Competent Care Advisory Council Interest Page

Lived Experience for Competent Care Advisory Council

Centering lived experience expertise and family voices to shape professional standards in adoption, foster care, and child welfare. 

If you are interested in joining the Council, please reach out: oklexcouncil@gmail.com

The Lived Experience for Competent Care Advisory Council is a united, action-oriented space that harnesses lived experience to drive meaningful change, shaping policies, programs, and practices to improve mental health outcomes for children, youth, and families. This council ensures that policies, programs, and practices are informed by the wisdom and expertise of those who have directly navigated foster care/or adoption from varied unique perspectives. Using representatives from the foster care and adoption constellation, we can leverage the resilience, creativity, and wisdom of those with lived experience to develop solutions that are grounded, actionable, and responsive to these real-world challenges.

As a council member, you’ll help shape the future of child welfare, adoption competent mental health workforce development and care and post-adoption support in Oklahoma. Together, we will explore possibilities such as: 

  • Partner with universities and research centers to publish or present findings at state and national conferences  
  • Develop strong mentorship opportunities with local agencies, paving the way for a new standard that elevates the voices of those with lived experience 
  • Guide state policy discussions and awareness efforts 
  • Build connections through a digital hub and an annual lived experience experts (LEX) Summit 
  • Develop leadership and peer support opportunities for youth and families 
  • Strengthen professional partnerships and pursue funding for LEX-led initiatives 

The National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services and The Oklahoma Center for Adoption and Family Well-Being invite individuals with lived experience in child welfare—including foster care alumni (ages 18–26), adoptees, birth parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, and caregivers—to express interest in joining the Lived Experience Competent Care Advisory Council.

If this sounds like you, please email: oklexcouncil@gmail.com.  Your voice matters.

(Support for participation, including stipends and accommodations are available.)

 

 

Photo of Dr. Bonni Goodwin

Dr. Bonni Goodwin, Ph.D., LCSW

Asst. Professor, Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work
Coordinator, The Center for Adoption and Family Well-Being
The University of Oklahoma
Bgoodwin@ou.edu

Sierra McClendon, LCSW

Clinical Program Manager, The Center for Adoption and Family Well-Being
Temporary Instructor, Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work
Smcclendon@ou.edu

 

Whether you’re considering joining the Advisory Council or simply want to learn more about how your experience can shape systems and services, this is a space for connection, learning, and meaningful dialogue.

Following these events, we will finalize the application process and send out the formal application to those interested in joining the Council or participating in special projects on an ad hoc basis that align with your schedule and interests.

We appreciate your interest and look forward to connecting with you soon!