Introduction

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center, Inc. is a youth and family service agency founded and sponsored by Midwest City and Del City in 1971 to redirect youth who were having problems in family, school, and the community. The agency was formed under the laws of the State of Oklahoma as a private non-profit corporation, qualifying as a section 501 (c) (3) organization under the Internal Revenue code. Mid-Del Youth and Family Center was incorporated to provide community based services for the Oklahoma County area with a special emphasis on Midwest City, Del City and the Eastern Oklahoma area.

The Department of Human Services licenses mid-Del Youth and Family Center under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. In addition, the agency is certified in accordance with the accepted Standards and Criteria of the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services, Inc. (OAYS) as adopted on December 2, 1986, for Community Youth Services and Emergency Youth Shelter Programs. Furthermore, the agency will strive to maintain national accreditation through Certification of Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), a nationally recognized accreditation center, in accordance with their accepted Standards. A volunteer Board of Directors from the respective communities the organization serves governs mid-Del Youth and Family Center.

Philosophy

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center, Inc. is dedicated to providing client-centered, cost-effective, responsive, and continual improving individualized, quality services in the least restrictive environment. Service delivery is guided by individual and/or family needs, while promoting opportunities to develop and exercise competence, making appropriate choices, good relationships with family members and friends, increased opportunities for individuals, and positive community membership. The organization believes this philosophy to be the foundation for planning, development, and coordination of a quality service delivery system. We are focused on serving our community regardless of sex, race, color, creed, belief, and/or national origin.

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center, Inc. is continually improving, researching and developing services, which are needed by our youth, families, and communities. As an organization, we are committed to pursuing goals that strive towards our highest expectations for service delivery and performance based outcomes. Organization wide planning is based on a three year planning cycle. Annual operational action plans are accomplished to achieve the organizations three year planning goals and objectives. This is crucial to ensuring our organization is responsive to ongoing changes within a dynamic and diverse environment. This commitment is vital to our organization continually seeking to expand our mission's positive impact with youth, families, and communities residing within Oklahoma County.

Client-Driven

Maintaining a commitment to being client-driven is central to Mid-Del's mission within the respective communities it serves. Ongoing commitment and focus to providing clients complete satisfaction and the highest degrees of quality, based on how the client defines value is of primary importance. This emphasis is critical to the organizations proactive strategy involving all functional areas and making the client an active partner in decision-making. In addition, recognizing the client as a legitimate authority in directing service plans based on their unique perspective and strengths, are critical to valuing the client as an asset and partner in social innovation opportunities and learning.

Responsiveness

It is essential that the organization be vigilant in its responsiveness to the dynamic and diverse needs of the clients that are served. This requires the organization to be both fast and flexible in bringing client-driven services and programs to the communities of Oklahoma County. It is of vital importance that ongoing client feedback and needs assessments be utilized in determining the continuation, development, and/or termination of program and services the organization provides.

Cost Effective

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center is committed to providing cost-effective services and programs that bring value to the client based on six primary measures: value in affordability (low prices), value in the client being provided services and programs they desire, value as quality received based on service efficiency and effectiveness, and value as what is provided by the organization compared to what the client is giving for the services. Mid-Del maintains its commitment to not denying services to youth and their families based on inability to pay.

Continually Improving

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center is committed to continually improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of all functional operational areas. Continuous improvement is vital to insuring that Mid-Del remains an ever evolving and relevant community service organization that is client-driven, responsive and cost-effective. The Mid-Del organization understands that the four strategic, tactical, and operational focus areas are interdependent of each other, and form a circle of synergy that results in enhanced and improved quality of services for the youth, families, and communities Mid-Del exist to serve. The organization utilizes a performance-based quality management philosophy and process to ensure the focus priorities are accomplished; maximize stewardship, efficiency, and effectiveness throughout organization wide operations. This is achieved through the organizations Effective Quality Improvement Planning (E.Q.I.P) system.

Organization Purposes

In support of Mid-Del's mission, visions, and values, our organizational purposes are as follow:

To develop, maintain, and deliver client-driven, cost-effective, responsive, and continually improving behavioral health outpatient services, prevention and education services, emergency residential services, training, development, education, publications/information, and consultation services that meet and/or exceed best practice standards and outcomes in order to improve the quality of life for youth, families, and communities within Oklahoma County.

Vision Statement and Manifesto

Maintaining our core services and ideology and stimulating progress through social innovation. Mid-Del will serve as a leader and catalyst in bringing client-driven, cost-effective, responsive, and continually improving quality services to youth, families, and communities.

Vision Manifesto

•  Mid-Del believes that being good at traditional services is not adequate to meet the needs of youth, families, and communities. To stimulate the progress necessary to meet these unmet needs, we are passionately committed to being great at doing things differently.

•  As social innovators, we are change agents within our community; we boldly attack the underlying causes of social problems, rather than simply treating symptoms; reducing needs rather that just meeting them.

•  Our mission will create and sustain lasting improvements in our community and will be gauged by positive social impact.

•  Mid-Del commits to recognizing and being relentless in our pursuit of new opportunities to serve our mission.

•  Mid-Del will engage in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning in order to enhance the ongoing improvement and quality of services.

•  Mid-Del acts boldly and does not allow limited resources or obstacles to keep us from pursuing our visions.

•  Mid-Del is committed to doing more with less and collaborating with community stakeholders

•  Mid-Del holds itself to the highest standards and sense of accountability to our clients and community stakeholders based on outcomes. This is the key to our organization sustaining proactive influence and impact in building brighter futures.

Persons Served

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center's provides community services and programs for youth and families residing in the Oklahoma County area, with a specific outreach focus on the Midwest City, Del City, and Eastern Oklahoma County communities. The Emergency Youth Shelter program provides a safe and nurturing environment for children and adolescents ages birth through seventeen from Oklahoma County, but will not exclude youth from other parts of the State if appropriate for shelter referral. The agency will provide services to any person based solely on need, without regard to economic status, ability to pay, race, ethnic origin, creed, sex, age, or place and duration of residence. Each service and program department provides a written description of primary service goals and recipients eligibility for services.

When an employee of Mid-Del is dealing with clients, they are representing the organization. Mid-Del exists to perform necessary services for youth and families residing in Oklahoma County. Therefore, courtesy and service are vitally important to the continued success of the organization. It takes little effort to be friendly, cheerful, and helpful to all of our clients (and fellow employees, as well), and the organization wants all employees to understand that this is the minimum we expect. Employees are expected to be courteous and helpful to clients at all times. If a client has a complaint that an employee is unable to handle, they are to refer the client to someone who can assist him or her, and, if possible, escort the client to that person.

The Mid-Del Youth and Family Center Board of Directors and staff subscribe to providing services that are client-driven, cost-effective, responsive, and continually improving. A foundational element to maintaining the fore mentioned focus in service delivery is being committed to obtaining and utilizing input from the persons served and relevant stakeholders on an ongoing basis. The environment for services and programs provision shall be designed around the needs of the persons served, responsive to their expectations and relevant to their maximum participation in the environment of their choice. The organization's services and programs shall demonstrate participation of the individuals served in the planning, development and delivery of appropriate service plans. More importantly, ongoing input and feedback mechanisms will drive the future direction of service delivery within the respective communities served.

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center, Inc. will comply with OJA's and the State of Oklahoma's requirements regarding the absolute protection, use of, and release of personal Clients information consistent with Title 10 O.S. 7307-1.2, OJA Rule 377.10-7-1 and professional standards. Furthermore, Mid-Del Youth and Family Center will hold confidential all personal information regarding clients served, including lists of names, addresses, evaluations, and all other records about the clients.

Communication of Agency Purpose and Reducing Stigma for Persons Served

Mid-Del Youth and Family Center will promote efforts to reduce the stigma towards our consumers and to promote the agency and its services by using some of the following to communicate our purpose and mission:

•  Available resource library

•  Community presentations

•  Educational conferences and fairs

•  Newsletter

•  Newspaper articles

•  Staff and employees

•  Web page - http://www.mid-delyouth.org

In addition, the staff of Mid-Del Youth and Family Center will present, to various public groups, insights about the persons served to help bring better understanding and less criticism of those whom we serve. Staff members belong to various community groups and committees that maintain relationships with local schools, businesses, and various organizations. Through regular interaction with these groups, Mid-Del Youth and Family Center helps change attitudes about those whom we serve. The staff will document their attendance and participation in such meetings on the Community Education/Development Form and turn the form into the Director of Programs and Services

Respect for Persons Served

The behavior of Mid-Del Youth and Family Center employees reflects sensitivity to the needs of the individuals served for privacy and dignity and respect for individuals served.

Confidentiality and normal sensitivity are exercised when speaking about individuals served. Information is only exchanged on a “need to know” basis.

Undignified displays, exhibitions, or exposure of individuals, whether deliberate or unintentional, will not occur by any Mid-Del Youth and Family Center staff member.

The staff will be respectful of an individual's privacy. Staff will intercede when individuals are not mindful of their own privacy, for example, when using rest rooms or dressing. When staff members assist individuals with personal hygiene, staff assignments reflect personal preference and sensitivity to the dignity of the individual served.

Values and Ethical Principles

 These values and ethical principles set forth ideals to which all Mid-Del Employees should aspire.

Value: Service

Ethical Principle: Mid-Del Employees' primary goal is to help people in need and to address problems in social functioning.

Mid-Del Employees elevate service to others above self-interest. Mid-Del Employees draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems experienced by their clients. Mid-Del Employees are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their organizational skills with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).

Value: Social Justice

Ethical Principle: Mid-Del Employees challenge social injustice.

Mid-Del Employees pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Mid-Del Employees' social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Mid-Del Employees strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person

Ethical Principle: Mid-Del Employees respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Mid-Del Employees treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Mid-Del Employees promote clients' socially responsible self-determination. Mid-Del Employees seek to enhance clients' capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Mid-Del Employees are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients' interests and the broader society's interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the organization.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships

Ethical Principle: Mid-Del Employees recognize the central importance of human relationships.

Mid-Del Employees understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Mid-Del Employees engage people as partners in the helping process. Mid-Del Employees seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

Value: Integrity

Ethical Principle: Mid-Del Employees behave in a trustworthy manner.

Mid-Del Employees are continually aware of the organization's mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Mid-Del Employees act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organization.

Value: Competence

Ethical Principle : Mid-Del Employees practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their organizational expertise.

Mid-Del Employees continually strive to increase their organizational knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Mid-Del Employees should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the organization.

(Values & Ethical Principles adapted & modified from NASW Code of Ethics)