Overview
Since 1999, Public Strategies (PSI) has successfully managed a public/private partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Human Services. This statewide initiative was designed to build community awareness, provide educational workshops, train community-based organizations, convene researchers and provide strategic planning. Beginning as a pilot program, it has grown into a state-wide project that provides free educational workshops targeting at-risk populations as well as the general public.
Client’s Goal
"To provide free education to teach healthy relationship skills to a variety of people including teens, adults, incarcerated individuals and government assistance recipients."
PSI’s Role
To promote and administer free workshops for the targeted population(s).
PSI’s Tactics
During the planning phase, PSI worked closely with high-level public officials and community leaders and provided critical guidance and strategic planning.
On an ongoing basis, PSI continues to adapt to: the changing needs of the communities we serve, legislative and administrative directives, research findings and promising practices from the field. These efforts include:
· Providing customized training and learning opportunities for partners.
· Managing the daily activities of project staff.
· Monitoring large-scale project implementation benchmarks.
Additionally, PSI conducts field research that may lead to adjustments to the program in order to meet greater project goals. This has resulted in a high level of trust with state officials and more effective service delivery because program adjustments are made in a timely manner.
Results
Since its inception, the program has developed into a nationally-renowned statewide system of services. This includes partnerships with community-based organizations, public and private colleges/universities, public school teachers, public health departments, Head Start, and the state department of corrections. Additionally, more than 2,600 community leaders have been trained to deliver educational workshops; PSI has developed a robust workshop leader database, which permits remote access to (and entry of) service delivery information.
To date, PSI has served more than 200,000 youth and adults through this initiative.
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"Public Strategies helped us bring together research experts who study the field with program administrators and other social services delivery organizations so we could use the best research while deploying the best practices for delivering these services.”
Howard H. Hendrick, Director
Oklahoma Department of Human Services Oklahoma City, OK
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