OK DHS opens new, smaller facility in Lawton

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will soon be opening the first of three other, smaller, locations in Lawton.

On Friday, they let us take a look inside.

The new center is located at 10 Southwest 2nd street in Lawton.

It’ll begin serving families on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

At just under 3,600 square feet, the change from larger office type buildings into smaller facilities represents a change in how DHS serves the community.

“They’re not super convenient for the people that we serve,” Oklahoma Department of Human Services Secretary Justin Brown said. “So now we’re leaving those big old government buildings and moving into much smaller locations but spread out so we have a better opportunity of meeting people really where they are, we’re removing barriers that keep them from engaging with government and really getting them the resources they need to lift themselves out of poverty.”

Brown said, despite the smaller buildings, they plan on providing the same type of assistance families across Oklahoma have grown to count on.

“So you can come in here, receive SNAP benefits, or child care subsidies, you can be introduced to a work program. Whatever your family needs to support yourself, but also to promote independence and potentially move out of poverty,” Brown said.

The facility will also help elderly, blind, and disabled Oklahomans apply for SoonerCare, as well as other social safety net programs.

Two other Lawton locations are slated to open sometime next year, that include additional workforce development resources, as well as child welfare.