OU, Legal Aid Services of OK team up to help families facing substance abuse

According to the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, between 700,000 and 950,000 Oklahoma adults need treatment for substance abuse. 

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A staggering number of Oklahomans face substance use disorders. 

"It's a very large number,” said pediatric psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oklahoma, Elizabeth Bard. “Most kids that go into the child welfare system in Oklahoma, it is related to substance use." 

According to the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, between 700,000 and 950,000 Oklahoma adults need treatment for substance abuse. 

However, oftentimes one of the burdens that comes with getting life back on track is looming legal problems. 

“[Such as] debt issues involving family stability, custody, visitation. All these civil legal problems impact the ability of people to get well and stay well,” said Michael Figgins, the executive director of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma. 

To eliminate that stress, the OU College of Medicine and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma have joined forces. According to a press release from the University of Oklahoma, during therapy sessions with families who have faced a substance use disorder, OU psychologists screen families for issues that can be addressed by an attorney.  

"Legal Aid has an attorney embedded onsite with the paralegal,” said Figgins. “It accepts referrals from the health care staff, and then once receiving those referrals, can then do a screening and determine what legal issues are unresolved that are on the horizon to prevent them from causing problems with the delivery of health care that they need." 

Legal problems can range from debt to an unresolved bug infestation at home to job discrimination, according to the press release. 

The services are free to low-income Oklahomans. 

"What we've been seeing is that families are engaging in treatment better because they're not worried about these civil issues,” said Bard. “When some of those barriers are removed because they're getting help from an attorney, then they're able to engage in the treatment." 

To get in contact with the program, reach out to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma at (405) 557-0020 or OU’s Child Study Center at (405) 271-5700.