OICA Announces Fall Advocacy Winners

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is pleased to announce our Fall Forum conference agenda, bringing together child advocacy and policy experts to examine the “State of the State” for children and how best to improve it. Fall Forum will be held in two segments: virtual meetings on Monday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and on Friday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In between, the participants will gather in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and Thursday, Oct 15 to discuss children’s issues and develop the components of OICA’s “Children’s Legislative Agenda” for submission to the 2027 session of the Oklahoma Legislature. During the online session, participants will lay out an overview of the agenda to be discussed during the in-person meeting the next week. Registered participants will be provided with the link for the meeting. While it is suggested to participate in the online session, it is not necessary in order to attend the in-person component of Fall Forum. In-person attendance is limited to 100 registrants, with an additional 100 virtual registrations allowed OICA CEO Joe Dorman said the theme for this year’s event is “FY-27: Federal Impact on State Programs and Nonprofits.” Participants will conduct an in-depth examination of the impact of federal budget cuts on the ability of the state to meet its responsibilities to the citizens, as well as the strain placed on nonprofits to fill the gaps caused by the federal cuts. Among areas advocates will examine include such topics as: Food insecurity. Economic well-being. Education policy. Health and insurance. Family and community, including childcare, public broadcasting services, and tobacco use prevention. “Our work is clearly cut out for us,” Dorman said. “Advocates who attend Fall Forum are the front lines of service providers for Oklahomans who need help. It is clear the government is not committing sufficient resources to many of those areas – especially in the areas of food insecurity and healthcare – and people are looking to nonprofits for help, at a time when nonprofits are struggling to meet financial needs. “The fact is that many nonprofits are having a challenging time with fundraising because of the financial pressures being placed on our donor bases. It is a perfect storm of challenges, and Fall Forum is where advocates can converse on policies to navigate those challenges.” Dorman noted this is important because lawmakers are our servant leaders coming from many backgrounds. “We as child advocates have a responsibility to help policymakers better understand the importance of children’s issues,” he said. “Children rarely have a voice regarding policy, which is why OICA was created and the reason we continue our mission. Now, we invite advocates from across the state to stand with us to be the voice of Oklahoma’s children during the Fall Forum. Many elected officials rely upon those with real world experience to help guide them and now is a critical time to share those stories.” The cost to register for Fall Forum is $125, and discounted tickets are available for students and virtual attendance. Registration and the tentative agenda can be found on the OICA Events page at https://www.oica.org/events on the OICA website. Individual and organizational members of OICA are provided with a complimentary conference registration which is included in their annual dues of $100. In addition to registration, the link includes sponsorship opportunities for those individuals, organizations, or businesses that wish to support the event. In addition to the meetings, Fall Forum will include an awards luncheon on October 14 to recognize various child advocates and an opportunity for advocates to network with policymakers who will receive recognition from OICA that evening.

Advocacy Boot Camp (ABC) Class III begins its activities over their year-long course learning the lessons of how to make a difference in their communities and their state. ABC Class II graduated this week in Stillwater, as ABC Class III began their work. (Courtesy Photo) STILLWATER, Okla. – Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) sponsors its Advocacy Boot Camp – also known as “ABC” – a year-long program focusing on making those interested in being a voice for children even more effective This week, members of the third class of advocates, ABC Class III, began their journey to become better voices for the causes important to them during their inaugural meeting in Stillwater. As that third class began its work, ABC Class II graduated in a ceremony held at Stillwater’s Hideaway Pizza. “Oklahoma’s children need for adults to be their collective voice when it comes to both advocating and leading,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “Participants in our ABC classes improve their skills as advocates and become even more productive in their communities.” The Advocacy Boot Camp is an update of a program operated by OICA from 1995 to 2010 called the “Kids Count Leadership Program.” ABC has proven to be a valuable resource for those who want to learn more about the resources available in Oklahoma to improve the quality of life for its children and its citizens. “The foundation of any community, any state, is caring people willing to learn and then put that knowledge to work,” he said. “Advocacy’s primary purpose is to raise awareness, influence decision-makers, and bring about positive social, legal or systemic change – ABC provides participants with the tools to be even more effective in that effort.” According to Licia Walters, OICA’s program director, each year’s multiple-session program provides coursework on how participants can be stronger advocates on key issues relating to children. “This is always the primary goal of the ABC,” she said. “Knowledge is power in advocacy, and ABC is designed to make sure participants have the knowledge they need to make a difference.” The sessions for ABC Class III will be held in several state locations, covering both urban and rural areas of the state, beginning in Stillwater, and then traveling to Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Tahlequah, and Ada. The final session will overlap with the incoming Class IV for the next year. “Our first two classes are proving to be the next generation of policy leaders for our state; we expect nothing less from those participating in Class III,” Dorman said. “Trained advocates are a renewing natural resource that have the skills to lead organizations in communities across the state, working at the grassroots level to make Oklahoma a better place for its youngest residents, and some of our participants already have even run for an elective office.” The members of ABC Class II who graduated were: Te’Ata Loper of the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association; Cara Carllson of Swanky Door Decore; Delainna Percifield and Madison Thompson of CREOKS; Clotiel Howard of Hope for the Future, Inc.; Suzanne Hughes, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Children, Inc.; Erika Johnson of American University; Lillian Bocquin of Honestly, an OKC nonprofit; Aanahita Ervin of Oklahoma Policy Institute; Meghan Hollingsworth of Pioneer Library System; Melissa Klink, CEO of the Center for Children and Families in Norman; Chaunte’ Gilmore; Nicholas Kindelt of Tulsa Area United Way; Rebekka Lucas, OICA Board Vice President and Director of Operations and Finance for the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts; and Anthony Hernandez-Rivera of the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General. ABC Class III includes: Emily Oberg and Molly Ziriax of CREOKS; Chantal Rocha of Western Plains Youth and Family Services; Nena Walker of the Center for Children and Families; Michele DeBerry, Director of The Tolbert Center for Developmental Disabilities and The Oklahoma Autism Network; Marny Dunlap of OU Health; Haley Ann Hegwood and Diego McCollum of the Potts Family Foundation; Kathleen Bates of KB Custom Solutions, LLC; Jennifer Hunt of Great Plains Child Care Resource and Referral; Abbie Stewart, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Arc of Oklahoma; Terrell Johnson of Pivot, Inc.; Claudia Swisher, a retired educator; Erika Wright of Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice; Shelley Hawkins of OKC Market for Family & Children’s Services; Drew France, Senior Director for CAP Tulsa; Julia Smith, Pediatric Pandemic Network hub site manager at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital; Zac Swartz, USDA Rural Development Director; Col. Kevin Roland (retired, Oklahoma Army National Guard), the State Youth Programs Director for Sooner Job Challenge; and Ashley Helm, OICA intern.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma (right) visits with Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy in the congressman’s Washington office. Dorman made the trip to the Nation’s Capital Sept. 14-16 as part of a group of advocates to visit with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation about ways to combat hunger in the state. (Courtesy Photo) Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, visits with U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, (left) in the congressman’s Washington office during a trip to D.C. Dorman was in the nation’s capital with a group of Oklahoma advocates to discuss hunger issues with federal lawmakers. The trip occurred Sept. 14-16, 2026. (Courtesy Photo) U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, (center) poses with a delegation of advocates from Oklahoma concerned about hunger in the state during a meeting in the Nation’s Capital. Among the group in D.C. during the week of September 17 was Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (Far Right). (Courtesy Photo) Last week, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of our federal delegation regarding issues created by federal mandates placed upon states to reduce error rates in the social safety net. This “anti-hunger” gathering was organized by Hunger Free Oklahoma and included the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank, local providers of food support, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). The “One Big Beautiful Bill” requires states to reduce paperwork errors to ensure Oklahomans fully qualify. This created backlogs in people calling help lines, confusion about what paperwork is needed, and growing frustration causing many individuals to simply give up on services. Our trip showed the seriousness of the situation faced by hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans. I appreciate the members of the delegation who personally met with us and the dialogue we had with their staff members. I am also thankful that Oklahoma Human Services (DHS), our state agency overseeing this, takes this seriously. DHS is working with OICA to help share information to assist Oklahomans on how to navigate the challenges created by the federal law and regain support. Latest numbers show 943,377 Oklahomans are 60 or older, or about 23 percent of the state's population. By 2034, that population is projected to grow another 21.3 percent, and for the first time, adults 65 and older will outnumber children in the state. Many older Oklahomans are called upon to care for younger generations, such as grandparents raising grandchildren. In Oklahoma, 109,221 children live in homes where a relative is the head of household, and 61,000 are being raised by kin with no parent present. More than 43,000 grandparents are the head of households and responsible for grandchildren living with them. For every child raised by kin inside the foster care system, 22 more are raised by kin outside of foster care, meaning most of this caregiving happens without any state involvement or support. Oklahoma Human Services' Community Living, Aging, and Protective Services division has identified four significant challenges facing older Oklahomans: financial security, appropriate housing, the state's capacity to meet increasing service needs, and simply knowing how to find available help. Much support happens through a network of local partners, including 11 Area Agencies on Aging across Oklahoma. For help, call the Statewide Aging and Disability Info-Line at 1-800-211-2116. Calls are routed to the appropriate local resource based on the caller’s needs. The ADvantage Waiver is a critical part of support. This program helps eligible older adults and adults with disabilities receive long-term services and support at home rather than entering a nursing facility. Services can include personal care, case management, skilled nursing, home delivered meals, respite, home modifications, specialized medical equipment, and adult day health. To qualify, individuals must meet financial requirements, the program's medical level of care requirements, and age or disability requirements. Eligibility is individualized. An online application is available through DHS. Anyone unable to complete it online can call 1-800-435-4711 to arrange a telephone application or visit a local DHS office. After applying, applicants may need to verify citizenship or immigration status, income, other financial resources, and Social Security number. They will also select qualified providers in their area and complete a medical eligibility assessment. Agency instructions tell applicants to respond within 10 calendar days of the postmark in any follow up letter, or the application cannot continue. Medicare can be difficult to navigate, especially when comparing Medicare Advantage plans, prescription coverage, supplements, or programs designed to lower health care costs. The Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Medicare Assistance Program, known as SHIP, provides free, objective counseling from trained counselors: 800-763-2828. 2-1-1 and Be A Neighbor are avenues to seek help. By calling 2-1-1, navigators can assist with a variety of resources. Be A Neighbor is a statewide online resource directory where people can enter their ZIP code and search for assistance. I will continue sharing information in coming weeks to assist in navigating these issues.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is continuing to work with Oklahoma Human Services (DHS) to shed light on how to help those in our state who qualify for services to be able to retain them or apply due to economic situations. I have been helping my mother navigate renewing her services with the additional requirements established by the federal law passed last year. I want to thank our local funeral home for assisting us with assigning her life insurance policy over to a funeral plan. They told us three people had come in the same day we visited to do the same with paperwork. I also appreciate our local Realtor® for drafting a letter accurately listing the value of a piece of property which she and I jointly own. It will take some time to ensure that all paperwork is sufficient to restore services, and if you know of someone who is struggling, please help them to either file forms online or visit one of the local DHS offices. More information will come next week on how to best navigate the process, and I appreciate DHS leadership for working with OICA to help get this information out. This week, I will be in Washington, DC, visiting with members of our congressional delegation about this process. Far too many Oklahomans, an estimated one quarter of our population, or one million people, receive support from these government programs. While I agree that there is a need to ensure verification, it should not come with increased difficulty for those who are elderly, infirm, or children who legitimately receive a benefit. Most receive these benefits temporarily, but for those senior citizens who have retired or are unable to work, they are owed this benefit for their years of hard work in jobs which did not provide sufficient, if any, retirement benefits. I mention this age category, knowing that I primarily advocate for youth, because Oklahoma consistently ranks as one of the top states in the nation for grandparents raising their grandchildren or taking on family placement cases through Human Services. I am looking forward to the visits this week so those of us present can share the stories we have heard so often over the past few months from those who reach out to us or the many we serve as nonprofit organizations. I would encourage you to reach out to policymakers to share your own story, as that is why advocacy is so important. If our elected officials do not hear how laws impact citizens, it is unlikely things will change. I will share more on the OICA social media accounts as we navigate the halls of Congress. This week will also celebrate Constitution Day across our nation. September 17 is designated as the day on which we recognize this document, created by our founding fathers, and amended by the people through the years to guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. OICA has the great pleasure of supporting this education through our Kid Governor® program. Fifth grade students have the chance to learn through free prepared lesson plans provided to teachers to help them present how the process of state government works, why it is important to vote when children turn 18, and it also provides an enhanced option where the students themselves go through a classroom election, present ideas for bettering our state, and the youth vote to see who will win. Thank you to classrooms in Allen, Ardmore, Bethany, Colcord, Collinsville, Commerce, Cushing, Del City, Duncan, Durant, Enid, Erick, Forgan, Lawton, Marble City, Marlow, Marietta, Moore, Mustang, Oklahoma City, Pond Creek, Putnam City, Roland, Tulsa, Tupelo, Wanette, and Wayne for signing up. If you do not see your school on here and you have a fifth grader, please reach out to your child’s teacher with the information from https://ok.kidgovernor.org/ or reach out to our program director, Licia Walters-Davis, at lwalters@oica.org for information on how to sign up by Friday at 5 p.m.

Over the past several weeks, many Oklahomans have contacted the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) regarding suspension or reduction of some benefits of the social safety net. Long wait times on help lines, confusion regarding needed forms for verification, and lack of access to internet have impacted Oklahomans, including families with young children. Oklahoma has quite often fallen into the “Top 10” of states with grandparents raising their grandchildren, placing an even greater strain on families. We at OICA support efforts to streamline eligibility verification and ensure fraud does not occur. While a dozen people in Oklahoma were arrested recently for SNAP fraud, there are tens of thousands of Oklahomans who qualify, but simply have trouble understanding the requirements. They should not be penalized by an overly burdensome system. The social safety net is heavily subsidized by the federal government. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” federal legislation signed by President Trump in July 2025, requires states to pay a share of SNAP benefit costs. The law requires states with SNAP payment error rates greater than 6% to pay a share of benefit costs, with the amount depending on how high a state’s error rate is. Nationally, advocates are reaching out to members of Congress asking for time for states to adjust their processes. Such a waiver would give states’ SNAP programs time to reduce payment error rates and avoid cuts to needy families. State agencies oversee several programs, including SNAP, childcare services, Advantage support, WIC, Medicaid, and several other social safety net programs. Each face federal cuts for matching funds. After I expressed concerns during an interview on an OKC news station, senior leadership at Oklahoma Human Services (DHS) reached out to me. I was assured the state will unveil a plan soon to shorten long waits and provide greater assistance, and that improved communications to make sure Oklahomans who qualify for services are receiving services. Until these adjustments are made, DHS asked me to share with readers of my column how to best prepare before reaching out on the call line or in person at one of the remaining DHS offices still open around the state. Important information you will need includes information on changed jobs or hours, whether monthly housing costs have changed, whether the number of people living in your household has changed, or whether you moved recently. For your verification checklist, have identification, proof of what you earn, proof of other income, shelter, and utility expenses, as well as medical cost records for those 60+ or disabled. Here are three points which I was asked to share: Submit – Make sure all required documentation is on hand before applying for SNAP. Save – Save the number 405-522-5050 in your phone to prepare for an interview call to verify the ability to receive support. Standby – No need to call to check the status of your case; the best way to do this is by logging onto your account at OKDHSLive.org and if you need help with this, see if someone close to you can assist. It is important to not save personal information on a public computer, such as at a library. Purchase a flash drive to store your documents and do not leave it behind following computer use. I appreciate DHS leadership for sharing this information and look forward to working with state and federal lawmakers to help resolve these issues. Over the next few columns, I will highlight important information needed for each of the programs impacted by the federal mandates on states. Next week, I will meet with members of our federal delegation in Washington, D.C., to discuss this directly and appeal for help in allowing Oklahomans who qualify for support to receive this aid. Every Oklahoman should feel free to contact your U.S. senators and members of Congress to share your stories. 

I am a numbers guy, so I enjoy analyzing elections. Oklahoma’s Primary Elections were held on June 15 to select party nominees for the General Election, to be held November 2. Runoffs races for candidates not receiving a majority in the Primary were held on August 24 between the top two vote-getters. The ballot also included two state constitutional amendments. Overall Primary Runoff turnout was 22% of registered Oklahoma voters, which includes the three parties (Democrat, Libertarian and Republican) and independents. Independents and Libertarians could vote only on the two state questions, with the two major parties having more to decide. Democrats had a 21% turnout for one statewide primary, a U.S. Senate race between the eventual winner N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest. About 616,000 Oklahomans are registered Democrats, according to the state Election Board, and 129,439 Dems voted in the runoff. Thomas faces Republican Kevin Hern, Libertarian Sevier White, and independents Ron Meinhardt and Curtis Stinnett in November. More than 371,000 Republicans voted, or 28.7% of registered party members. Mike Mazzei narrowly edged out Gentner Drummond in the gubernatorial runoff, winning by a total of just over one vote per our state’s 1,984 precincts. Three other statewide Republican Runoffs were also held for offices. For the governor General Election, it will be Mazzei, Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson, and three independents – Robert Brooks, Orlando Lynn Bush, and Jerry Griffin – on the ballot. So, what explains the turnout this year? In all four of their races, the Republicans ran significant ad time on television and online. Democrats did not utilize these traditional methods, so this likely led to their lower percentage. In the Primary Election held earlier this year, 26% of registered Oklahoma voters went to the polls, so, there was just a 4% dropoff. When you look at previous years, exempting out the 2018 vote which included the medical marijuana referendum, most other years had significant dropoffs from Primary to Runoff, like what our neighbors in Texas had earlier this year. Comparing Oklahoma and Texas, in the TX Primary, 24% showed up in their Primary and then 9% in the run-off. Their ballot decided the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate race between two heavily funded, well-advertised candidates. Oklahoma certainly won that turnout competition. While I am not thrilled with the low voter percentage, I am thankful for those who did take the time to vote. This matters greatly for the decision of who will represent us in elective offices. How do we fix this? The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is doing our part to encourage young Oklahomans to understand the importance of voting. Through our Oklahoma Kid Governor® program, fifth-grade classes in public, private, and charter schools can receive free lesson plans for teachers to help lead instruction on the role of officials and why each of us has a civic responsibility to vote when we turn 18 years old. Teachers can also do an optional addition where students in the classroom can run for Kid Governor® on a platform of their choosing. The class votes and the winner then submits a video to our office explaining why their issue is important. We narrow down the field to seven candidates, then ballots and candidate videos are sent to each participating classroom for the students to watch and vote for their favorite. We have not held this program long enough to assess if voter registration and turnout will increase in each of those communities, but in watching the excitement these children have to be able to do something as important as voting, we at OICA expect it will boost turnout, long term. We have a few weeks left for 5th grade classrooms to sign up. Please share with those teachers in your community so we can begin the process of preparing these young people for one of our most important civic obligations. Email OICA Program Director Licia Walters-Davis at lwalters@oica.org to learn more about how your local classroom can participate. 

During its annual Fall Forum luncheon slated for Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will announce winners of 13 awards recognizing excellence in advocacy, public service, healthcare, education, and philanthropy for children. Nominations from members of the public are now being accepted for these awards, which can be submitted on the organization’s website at https://www.oica.org/awards . The 13 awards are: The Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award. The Laura Choate Resilience Award. The Jasmine and Melvin Moran “Kidizenship” Award. The Burnes/Lichtenstein Award for Excellence in Journalism. The H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award. The Ray & Pat Potts Community Leader Award. The Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award. The Sandy Garrett Educator Award. The Jari Askins Justice for Children Award. The Jon Hansen Public Servant Award. The Dr. Dwight Sublett Healthcare Award. OICA’s Volunteer of the Year Award. The CEO’s Award in Child Advocacy. Steven A. Novick served as the legal counsel for the children who brought forth the “Terry D” lawsuit against the State of Oklahoma. The award is for recognizing an “unsung hero” in the area of child advocacy. Laura Choate has served as a lifelong advocate for Oklahoma children and was the first recipient of the Resilience Award. As a youth, Choate served as a plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit that resulted in dramatic changes to Oklahoma’s juvenile justice system and was used as a model by many other states to establish higher standards. The award is for someone who, like Laura, has overcome difficult circumstances in their youth to become an effective child advocate. The Kidizenship Award is OICA’s statewide award recognizing and rewarding excellence in youth philanthropy by and for Oklahomans under the age of 18. The award is named after Melvin and the late Jasmine Moran, philanthropists, best known as the founders of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole, Oklahoma. H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt was a prominent figure in the Oklahoma banking industry, having founded BancFirst, the largest state-chartered bank in the state. A strong advocate of improving and diversifying the Oklahoma economy, Mr. Rainbolt worked long and hard to improve health, education, provide better access to capital, and develop Oklahoma’s infrastructure system. This award will recognize a business which has done significant work to help children outside their normal operations. The Burnes/Lichtenstein Award for Excellence in Journalism is named for Karen Burnes and Bill Lichtenstein, two of the reporters who helped uncover the scandal of child abuse under the Oklahoma Department of Human Services in the early 1980s. Their reporting was part of the effort that led to wholesale changes to state’s juvenile justice system and the creation of OICA as an independent watchdog organization outside of state government. The Ray & Pat Potts Community Leader Award was named for the co-founders of The Potts Family Foundation, the late Ray Potts and his wife, Pat, who passed on August 20, 2025. Pat also co-founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits where she served as president and CEO for 20 years. Pat’s focus was always on leveraging resources “to address root causes and build the human potential of the people of our state one child and one organization at a time.” The award will be presented to an Oklahoman in the business world who outside of their profession has done something exceptional to benefit children. A breast cancer survivor who grew up in segregated north Tulsa, Judy Eason McIntyre built a career in social work, served on the Tulsa Public Schools Board, and spent 10 years in the Oklahoma Legislature, serving as a state representative, then a state senator. Through that time, she helped break down race barriers and elevate difficult conversations for the betterment of generations to come. This award will recognize someone who has helped break down racial barriers to benefit youth. The Honorable Sandy Garrett, a lifelong educator, was first elected state Superintendent for Public Instruction in 1990, and again in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006. Garrett was the first woman to hold the office of Superintendent and is the only woman to hold a statewide office for five consecutive terms. Through her work, early childhood education was significantly expanded statewide. This award will be presented to an educator who has done something significant for the benefit of Oklahoma’s children. The Jari Askins Justice for Children Award is named for The Honorable Jari Askins, who served with distinction in all three branches of Oklahoma state government and, most recently, as the interim president of Cameron University in Lawton. The Askins Award is awarded to someone in the state’s legal community who has done outstanding work in the courts on behalf of Oklahoma’s children. Jon Hansen began his 26-year career with the Oklahoma City Fire Department in November 1973, eventually becoming an Assistant Fire Chief, where he served as the department’s Public Information Officer during the OKC Bombing. Following this, he became the Executive Director for the Council on Firefighter Training (COFT), working with volunteer fire departments across the state prior to his death. This award recognizes a public servant – law enforcement, fire service, or emergency medical service – who has gone beyond in some way to help a child or children. Dr. Dwight Sublett was the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter for several years. During his life, he was an extremely accomplished physician working through the pandemic to protect the health of Oklahomans. He received a multitude of distinguished awards, but the highlight of his career was the children he attended, and the countless lives he touched. This award will go to a member of the healthcare field, individual or organization, who has improved the health of the state’s children through an exceptional act or cause. The OICA Volunteer of the Year Award will go to an individual who has given of their time, talents, and treasures to help ensure that OICA is able to perform the mission set out for it by its founders more than 40 years ago: “Creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.” The CEO’s Award in Child Advocacy will go to a child advocate whose work does not fit into any category for which specific recognition is given. The award recognizes the tireless efforts of individuals in virtually every profession and area of volunteer service who struggle to make a positive difference in the lives of children. “These awards will allow us to further express our gratitude to those working in different sectors, and who are positively impacting children through their efforts,” said Joe Dorman, chief executive officer of OICA. “We hope this recognition will bring attention to the wonderful advocates who are selected and hopefully provide further encouragement for Oklahomans to do good acts which benefit our children.” Dorman stated that anyone is eligible to nominate a qualifying Oklahoman for any of the awards. “All one has to do is go to our website at oica.org and fill out the nomination form for a suitable nominee,” he said. “Each year, we receive a tremendous group of nominees who embody what is best about Oklahoma. I look forward to seeing the suggestions and presenting those to the OICA awards committee who will determine the recipients.” Nominations will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11. Award winners will be determined by OICA’s Board of Directors and announced at the luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 14 during OICA’s annual Fall Forum, a conference where advocates and state officials come together to learn how to be a better champion for children. The conference was established to help develop the annual “Children’s Legislative Agenda” to guide OICA’s policy work at the State Capitol. You can find more details relating to the conference at the OICA website.

PHOTO CUTLINE – Former state Rep. Joe Dorman (left), then a Democrat from Rush Springs and now CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and former U.S. Sen. James Inhofe in a photo dedicated to Dorman by the senator. Inhofe, a Republican representing Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate, called Dorman “a great partner” following their work together on an industrial park project, showing how the two from different political parties worked together to find common ground. (Courtesy Photo)

Our state is fortunate to have many outstanding individuals who are tireless advocates for children. Often, these silent heroes go unrecognized for helping young Oklahomans have better opportunities and a stronger chance at success in life. Over the past decade with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), I have worked with our Board of Directors to expand the number of awards for those who truly make a difference in the lives of others. On October 14, OICA will convene our first in-person day of our annual Fall Forum, where advocates assemble to improve policies for Oklahoma’s children. On that day, we will hold our annual awards luncheon to celebrate those chosen by our board from public nominations for a slate of awards. To attend Fall Forum and the luncheon, you can go to https://tinyurl.com/OICAFF26 to register and help set the 2027 Children’s Legislative Agenda. Those awards are: • Laura Choate Resilience Award – given to a person who has overcome extreme traumatic experiences to contribute back to the children of our state. • Jari Askins Justice for Children Award – given to a member of the bar or judiciary who has bettered the life of children through their work. • Steven A Novick Child Advocacy Award – given to an unsung hero in child advocacy who is one of those workers “in the trenches” of child advocacy. • Jasmine and Melvin Moran Kidizenship Award – given to a minor (under 18) who has either built a program or bettered one to help their peers. • Burnes/Lichtenstein Award for Excellence in Journalism – given to a journalist who has elevated issues involving children to help advocates create solutions. • Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award – given to someone who has improved race relations and broken barriers. • Dr. Dwight Sublett Healthcare Award – given to a member of the medical community who has promoted health policies for children. • Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award – given to someone in an Oklahoma community who has improved the lives of children within their area. • H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award – given to a business which has elevated support for children beyond the scope of their primary work. • Jon Hansen Public Servant Award – given to a member of Oklahoma’s police, fire or EMS community who has aided a child or children. • Sandy Garrett Educator Award – given to an educator who has gone above and beyond the classroom to help children. You may submit nominations for those you feel are deserving at https://www.oica.org/2026FallNominations. OICA also will recognize Oklahomans with two other awards: our Volunteer of the Year Award and the CEO’s Public Service Award. Those are selected internally by our board and staff for those who have contributed both to assisting OICA and to someone who might fall outside the scope of these other awards. You can see prior award winners at https://www.oica.org/hall-of-award-winners to celebrate those previously recognized or so you do not nominate a prior honoree. I also want to thank those who have recognized OICA and myself recently. None of us with the organization does this work to gain attention, but it certainly is a nice feeling to know others are aware of the effort you put into the mission. Our organization was voted the “Best Nonprofit in Oklahoma City” by readers of the Oklahoma Gazette. We were extremely thrilled to have so many people vote for us in a crowded field of equally deserving organizations. Thank you to the Oklahoma Gazette for holding this annual recognition. You can go to https://www.okgazette.com/ to see the list of the awards and winners. Additionally, I was honored to be included in the 2026 class of “55 Inspiring Oklahomans Over 55.” My deepest thanks to the selection committee for including me. It is truly humbling to be included on this list, especially in my first year of eligibility. You can see them all at https://55over55.com/honorees/ along with information on how to attend the recognition ceremony on September 17 should you want to be a part of the celebration at the State Capitol.