PATHWAY TO HEALING
As Tulsa area is challenged with huge gap in mental health and substance abuse services, it creates hardships at home and other instances that causes trauma. Poverty and stigma against mental health added the challenges to get some help. I proposed this project to provide services to those who need it and provide education that is valuable to our community. And I am hopeful that this can decrease the stigma within this community.
Statement.
Demographics and Trend
Starting out with the demographics and findings — There’s about 401,000 population in the city of Tulsa and approximately half of community are minority. Poverty has been a problem in the area because of low minimum wage. With more than half of adults not attaining a degree, it’s been hard to get a higher paying job. Even though, employment rate is at 66% and unemployment went down, people still live in poverty.
In addition, Tulsa’s health ranking is 46, with 50 being the least. The outcomes ranking and the determinants are very low especially in behavioral health. There is a very low ranking because of lack of health insurance with almost 70% of the population; it is a problem.
Some key findings of the trends— mental illness is a major driver of poor health, Tulsa’s system to provide care has a big gap, not affordable, and not easily accessible in certain areas.
The goal for this project is to provide services where it’s not available, in a more accessible area and locate it in a more dense population for more direct impact.
(Site Mapping -- Image)
Site Mapping
Let’s dive in a little more about the general site, Tulsa Oklahoma. The bike score is 47, walk score is 39, and transit is 23. Meaning some of the areas are walkable but it is a car-dependent city with minimal bike and transit system.
Using the map for unemployment, low to moderate income and crime location, I created this map to put my focus on the concentrated areas.
Mental Health Centers
Since I’m looking at Mental Health and rehab centers, I created this map to see how the city is doing on providing those services on focused area. Turns out that the downtown area has more services and there’s a big gap in Midtown area. In result, deaths by suicide and overdose is also less in Downtown area.
(Site - Midtown)
Midtown Area
So I explored the Midtown area. I located my site within 15 minute walk of transit line or two, more dense population and an area where there is no existing public park.
The site have an advantage of being on commercial strip which already established visitors and circulation and within walking distance from single and multiple housings.
Site Analysis
A summary of the site, we get between mild winters and cold without being extreme, pretty nice during fall and spring but it tend get hot during summer. A lot of wind from the south and some from the north during winter time. Topography slope is there. Not too steep to walk. It is right by the highway so very accessible through car as well however, it can too noisy due to vehicle traffic.
