With the support of a federal grant, the City of Edmond is launching a new initiative to help caregivers and families build community and navigate mental health challenges.
Every second Wednesday, starting this month, parents, caregivers, and their children can come together for connection and conversation at a scheduled "Parent Café" at the Edmond First United Methodist Church.
On Wednesday night, Parent Café attendees will have access to free childcare and be served dinner, organizers said, thanks to the church.
The programming is the city's latest project under a four-year, roughly $4 million federal grant it received from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2024.
The grant is already funding three counselors for the local school district and collaborations with Edmond Family Counseling and Northcare to help young people struggling with serious mental illness, according to the city's grant coordinator, Jordan Thomas.
She said the Parent Café will give community members a new chance to advocate for the services they want Edmond to prioritize.
"We can try to implement change all day long, but if we're not getting what the community really needs to thrive, we're not going to get very far," Thomas said.
Jessica Sell, the Lead Family Coordinator for the City of Edmond, said the monthly events will also allow caregivers to access resources and meet other families with shared experiences.
She helped design the Parent Café, using her lived experience as a parent of children with special mental health and educational needs. She said she knows how important it is to have spaces where parents can come together and "commiserate about the bad days and celebrate the good days."
"You just feel like you're an island by yourself," Sell said. "It's nice to be able to see that there are other people having the same struggles."
The Parent Cafés will have a different theme each month, with programming from mental health organizations and service providers. This month, representatives from NAMI Oklahoma agreed to lead a short presentation and educate participants about local resources.
Sell said parents and caregivers can expect loosely structured conversations and open seating. Teens are welcome to join and younger kids will be able to participate in monitored fun.
She doesn't know how many people will show up for the first meeting, but said she hopes it brings families together as the program continues, month after month.
"We are excited to hear from families [about] what they need; where they see barriers," Sell said. "We want to make sure that people who are utilizing these services are actually having their voice heard and considered."
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