Parent Child Center of Tulsa, Inc.

Our Mission... To prevent child abuse and neglect through education, treatment, and advocacy. Mission Statement  Our mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect through education, treatment and advocacy.   The key to preventing child abuse and neglect is early intervention with parent education. We focus on fostering strong attachment in the parent/child relationship by helping parents learn about their child’s needs and developing the skills to safely and effectively meet those needs. We also help parents and children heal from hurts they have suffered in the past and thus prevent perpetuation of a cycle of abuse and neglect.   The Parent Child Center serves children ages 0 to 12, with distinctive expertise in trauma treatment for infants and toddlers ages 0 to 3.  Our vision is that every parent is equipped to provide the safety and nurturing that is necessary for their child’s healthy physical and emotional development. Then, we believe, children will have the best opportunity to thrive, learn and grow up to become responsible adults, productive citizens and loving parents themselves one day.  History  The work of The Parent Child Center (PCC) has been ongoing since 1972. We reached over 46,000 parents and children in 2012 with at least one of our programs or services.   When Colorado pediatrician C. Henry Kempe, M.D., first coined the phrase “battered child syndrome” in the mid-1960’s, medical professionals across the country took notice. In Tulsa, nurses and physicians at St. Francis Hospital responded to this alarming trend by founding a Tulsa chapter of Parents Anonymous in 1972. This group was granted 501(c)(3) status in May 1981 and operated under the Alliance to the Tulsa County Medical Society for several years. In 1984, it received United Way funding and, in 1987, was renamed Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS).  Also in Tulsa, Hillcrest Medical Center launched the At Risk Parent Child Program began in 1974. Pediatrician Donald Pfeiffer, M.D., and Cathy Ayoub, R.N., established one of the nation’s first “SCAN teams” to screen families of newborns for risk of abuse and neglect. Those screened at high risk were offered home visits with a hospital social worker to learn about caring for their new baby.   To better serve clients by offering related services within a single comprehensive agency, these programs merged in May 1990, at the urging of Tulsa Area United Way, to become The Parent Child Center of Tulsa.   PCCT completed a $3.2 million dollar capital/endowment drive in 1996 and moved into a new home at 1421 South Boston Avenue. In 2006, Desiree Doherty was named Executive Director, succeeding Claudette Selph, visionary founding Director from 1990 to 2006.    Since 2008, the agency has been nationally accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA) which oversees child and family behavioral health services.  Accreditation provides reliable and objective verification of credibility, integrity and achievement, assuring: strong financial controls are in place; best practice methods are being followed; high standards of organizational and management oversight are practiced; and services are client focused, mission driven and outcome oriented in all aspects.     Today, The Parent Child Center is considered a leader among Tulsa area nonprofits in the areas of best practice, quality improvement and outcome evaluation.