| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CFSR Results Summary: In its Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, HHS determines whether each state is in substantial conformity with 7 specific outcomes (pertaining to the areas of safety, permanency and family and child well-being) and 7 systemic factors (relating to the quality of services delivered to children and families and the outcomes they experience). In the first two rounds of the CFSR, HHS has concluded that Oklahoma was:
Round 1 (2002)
- NOT in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Outcomes
- NOT in substantial conformity with 2 of the 7 Systemic Factors
Round 2 (2008)
- NOT in substantial conformity with 7 of the 7 Outcomes
- NOT in substantial conformity with 2 of the 7 Systemic Factors
Although federal law mandates that any state found not to be operating in substantial conformity during an initial or subequent review must begin a full review within two years after approval of the state's program improvement plan, HHS has announced that Oklahoma will not undergo Round 3 of the CFSR until FY 2016 (see CFSR Technical Bulletin #7 (March 2014)). |
Documents from the U.S. Health & Human Services Children's Bureau
- Child and Family Services Review Reports and Results
- Title IV-E State Reports and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)
- Other Documents / Reports
Child Welfare Litigation*
- D.G. v. Yarbrough
Children’s Rights, along with Oklahoma law firms Fredric Dowart Lawyers, Seymour & Graham LLP, Day, Edwards, Propester & Christensen PC, and international firm Kaye Scholer, filed this case against the Governor of Oklahoma and Commissioner of the Department of Human Services on behalf of the nine named plaintiffs and more than 10,000 children of Oklahoma who had been removed from their homes by the state. The Complaint alleged violations of the constitutional rights of the children in the state’s care by routinely placing them in unsafe, unsupervised and unstable living situations, where they were frequently subjected to further maltreatment. The parties settled the case in 2012. Thanks to the Settlement Agreement, and the efforts of Children’s Rights and the court-appointed “co-neutrals,” we began to bring about reforms in Oklahoma. For example, the state met targets for child visitation by any worker (at least 95%) and visitation by the primary worker (at least 70%) for every month between April 2013 and March 2014. However, the co-neutral commentary released in April 2014, flagged a number of outstanding areas of poor performance (see Children's RIghts website for more information).
*litigation summary taken from information provided by the website of Children's Rights
Child Welfare In the News**
- DHS adds foster care ombudsman position, new complaint process
Tulsa World - January 08, 2015
Lisa Buck, a former foster parent and a professional advocate, has been named as the foster care ombudsman. DHS Director Ed Lake created this position within the Office of Client Advocacy (OCA) to track, address and resolve complaints and grievances of foster parents in order to improve their experiences with DHS and ultimately to improve recruitment and retention of foster parents.
- Former Oklahoma Department of Human Services child welfare supervisor on probation for altering computer records after boy's death
The Oklahoman - December 30, 2014
Former DHS child welfare supervisor Paul Kim Myers, 58, of Edmond, accepted plea deal that makes him a convicted felon to avoid possibility of prison.
- Children in foster care need lots of help, not just adoption
News OK - November 26, 2014
Last year, we explored some of the barriers that children in foster care face if they don't find permanent homes. Half of those who are homeless have been in foster care. So are a disproportionate share of those who are incarcerated, it said.
**news summaries taken from daily newsfeed service of HHS' Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| |
|
|
|
