Osage Prevention Department Makes Access to Children’s Behavioral Health a Priority

Osage Nation Family Violence Prevention Department is Working to Continue Valuable Access to CREOKS Behavioral Health Services

By ON Communications

Pawhuska, Okla. (Thursday, August 1, 2018)–Last year, Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which partnered the Osage Nation with CREOKS Behavioral Health Services. This year, Olivia Gray, Director of Osage Nation Family Violence Prevention Department (ONFVPD), is working with CREOKS management to draft a new and improved MOU which would place counselors in the ONFVPD every weekday to serve children and families affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking and sex trafficking. Clients referred to CREOKS must have Sooner Care or be eligible for Sooner Care.

Behavioral health services are vital to helping children who have experienced trauma. According to theU.S. Department of Human Health and Services and the Office on Women’s Health, “a boy who sees his mother being abused is 10 times more likely to abuse his female partner as an adult. A girl who grows up in a home where her father abuses her mother is more than six times as likely to be sexually abused as a girl who grows up in a non-abusive home.”

“What we have asked of CREOKS is to focus on the children who have been traumatized due to the violence they have witnessed and/or endured, and to work with the non-abusive parent to re-establish his or her role as the adult and the parent. We see all too often that parent/child bond severely damaged by the abuser as a means of establishing power and control over the family. For children to heal they must maintain a close and healthy relationship with the non-abusive parent. Sometimes they need help to get there,” said Gray.

Chrystal Brassfield of CREOKS is taking over as the manager of the MOU for CREOKS this year. According to Gray, “Last year we sent a lot of referrals to CREOKS and it helped a lot of our families. Being the first year of the MOU, however, we did see some room for improved services. In order to provide better services to our clients they turned management of the MOU over to Chrystal in the Bartlesville Office. Now she coordinates with the other CREOKS offices to bring in counselors that are strong in certain areas that our clients have specific needs. I think this is going to work much better.”

Gray established an office in the ONFVPD building for CREOKS staff to use to work with families. “They will be bringing in toys so that they can provide play therapy for the very small children, which is mostly what we get.”

CREOKS will also be working with the ONFVPD staff by providing training.Gray added, “(ONFVPD) staff are with some of our clients 24-hours a day and with some of these very traumatized children we can have multiple crisis in a single day. Our staff will receive training on how to safely restrain children who may be trying to hurt mom or even hurt themselves, how to guide mom in helping her child through a tantrum, and even to answer mom’s concerns when the kids ask hard questions regarding the violence or their parents’ relationship.”

The CREOKS mission statement isto provide comprehensive mental health and co-occurring services to individuals and families to facilitate recovery and healthy family lifestyles.
Contact the ONFVPD at 918-287-5422 for more information.

Osage Nation Family Violence Prevention Mission
To empower those seeking our services with the tools they need to rebuild their lives and become the strong individuals they were created to be; to effect social change through outreach and education in order to put an end to intergenerational violence; and to partner with state, county, and tribal court systems and law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Family Violence Program
Main Phone -918-287-5422
24 Hour Crisis Line:866-897-4747
Osage Crisis Text Line:Text OSAGE to 741741
Email:Familyviolence@osagenation-nsn.gov
Director- Olivia Gray
918-287-5425

Advocate- Olivia Parker
918-287-9334

The Crisis line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please be advised that for security reasons, the number appearing on your caller I.D. will be different than the crisis line number dialed.

Osage Nation Police Department:918-287-5510
Osage Nation Constituent Services:800-320-8742


For Media Inquiries:
Osage Nation Communications
918-287-5599
communications@osagenation-nsn.gov