12-05-2025
Norman is partnering with Mental Health Association to prevent homelessness. How will it work?
Amid increased homelessness issues in Norman, the city is partnering with a Tulsa-based nonprofit to expand a new initiative that would connect members of the unhoused with employment opportunities and supportive housing.
Mental Health Association Oklahoma, a longtime organization tackling mental health issues, announced the initiative 'A Better Way – Opportunity Knocks' in Norman on May 9. The program, being funded by Norman's opioid settlement funding, is meant to address substance abuse and prevent overdoses by engaging with the local homeless population directly at encampments and shelters.
Participants are offered a two-week program that would involve a daily meal and compensation for a day's work. Cash payment would be provided at the end of each shift, and after completing the program, staff will connect the participant with a case manager to help them access housing resources, permanent job placements, behavioral health care and other wraparound services.
Carrie Blumert, CEO of Mental Health Association and a former Oklahoma County commissioner, said the start of the Norman program represented the nonprofit's first expansion outside of its headquartered facilities in Tulsa and the Lottie House in Oklahoma City.
'Something that we pride ourselves on at Mental Health Association is we say we're boots on the ground,' Blumert said. 'We go to where people are. We will go under a bridge. We will go to someone on a street corner and engage with them and build trust with them and get them access to services.'
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The initial 'Better Way' program launched in Tulsa in 2018 and has seen success over the years. According to Mental Health Association officials, Tulsa participants have collected more than 8,000 bags of litter over the last seven years while working with beautification projects in Tulsa's parks and other public spaces.
Last year, 67 participants in Tulsa transitioned into long-term, full-time work, and between January and August 2024, at least 14 people moved from the streets into stable housing.
Elements of a similar approach with providing supportive services for the unhoused population also have seen demonstrable success in Oklahoma City, with the Key to Home Partnership's Encampment Rehousing Initiative. Mental Health Association Oklahoma is among dozens of partner agencies for that program, which has so far housed at least 355 people since 2023.
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But issues with homelessness have become a flashpoint of debate in Norman. Last year's Point-in-Time Count in Cleveland County found 240 people experiencing homelessness, with at least 91 sleeping outdoors, an increase of 23% from the 2023 survey.
A recent controversial bill from Lisa Standridge, a state senator representing Norman, proposed zoning restrictions prohibiting new homeless shelters from being approved within 3,000 feet of a school, public library, city park or child day care facilities in cities with fewer than 300,000 residents. The bill died in the House in April.
Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila, who will leave office on July 1, had supported Standridge's bill because he said the city lacked enough financial resources to adequately support the homeless population. Similarly, he said the city's 'Better Way' initiative had been in the works for more than two years but was delayed largely due to issues with securing funding.
But the city's opioid settlement funds, being paid out over 18 years, helped finally make the program a reality.
''A Better Way – Opportunity Knocks' is more than just a program; it's a call to action,' Heikkila said. 'Through these work opportunities and direct access to services, this program offers a path for those who are ready to take personal responsibility for their future. This program is also a reflection of our willingness to think creatively about real funding solutions, and by strategically using resources such as opioid settlement funds, we are turning the damage done by a national crisis into an opportunity for local healing and long-term impact.'
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Mental Health Association staff and Norman officials celebrated the new partnership during a May launch event in downtown Norman. Michele Loudenback, the city's environmental and sustainability manager, said residents can expect to see a van branded with 'A Better Way' logos roving the streets by June 1.
'It's just been a process of fine-tuning the program and finding the funding,' Loudenback said. 'And we've had quite a bit of conflict between business owners and some advocates in the community, and I think all cities have this tension, so I think this is also going to be a great way to ease some of that conflict, too, and bring that connection so that people can see each other.'
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma nonprofit, Norman partner on homelessness initiative
