Human Service Commission reorganizes, sets year’s agenda

July 08--ENID, Okla. -- Enid Metropolitan Area Human Service Commission reorganized at its Tuesday afternoon meeting and set the agenda for the coming year.

New officers to be officially appointed at the Aug. 12 meeting will be Janet Cordell, coordinator of Enid Community Clinic, chairwoman; Andrea Chism, Enid city attorney, vice chairwoman; and John Little, OG&E community affairs manager, secretary and treasurer.

New members appointed to three-year terms are Jessica Andrew, Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce; Mike Wright, at-large member; and Margaret Jones, Garfield County District Court clerk.

The commission reviewed the accomplishments of the previous year and charted the course for the next year.

Renee Hoover, Smart Start coordinator for Community Development Support Association, talked about the commission's ambitious efforts during 2013 to reduce infant mortality in Garfield County, and new statistics from Oklahoma State Department of Health showing infant mortality in the county has gone down 2.6 percent.

Cordell talked about providing dental care for people without insurance. In the last year, Oklahoma Mission of Mercy was held in Enid and dental vans have made quarterly visits to Enid Community Clinic. Cordell said the 75 or so patients who can be treated in a single visit from a dental van are prioritized by how much pain they are in.

Joel Urdang, representative from Vance Air Force Base, talked about the Remote Access Medical, to be held Aug. 16-17 at Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. It is an event where free dental, vision and limited medical care is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

"Where they really are bombarded is dental and vision," Cordell commented.

Cheri Ezzell, CDSA, noted the Head Start provider for the Enid region has been changed to Durant-based Big Five Community Services.

"I don't think it's very likely that Head Start will begin in August," Ezzell said.

Jon Blankenship, Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said in reducing the number of high school dropouts and boosting the numbers of high school graduates who get technical school training or go to college, the commission should focus on increasing students' exposure to career options during the middle school years.

Commission member Pamela Ballard said a lot of people do not realize what Enid Metropolitan Area Human Service Commission does. The group works to identify urgent community problems, researches existing programs as possible solutions, makes best use of available funds, reduces duplication of efforts, coordinates community service initiatives, and involves residents in solving local problems.

"For everything being done voluntarily around the table, it really accomplishes a lot of work," Ballard said.

To learn more about the commission, go to enidmetro.org.

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