TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa hired its first Chief Mental Health Officer at the recommendation of the Housing, Homeless, and Mental Health Task Force,
Dr. Rebecca Hubbard is going to apply a mental health lens to the city's work and collaboration among mental health programs, crisis response systems, and related services.
Hubbard's position is part of the Mayor's Office of Resilience and Equity. Mayor G.T. Bynum is confident in her ability to make an impact on mental health services in Tulsa.
“Mental Health has been a consistent priority during my time as mayor and I am excited to see this position come to fruition,” said Bynum. “This position will focus specifically on developing and implementing a comprehensive mental health agenda for Tulsa with an initial focus on strategies to support youth mental health and crisis response services."
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Hubbard earned a Ph. D in Human Sciences with a focus in Human Development and Family Science from Oklahoma State University. She also holds a Master of Science in Professional Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.
She'll also build the inventory of services and recommendations from the Children's Mental Health and Family Resilience Commission. She'll also serve as the Deputy Chief Resilience Officer.
Chief Resilience Officer Reyes said adding this position is an important step in advancing resilience in Tulsa.
“Improving the mental health and well-being of our residents, especially the most vulnerable among us, is part of our resilience strategy,” said Reyes. “The city is lucky to have Rebecca join us and spearhead the city’s work to provide increased coordination and community connection, using a systems-level approach to improving services and filling gaps as they emerge in our crisis response and mental health systems.”
Hubbard has over 30 years of experience in various roles related to psychology and mental health, most recently as program director for the Oklahoma Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health Access Program.
Hubbard she looks forward to immersing herself in the role.
"The City of Tulsa's creation of the Chief Mental Health Officer role confirms its extraordinary commitment to the health and well-being of Tulsans," she said. "I look forward to working with partners across the city to apply a mental health lens in our everyday work, facilitate a focused and coordinated effort in our mental health crisis responses, identify and resolve gaps in our mental health system, and support related services and efforts to further advance Tulsa as a resilient, inclusive, and equitable community to live and grow."
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