OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower-court ruling that granted class-action status to a lawsuit against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

A three-judge panel ruled Monday that U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell didn't abuse his discretion when he certified the lawsuit as a class-action case in June.

The 2008 lawsuit by Children's Rights, a child advocacy organization, accused the state of not finding ``safe and adequate'' homes for foster children and of inadequately monitoring their safety ``due to an overburdened and mismanaged work force.''

Agency officials have said the strategy of the case filed on behalf of nine of the state's 10,000 foster children is to force them into an expensive settlement.

Attorneys for the agency and for Children's Rights didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.