Presentation: Connecting Oklahoma schools & mental health (Mental Health Talks Series – June 2021)
Oklahoma schools serve about 700,000 students with varying social, emotional and mental health needs. Untreated mental health issues in students impact educational success, as well as social and emotional well-being. In a post-COVID-19 world, addressing this unmet need where children are — in school — is critical to Oklahoma’s education and economic future.
Our second-ever Mental Health Talks forum on June 25 offered a comprehensive view of school-based mental health services in Oklahoma as they stand now, examined best practices for further unifying schools and providers, and issued recommendations for legislators, agency leaders and communities for a more sustainable path forward.
During the discussion, experts from across the state brought their knowledge and experience, emphasizing that MTSS allows teachers to do what they love: make a difference in the lives of Oklahoma children. Panelists included Dr. Gary Duhon, Dr. Sara Rich, Elizabeth Suddath and Mike Muempfer, bringing voices from Oklahoma State University, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Tulsa Public Schools together to discuss how we can better serve the needs of our kids.
