{"id":352317,"date":"2025-12-16T15:43:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/352317\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T15:43:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:43:07","slug":"childrens-mental-health-facility-reopens-in-northeast-oklahoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/352317\/","title":{"rendered":"Children\u2019s mental health facility reopens in Northeast Oklahoma"},"content":{"rendered":"

Moccasin Bend Ranch, a residential treatment program in Wyandotte<\/a>, has reopened after a remodel, expanding access to specialized mental health services for children ages 5 to 12. Leaders say the program fills a critical gap in Oklahoma<\/a>, where options for young children needing higher levels of care remain limited.<\/p>\n

\n A unique approach for younger children<\/p>\n

Moccasin Bend Ranch is a 28 bed psychiatric residential treatment facility set on 12 wooded acres. The unlocked campus is designed to give children access to outdoor play and nature, something leaders say is essential for younger patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis setting allows our kids to act like kids,\u201d said Christina Holum, interim chief executive officer at Willow Crest Hospital and Moccasin Bend Ranch. \u201cWatching them play gives us a renewed sense of purpose. We are confident this change will lead to better outcomes and happier, healthier children.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ranch focuses exclusively on children, a distinction that sets it apart from many other programs across the state.<\/p>\n

\n Why early treatment matters<\/p>\n

Mental health leaders say many children referred to Moccasin Bend Ranch have already tried outpatient therapy and medication management without success. By the time families seek residential care, behaviors are often increasing in both frequency and intensity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf outpatient services are not working, families need somewhere to turn,\u201d said Grant Linihan, vice president of business development for Vizion Health, which owns the facility. \u201cIf our program was not available, these, kids, where are they going to go to get treated?\u201d<\/p>\n

Linihan and Holum say early intervention can help children develop coping skills and emotional regulation before problems follow them into adolescence and adulthood.<\/p>\n

\n Inside the treatment program<\/p>\n

Children at Moccasin Bend Ranch receive a full schedule of therapeutic services, including individual therapy, family therapy and group sessions. The program also emphasizes recreational and expressive therapies to help children process trauma and build skills in a developmentally appropriate way.<\/p>\n

Staff members work with families to plan for discharge, aiming to ensure continuity of care once a child returns home.<\/p>\n

\n Making the holidays feel normal<\/p>\n

For some children, the holiday season can be especially difficult. Leaders say the ranch makes a point to celebrate milestones and traditions, even while children are in treatment.<\/p>\n

The facility hosts holiday meals, seasonal activities and visits from community volunteers, including a volunteer Santa. Children are also taken to see nearby holiday light displays.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to get them to reshape their minds,\u201d Linihan said. \u201cEven though you\u2019re with us, this is still going to be a joyous time for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n A broader mental health need in Oklahoma<\/p>\n

Mental health providers say the need for pediatric services is tied to broader challenges across the state, including limited funding and access to care. They note that untreated mental health issues in childhood can contribute to long term struggles later in life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will always be a need for this type of service for a certain group of children,\u201d Holum said. \u201cIf they cannot get help early, their prognosis becomes much worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n How families can get help<\/p>\n

Families who are concerned about a child\u2019s mental health can contact Willow Crest Hospital or Moccasin Bend Ranch for a free phone intake. Staff members can help parents determine whether residential treatment is appropriate or if outpatient care may still be an option.<\/p>\n

Willow Crest Hospital, also operated by Vizion Health, is a 50 bed acute inpatient psychiatric facility in Miami<\/a> serving adolescents ages 9 to 17. Together, the programs serve families from across Oklahoma, including hundreds of children from Tulsa County<\/a> each year.<\/p>\n

For more information, families can call (918) 542-1836 to speak with an intake specialist. You can also find their website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Moccasin Bend Ranch, a residential treatment program in Wyandotte, has reopened after a remodel, expanding access to specialized…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":352318,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[97,259,260],"class_list":{"0":"post-352317","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-mental-health","10":"tag-mentalhealth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352317"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352317\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}