our seventh episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Deborah Shropshire, OKDHS’ Child Welfare Services (CWS) Director, and Patrick Klein, who retired as the OKDHS Adult and Family Services (AFS) Director after 31 years with OKDHS.