Upcoming Event: Policy & Practice lecture addresses child welfare reform on December 10

On December 10, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) will host Deborah G. Smith of OKDHS’s Child Welfare Services for her lecture “Child Welfare Services: Pinnacle Plan Implementation” as part of its Policy & Practice lecture series. The Pinnacle Plan is Oklahoma’s court-mandated effort to fix its child welfare system; we’ve written about the plan and the preliminary report on its implementation. Ms. Smith’s lecture will address key performance areas in improving child safety, as well as the Pinnacle Plan’s challenges and successes. 

Deborah G. Smith M.S.W. has worked in child welfare services since 1998 and has served as the Director of OKDHS Child Welfare Services for three years.  Smith’s experience includes direct practice in both rural and urban Oklahoma. She has expertise in a wide range of areas, and also helped develop and lead the implementation of Oklahoma’s Child Welfare Practice Model.  

The free public lecture will be from noon to 1pm at the Oklahoma History Center’s Chesapeake Room (800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr., Oklahoma City, OK 73105). For more information, contact the OKDHS Office of Planning, Research and Statistics at 405-521-3552. View the complete lecture series lineup here.