By Devyn Lyon, Fox23 News
OKLAHOMA CITY — Some Oklahoma lawmakers believe changes are needed to improve the state’s child welfare system, with two separate pieces of legislation moving through the State Capitol aimed at supporting foster youth and restructuring oversight of child welfare services.
The bills moving through the Oklahoma Legislature would expand services for young people aging out of foster care and would potentially create a new state agency dedicated solely to child welfare.
Both proposals have advanced through Senate committees, but they still must pass the full Oklahoma State Senate and Oklahoma House before becoming law.
One of the proposals, Senate Bill 1806, was authored by Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton.
The bill would allow young people aging out of Oklahoma’s foster care system at 18 to voluntarily continue receiving state support until the age of 21.
Paxton said roughly 200 young people age out of the system each year.
He said the program would be optional for those who want continued services.
“This is about giving these kids an opportunity to extend their services from the state so they can have a life of being productive citizens.”
The proposal has received unanimous bipartisan support in two Senate committees and is estimated to cost less than $14 million.
Another measure, Senate Bill 1570, was introduced by State Senator Paul Rosino.
The bill would create a new state agency focused solely on child welfare services, separating those responsibilities from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
The proposal would move child welfare programs from DHS and the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs into a new agency governed by board members appointed by the government, Senate Pro Tem and the Speaker of the Oklahoma House.
Rosino said the goal is not to punish DHS, but to better focus attention on protecting children.
“DHS is such a large agency,” said Rosino. “This is not punitive on DHS, but it is trying to protect children and stay focused on them.”
Meanwhile, the need for foster families remains a major challenge.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, for every 100 children entering foster care nationwide, there are only about 57 licensed foster homes available.
In Oklahoma, the number of children entering foster care has declined over the past decade, but the state still faces a shortage of foster homes.
Around 6,000 children are currently in Oklahoma’s foster care system and officials said the state needs more than 500 additional foster homes.
Two women who said they experienced abuse in foster homes told FOX23 the system needs stronger protections and better support for children.
“It needs to be fixed,” stated former foster child Alexis Yauneridge. “It’s going to continue to fail if the people that have the power to fix it continue to sit back and just let it happen.”
Former foster child Sarah Payne said improving the system is critical in order to protect vulnerable children.
“My biggest goal out of all of this is to ensure the safety and security of children, not only within our welfare system in Oklahoma, but in the United States as a whole.”
To learn more about becoming a foster parent or to access the application, click here.
To learn more about Senate Bill 1806, click here.
To learn more about Senate Bill 1570, click here.
