The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has ended its contract with Tulsa’s Family and Children Services, cutting $2.6 million in funding for the COPES program and the CrisisCare Center.
The end of the contract is set to end April 17. COPES is a mobile mental health crisis intervention, they will lose $895,000 a year. The CrisisCare Center gets around $1.7 million from the ODMHSAS.
Kimberly Harper, a child psychologist with over 30 years of experience, has relied on the COPES program to provide emergency mental health services to students in crisis.
Harper emphasizes the importance of the program, saying, “We’re here to support our students, but in moments of crisis, COPES is essential.”
Local News
MORE HELP: COPES adds staff, expands services
COPES, which sends mental health counselors to schools, has helped alleviate pressure on first responders by diverting 650 calls last year. However, the state claims the two programs are too similar and that more space is needed in the state budget…