Lilyfield

PROJECT PURPOSE

Lilyfield?s EmpowerOKC program is designed to reduce the circumstances that lead families to be involved with the child welfare system and respond to the educational, social and emotional needs of children who have experienced or are at high risk of experiencing abuse or neglect by providing comprehensive, evidenced-based services. The program is dedicated to building healthy families and communities where children can be safe and can thrive. This is accomplished by increasing the protective factors of hope, parental resilience, social connections, concrete supports, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence in children among vulnerable families. The program serves an under-resourced community in South Oklahoma City. The expansion of a Family Resource Center at 1841 Exchange Avenue in Oklahoma City will add 8,000 square feet to our existing building, including counseling rooms, classrooms, and a large space for community events. This Center would facilitate increased access to services in our five focus areas: education, family strengthening/mental health, health and wellness, housing, and economic development. In decades to come, we envision that children living in the 73108, 73119 and surrounding zip codes will enjoy the same safety and security experienced by children in other parts of the city.

EVIDENCE

Lilyfield utilizes multiple evidenced-based inventions which are widely shown to improve the identified protective factors. Interventions include Check and Connect, Strengthening Families, Trust Based Relational Intervention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and more. Research indicates that possessing hope and resilience positively affect mood and functioning, as well as physical and mental health. A core strategy of Lilyfield is to utilize a peer-mentoring model to implement as many interventions as possible. The Children?s Bureau reports that parents who participate in peer mentoring have significant improvement in their family resources, parenting knowledge, practices, and maternal resilience, along with a host of other positive outcomes.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

According to the US Census Bureau poverty rates in 73108 and 73119 are higher than the state average with median household incomes of $25,547 and $34,970 and poverty rates of 47.3% and 33.3%. Families demonstrate high rates of child maltreatment, poverty, single-parent and immigrant-led households. The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that children in low socio-economic households are 3 times more likely to be abused and 7 times more likely to be neglected than higher socio-economic status children. Data indicates racial and socioeconomic gaps will likely widen due to COVID-19. Reports reveal that school closures caused setbacks most severely for Black, Hispanic and high-poverty students. Some neighborhoods in South OKC lacked internet infrastructure meaning that in 2020 many families could not access the low cost internet options made available. Hispanic adults in this community often work in service sectors that were initially not considered ?essential? and faced lay-offs and lack of work. As these industries re-opened, some adults were able to re-enter the workforce but many were still managing their children?s virtual school with limited access to child care options. Families faced difficulty in obtaining unemployment and other support programs due to a host of barriers.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Lilyfield has a formalized performance quality improvement process that gathers, reviews and reports on data and outcomes quarterly. This process includes collection of data by assigned staff, review of reports by staff workgroup, and approval of reports by a board committee. Data reports are completed quarterly with final annual reporting occurring in the first quarter following the end of the calendar year. Specific project reports are made in conjunction with requirements from funders. Performance for this project would be included in the formalized process already in place at Lilyfield.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding