The Pines in Poteau Center opens last week

Last Tuesday morning, I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker at a dedication ceremony for the new health and wellness center in Poteau, known as The Pines in Poteau.

I spoke about what I believe are the two biggest things that will help Oklahomans break the cycle that often follows mental health struggles:

• We need discipline back in our homes so that homes stay together, and parents balance nurturing their children with disciplining them.

• We need to stop drugs and drug addiction, which is a huge contributor to many of the struggles facing eastern Oklahoma families.

These two things would have a significant impact on the quality of life and health in eastern Oklahoma, including people’s mental health.

Think about how a kid goes through abuse. It’s going to take a long time for them to heal from what they endured in that toxic environment. We must wholeheartedly invest our energy and time into their recovery so that they can lead a more fulfilling life and break the toxic cycle they went through.

In my years as a psychologist in schools, I’ve seen time and time again how the vast majority of students respond to positive discipline. Only about eight percent of students will need either medication or positive reward and consequences together.

Eastern Oklahoma does not have enough mental health facilities to help people who may be struggling, so I am very excited to see the opening of this new center in Poteau. In addition to offering a drug and alcohol center, where people can receive therapy and treatment, it will host a dental clinic, an eye center and a medical doctor’s office.

This center is just the beginning of what we’re wanting to do in eastern Oklahoma. I’ve been working with state officials and stakeholders for several years to try to open one or two crisis intervention centers in our area. These things will work together to fulfill the needs going unanswered in eastern Oklahoma right now.

It was great to visit with Teresa Huggins, the chief executive officer of the Stigler Health and Wellness Center, at the dedication ceremony. We’ve worked together a lot to get the center going. The first bill I ever passed in the House, on telemedicine, was one I worked on with her.

I was excited to see the great turnout for the ceremony, but I’m even more excited to see the impact the center will have in eastern Oklahoma!

As always, please let me know if there’s anything I can help with by calling me at (405) 557-7375 or e-mailing me at randy.randleman@okhouse.gov.

Thank you for the honor of representing District 15!

Randleman represents District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes portions of Haskell, LeFlore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg and Seqouyah counties.