OKLAHOMA COMPLETE HEALTH DONATES $100,000 TO FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA TO SUPPORT FOSTER PARENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS

OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oklahoma Complete Health announced today a $100,000 contribution to the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma (FCOA), an organization that focuses on the recruitment, training, and retention of foster and adoptive families to build a support system for children needing services. The grant is part of a statewide effort to grow, mentor and support Oklahoma's foster parent community, which directly impacts more than 7,000 children in the Oklahoma foster care system.

"This program was created out of necessity. Foster families tend to immediately feel alone once they start becoming overwhelmed with the long list of expectations needed to take care of our most vulnerable children," said Sarah Herrian, Executive Director of FCAO. "We are appreciative of Oklahoma Complete Health for being such a valuable partner as we prioritize the support needed to empower foster families across our state."

Oklahoma Complete Health contributed $50,000 to FCAO in 2021, which helped launch a pilot of the Foster Parent Mentoring Program. This program brings together experienced foster parents and new foster parents to provide a support system and guide to successfully support youth in foster care. The additional funding from Oklahoma Complete Health will support the production of educational and training videos that will expand the reach of FCAO across the state for mentors and mentees. 

A recent mentee from the program shared, "I truly feel so blessed to have access to this mentor program. It has helped me with having the opportunity to speak with someone who has experience with many different situations. My mentor has a wealth of knowledge that has helped me think outside the box on handling stressful situations as well as guiding me to resources that I would not have known about."

"The work that FCAO is doing to support foster parents is a key piece to building a strong support system for youth in foster care," said Clay Franklin, CEO of Oklahoma Complete Health. "We are proud to support organizations like this that meet the needs of our communities and enrich the lives of children in foster care."

Oklahoma Complete Health is a Care Management Organization that serves the needs of Oklahomans through a range of health insurance solutions. Oklahoma Complete Health serves our communities by focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals through its federal insurance marketplace plan (Ambetter) and its Medicare Advantage Plan (Wellcare). Oklahoma Complete Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. For more information visit www.oklahomacompletehealth.com.

SOURCE Oklahoma Complete Health