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Leaders at Family & Children’s Services (FCS) of Tulsa and Hope Community Services (Hope) of Oklahoma City announced the intent to merge, bringing together two of Oklahoma’s behavioral health organizations to expand access, strengthen services and meet growing community needs across the state.
The groups have signed a letter of intent, and the exploration phase will now move into a due diligence phase, expected to take 90 to 120 days, with a target closing date sometime this summer, according to an announcement from the organizations. Leaders at both organizations said no layoffs are planned.
“Strong mental health care isn’t optional for our cities — it’s foundational to public safety, housing stability, and the well-being of our residents,” said Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols. “When organizations choose to partner across the state in ways that expand treatment, strengthen crisis response, and reach more people before they’re in crisis, that’s a win for all of us. This collaboration reflects the kind of leadership our state needs, and it will make a real difference for families in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond.”
“Through MAPS 4 and other efforts, Oklahoma City has made major commitments to mental health, because we all need to do our part on this critical issue,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “We want to be supportive of innovative efforts that sustain and improve services for our residents.”
Hope will continue operating under its name as a dba (doing business as) of FCS, with no immediate plans to change branding or programs. “We are so excited to be invited to assist in OKC by such a trusted partner as Hope. This is one reason we are not planning a name change. We are here to bolster the already strong bond Hope and this community hold,” said Andreassen.
Hope is a $25 million organization with 215 employees and two locations. FCS is a $183 million system with 1,500 employees and more than 70 programs across 10 locations and 32 community co-located sites.
“The key purpose of this partnership is to respond to what we see is continued rapid growth in need, so the real theme of this partnership is to do more,” said Andreassen. “Our strategy will focus on leveraging our collective size and expertise to navigate ongoing challenges as we make communities healthier.”
According to leaders of both organizations, this move will especially benefit communities like Oklahoma City that currently face significant needs. “Despite having a number of great providers, Oklahoma City is still very underserved relative to the need,” said Helberg. “This merger allows us to bring more clinicians, more specialty programs and more crisis services to a community that needs them.”
The merger also avoids the duplication and cost burden that often comes with adding a new, stand-alone service provider. “Hope already has the footprint,” said Andreassen. “By combining our strengths, we can invest more directly into services rather than buildings and overhead.”
Helberg added: “This is about reaching more Oklahomans, serving people more fully and stepping boldly into the next chapter of behavioral health in our state.”
