Homelessness

Eviction in Oklahoma County: What the 2025 Data Reveals

Leave a Comment / Advocacy, Eviction, Homelessness, Housing, Resources /

Through a partnership with Dr. Jacob Dearmon and the Ronnie K. Irani Center for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at Oklahoma City University’s Meinders School of Business, Mental Health Association Oklahoma has compiled and analyzed eviction data across Oklahoma County throughout 2025. In a state where publicly accessible data on eviction filings, outcomes, and patterns […]

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Mental Health Association Oklahoma Releases 2026 Advocacy Guide Highlighting Link Between Eviction and Student Outcomes

Leave a Comment / Advocacy, Education, Eviction, Homelessness, Housing, Mental Health, Resources /

There is much discussion at the State Capitol this session about education, both student attendance and literacy outcomes. These are critical conversations, as Oklahoma is currently ranked 50th in the nation in education. But a critical factor is keeping students from attending school and affecting their ability to concentrate and learn while they are there—housing

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Your Voice Matters: Advocacy Training for Individuals with Lived Experience

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Every year, the Oklahoma State Legislature makes decisions that directly affect our neighbors and communities—decisions about landlord and tenant laws, funding for mental health services, how Oklahoma responds to homelessness, and more. These decisions are often complex and are sometimes made with limited information. Unlike many other states, Oklahoma does not include public testimony as

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New Data Shows Government Shutdown and SNAP Loss Drove Evictions in Oklahoma County

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Sitting outside an Oklahoma County courtroom in mid-November, two mothers were on the brink of losing everything. They were roommates, raising seven children between them. A delay in a disability payment had caused them to fall behind on rent—an issue made far worse by the government shutdown. The support they relied on wasn’t there. Then,

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Be Heard: Urge Lawmakers to Protect Proven Solutions for Homelessness

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As we conclude our Early and Often series, we’re focusing on how your voice can ensure that Oklahomans experiencing homelessness have access to consistent, compassionate, and effective services that truly build stability, health, and hope. Misinformation about homelessness, and even about those working every day to address it, is spreading quickly. As state legislators prepare

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The Power of Partnership: Inside Oklahoma’s Interim Study on Homelessness

Leave a Comment / Advocacy, Homelessness, Housing, Point in Time Count, Street Outreach /

Legislators, nonprofit leaders, and law enforcement recently came together at the Oklahoma State Capitol for an interim study addressing homelessness in our state. Interim studies allow lawmakers to explore issues impacting Oklahomans by hearing directly from experts, service providers, advocates, and those with lived experience. They also offer an early look at potential legislation for

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A Fresh Start: Charan Apartments Renovated to Support Housing Stability in Tulsa

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At Mental Health Association Oklahoma (MHAOK), a cornerstone of our mission is to provide clean, safe, and affordable housing for individuals and families in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Today, MHAOK owns and manages more than 1,300 rental units—about a quarter of which are home to people engaged in our programming. Thanks to a generous grant

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Rapid Response team in the field

Housing, Not Handcuffs: A Call to Rethink ‘Operation SAFE’

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Last week, Governor Stitt announced Operation SAFE (Swift Action for Families Everywhere)—a new initiative aimed at Tulsa’s unhoused population. The plan enacts 64 OK Stat § 1097, a statute created through the passage of State Bill 1854 in 2024, which restricts camping on state-owned land. Through Operation SAFE, Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers will issue warnings

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Statement from CEO, Carrie Blumert, on Operation SAFE

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As a street outreach and housing service provider in the Tulsa area, we are extremely concerned by Governor Stitt’s “Operation SAFE” program that does nothing to address the root cause of homelessness.   Each day, our outreach teams engage with Oklahomans experiencing homelessness and work tirelessly to get them into housing, connected with healthcare, and find

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Statement from CEO, Carrie Blumert, on Recent Executive Order

Leave a Comment / Homelessness, Mental Health News, Uncategorized /

The Executive Order issued on July 24, 2025 regarding homelessness and mental health treatment includes many directives that cause us concern. Extensive evidence has shown that when we prioritize safe and stable housing—and combine it with voluntary and personalized access to resources and treatment—homelessness can be brief and nonrecurring. Policies that criminalize homelessness only increase

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