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OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION FOR THE DISABLED
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:: OKFD to open new recreation center
The 4,000-square-foot recreation center is the first building addition for the foundation since the group opened its doors in the mid-1960s. read more...
:: Small wins mark group's successes
He never joined his family at the dinner table. Like many developmentally disabled adults, Marcey "Scooter” Mahsetky had lived for years without a job, a place to go during the day and a desire to share meal time with others. read more...
:: Executive Director featured in The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman - Helping those who can't help themselves
BY GEORGIA DEVENING, published: May 16, 2010
Our state leaders are facing some tough budget-balancing decisions. We hear that budget cuts to state-funded programs are inevitable. This is troubling news to those of us who rely heavily on state support to fund our programs. We worry about how budget cuts will impact the lives of our clients and their caregivers.
Because there is so much public attention now being paid to the state’s budget crisis, we think it is an excellent time to let legislators and taxpayers alike know more about what our organization does, thank them for their current contributions and make them aware of how their contributions are being used.
The Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled was founded in 1960; we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. We are a not-for-profit organization and are licensed to provide adult day health services for 96 developmentally disabled adults. The average age of our clients is 40 and the mental age range is from 3 months to 13 years.
Many of our clients have severe functional impairments and require hands-on and experienced staff care for tasks that include toileting, tube feeding, diaper changing, ostomy and catheter care and medications oversight. To manage these special needs we maintain a very low staff-client ratio.
Simply put, we work with individuals other organizations cannot or will not take. While our clients have many different physical and mental limitations, we encourage each one to take part in activities that stimulate the body and the mind — including dancing, singing, bowling and scouting. We take field trips to malls and museums, do arts and crafts and celebrate every holiday with gusto. Ours is an active and happy place that clients and their caregivers feel good about.
We provide clients transportation to and from their homes throughout central Oklahoma via a network of buses and vans that travel an amazing 14,000 miles monthly. We also provide nutritious foods throughout the day including a morning snack, a balanced lunch and an afternoon snack. There are also opportunities for visits with therapists. We know that our many services keep our clients healthier and safer.
While our clients aren’t capable of being employed, many of their family members are, so the respite care benefit we provide to their caregivers is but another "return on investment” to Oklahoma taxpayers.
A majority of our clients qualify for state assistance, so we are reimbursed $45 per day for each day a client uses our services, and since most clients are with us at least eight hours daily this translates into only $5.60 per hour.
Yes, we would like increased funding so that we could help more clients and pay our employees a better wage, and maybe that’s on the horizon. Right now, however, we just want to thank the citizens of Oklahoma who help us serve and protect those disabled individuals who cannot help themselves.
Devening is executive director of the Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled.
