Family & Children’s Services (FCS) of Tulsa and Hope Community Services (Hope) of Oklahoma City today announced the intent to merge, bringing together two of Oklahoma’s most trusted 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.
The announcement drew praise from the Mayors of Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
“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. So we’re pleased to hear of this merger and its aspirations for expanding access and improving crisis response. If more of our residents are getting the services they need, then that’s a good outcome.”
Leaders from both organizations say the decision to merge was driven by shared values, aligned service philosophies and a longstanding commitment to community mental health and substance use recovery.
“This is an extraordinary moment for our combined clients, our employees and the communities we serve,” said Adam Andreassen, President and CEO of FCS. “Both of our organizations have deep histories of meeting people where they are and evolving to meet community needs. By joining together, we can fill gaps, scale up, and bring more expertise to many more Oklahomans who need services.”
Hope CEO Heather Helberg said the merger reflects both organizations’ shared mission and the realities of today’s behavioral health landscape.
“It’s time to grow and expand our services at the same rapid pace that Oklahoma City’s needs are growing—and the best way to rise to that challenge was with a strong partner who shares our philosophy and our approach,” Helberg said. “This collaboration allows us to move our mission forward faster and stronger than we could have done separately.”
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, a $25 million operation with 215 employees and two locations, is widely respected for its substance use services and community mental health care.
FCS, a $183 million system with 1,500 employees and 70+ programs across 10 locations and 32 community co-located sites, brings additional clinical depth, crisis services, and specialty programming to the merged organization.
Both organizations stressed that no layoffs are planned.
“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 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.”
Both organizations will work closely with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Attorney General’s office and other regulatory partners to ensure a smooth transition with no disruption to services.
“This merger is about more than sharing resources,” said Andreassen. “It’s about transforming what’s possible. We believe mergers should happen because two strong partners choose to build something better together.”
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.”
