The 2018 Art Jackson Chapter of the Year award was presented to the Advantage Administration Unit of Aging Services Division of the Department of Human Services. The award was presented at the 2018 OPEA Convention and Delegate Assembly’s award luncheon sponsored by American Fidelity
The award was presented to a chapter that has taken a beating and kept on ticking. They have been challenged with possible contracting out of services, reduction in staffing and ongoing budget cuts.
The employees are housed in Tulsa but the services they provide helps seniors and citizens with disabilities across Oklahoma. Their work helps citizens to stay in their own home rather than be forced into a nursing home.
This is good for our Oklahoma Citizens and the State’s budget as Advantage home care is much cheaper than nursing home care.
While they have lost much of their staff to cuts the number of citizens they continue to serve grows. They have seen turnover in both their division’s leadership and frontline staff
Throughout the challenges, the members of the AAU Chapter continue to serve Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens
The AAU Chapter members are actively involved with OPEA in grassroots lobbying efforts as well as activities at the State Capitol. They are not advocates for both active and retirees but for the citizens they serve across the great State.
Pictured are Brian Mauck, American Fidelity, Becky McDonald Laipple, AAU Chapter; Catherine Daniels Gervasio, AAU Chapter; Dixie Fox-Jackson, past OPEA President and Carrie D. Croy, OPEA President.
