Grady County Oklahoma Coalition

02/05/2026

02/03/2026

The Fun But Really Important Stuff

Mental Health First Aid is a valuable class to attend for anyone. It teaches individuals to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health or substance use challenges, acting as a first responder to offer initial support and guide people to professional help, much like physical first aid.

The presenter was Leon Ferraez who was able to address a serious and uncomfortable topic while incorporating activities that were light hearted and appropriate for the weight of the subject,
Most importantly it addressed how to respond with empathy, awareness, and responsibility for someone having a crisis.

02/03/2026

Point and Be Counted in Grady
Each year the Salvation Army partners with the Life Skills Institute/Resurrection House and have a Point-in-Time (PIT) count event to see that no one is left out in the blustery, cold of the Oklahoma winter.

This was the Grady County Coalition Coordinator’s third PIT to have the honor of attending.

This year everyone was anticipating and bracing for the BIG January snow storm that was reported to hit Oklahoma hard, and it did!

The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. HUD requires that CoCs conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night.

The PIT was held at the Chickasha Soup Kitchen where a hot mouth-watering dish of veggie pasta was served along with some delicious desserts.

After everyone had a full stomach, they were invited to visit the resource tables where they could receive hygiene kits, warm socks, gloves, and sleeping bags; SWODA offered items that included lock boxes filled with resources about stopping the stigma of addiction and questions to ask about seeking drug treatment.

In total, SWODA was able to provide 30 lock boxes and 60 deterra bags to those who attended.

As of February 1, 2026 there have been no reported deaths due to the cold air blast and the snow storm that roared its way across Chickasha, Oklahoma.

01/28/2026

01/07/2026

December is the perfect time for the Momentum Conference. Yes, it’s a busy time of year—but with the variety of breakout sessions offered, it becomes an ideal opportunity to recharge before the holidays and tackle the last 2 weeks of the year.
A variety of community partners from different cultures, communities, and ethnicities meet to share fresh ideas, exchange stories, and step away from the daily routine of work, together. It’s an energizing way to spend meaningful off time.
Combine all these ingredients like Momentum and it turns into a receipt to die for. Combining that with the ability to strengthen connections and renew motivation, is an opportunity to reflect on why the work we do matters.
With more than 35 session, it was difficult to choose which ones to attend. Not to mention the keynote speakers were engaging, fun and easy to listen to.
Over the years, so much has changed in the world of substance use disorder and mental health. The momentum reminds us that people need compassion and support. Not only those who struggle with SUDs but those who fight the battle with them and care for them every day.
Those who educate communities and work to remove the stigma so others can seek help without shame.

12/05/2025

Canadian County Success Story- November 2025
The word constituents can be defined as “being part of a whole.“
In prevention, it takes many like-minded, energetic, and compassionate people who work in different programs, to come together for a common cause.
On November 6th the Canadian County Coalition Coordinator(CCCC) joined with many other programs in order to make the 2nd annual Redlands Health and Wellness event a whole.
We know now better than we did years ago the connection between mental health and physical health; we know that a healthy diet doesn’t do much good without exercise.
However, what many parents and youth don’t realize is how much ma*****na has changed and how it also affects each component of our lives.
In the 1980s the average THC level was 2–4%. Today’s average THC is 15–25% in flower
And concentrates (dabs, wax, shatter) are 60–90% THC.
That’s not a glow-up… that’s a whole new creature. The brain gets overwhelmed much faster, especially for teens.
With stronger products, researchers are seeing more cannabis-induced psychosis cases, higher rates of dependency and increased ER visits for panic, vomiting, or overdose-like reactions.
These issues were rare in the 80s. So, if you’re a parent who hasn’t done the research it is easy to say, “it’s just weed” and look the other way. For children under 18 they look like the chips, candy and soda in their homes, they have peers who tell them it’s safe. If adults aren’t talking to their child about substance use, then who will they believe?
Students at Redlands College as well as the public were invited to attend and were provided with many resources about the importance of exercise, eating healthy, healthy relationships, taking care of one’s mental health and information about substance misuse.
Hopefully these college students will be smart enough to research substances before they use them.

12/05/2025

Grady County Success Story- November 2025
It isn’t really fair to ask for volunteers for an outdoor event happening in December when it’s still 80° in October.
On unseasonably warm days it’s easy to forget just how cold the last month of the year can be.
Not only did the Grady County Coalition Coordinator(GCCC) volunteer to work at the Festival of Lights on one night, she volunteered to work two!
However, you can’t really call it work when the scenery is as beautiful as the last piece of cheesecake with your name on it.
Not to mention, being around all that whimsical sparkle can take your mind off just how cold it is.
On December 28th the GCCC slid on her camouflage coveralls, covered her head in the warmest hat she had along with two pairs of gloves.
She grabbed her satchel filled with medication lockboxes that were stuffed with resources and deterra bags.
If you want to remind parents to keep their children safe, especially during the holidays nothing says it better than a “safe and sound“ lock box filled with holiday safety tips for those who have a precious child in their home.
And what better place to find parents and children than a large Christmas event with lots of games, rides, and of course Santa Claus.
The GCCC, despite the cold weather had an awesome time kicking out resources and “safe and sound“ lock boxes to festival goers. She also gave several paper resources including 988, coloring pages for the little ones, and information on shredding the stigma about people who struggle with substance use of disorder.
In total 25 lock boxes and 30 resource packets were shared with FOL participants.