Community
Service Council
of Greater Tulsa

16 East 16th Street,
Suite 202
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4402

918 / 585-5551 phone
918 / 585-3285 fax

E-mail the Council

The Council is a citizen-
led non-profit United Way member agency

 

and a member of the
National Association
of Planning Councils

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Copyright© 2008
Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa

There has been an unprecedented growth in the Tulsa Hispanic population in the past decade. The Hispanic population in Tulsa County grew from 11,958 in l990 to 33,616 in 2000, an increase of 181 percent. By 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that Hispanics will outnumber blacks as the largest minority group, and by 2100, one in every three Americans will be Hispanic.

In l997, leaders in the Hispanic community requested that the Community Service Council provide planning leadership for a study of the growing Hispanic population, Tulsa’s first Hispanic Study was conducted during l999-2000 through a United Way Venture Grant. This comprehensive report was released in June 2001 and includes a survey of 500 Hispanic families, a survey of health and human service providers, focus group discussions with service providers, and interviews with Tulsa employers.

Findings from this study indicated many areas of concern for the long-term health and well being of Tulsa Hispanic residents (particularly those who have lived in Tulsa less than five years), including the following:
-  lack of English proficiency (56 percent do not speak English well or at all)
-  literacy (55 percent have not completed high school
-  low wages in spite of full-time employment (60 percent live at or below the poverty level while working in full-time jobs)
-  lack of private health insurance (49 percent have no health insurance)
-  low home ownership rate (74 percent are renting or living with a friend or relative)
-  lack of Oklahoma driver’s license (52 percent do not have an Oklahoma driver’s license)

The successful transition into Tulsa community life for a large number of new Hispanic residents will require leadership, understanding, resources, and action from all sectors of our community.

The Tulsa Hispanic Study included the convening of a 64-member study committee to: oversee the completion of three assessments on needs, issues, and opportunities for improvement; develop study recommendations from the findings; and implement an action plan for implementation. The published report was released in June 2001. The findings have been and will continue to be presented to many civic and social service organizations, faith communities, Tulsa businesses, public schools, and representatives of local and state governments. The study has focused on promoting good health, literacy, English proficiency, and economic advancement in the Hispanic population. In 2001- 2002 specific initiatives were implemented to address recommendations from the study, especially those focused on health care and education. The Tulsa Hispanic Resource Association was created through the Tulsa Family Health Coalition to better organize outreach services to the Hispanic population, many of whom are uninsured. In 2002 three work groups were formed to address preschool, school age, and higher education needs, respectively. In addition, meetings were held with representatives of health, education, and social service organizations to promote employment and appropriate compensation for Spanish-speaking service providers.

CSC staff members are currently working to improve internal coordination of all CSC efforts addressing Hispanic related issues to assure the most effective organization-wide response. CSC will be considering in 2004 a plan to update its 2001-2002 Hispanic study. An outcome of that effort will be more updated information to guide program development of area agencies and public organizations, as well as to guide resource and policy decisions.

The recipients of service include the major health care, social service and educational institutions in Tulsa County. The recipients also include the estimated 12,000 to 14,000 Hispanics without health insurance, the estimated 2,500 children under age 5 needing a quality care and early learning experience, the projected 3,000-4,000 students needing language and other assistance in public schools, and the several hundred undocumented high school graduates who face barriers enrolling in local public higher education institutions.

Tulsa’s first Hispanic study and the implementation of recommendations is being conducted with the assistance of Hispanic leaders and representatives from Tulsa businesses, churches, schools, local and state government, health and human service providers, and community volunteers.