oklahoma-institute-for-child-advocacy-139377

Children Thrive When Parents Are In Their Lives

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:57:07 GMT

Over the past few years, a national movement has taken off in many states to establish a hardened rule in the law that 50/50 custody is in the best interest of the children of divorce.

Such laws have passed recently in Arizona, Kentucky. Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, and West Virginia, with many other states – including Oklahoma – considering equal custodial time for parents, unless a proven reason is established which would dictate the split is not in the best interest of the child.

Every child deserves a happy and safe youth filled with love from their parents, and children are statistically shown to be happier and well-adjusted when they grow up with both parents active in their lives, as long as the parents uphold their responsibility to raise their children in loving homes.

In a perfect world, when children are involved, separated parents will find a way to co-parent and not allow the children to see any animosity between them. Unfortunately, far too many separated parents, men and women alike, use the court system to weaponize divorce. They drag the other parent through the costly legal system by using the child and custody issues to bankrupt the other.

This is one of the issues we frequently receive calls about at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA): a parent desperate to find free or pro bono counsel to help with their battle to maintain a certain level of custody with the children involved.

Unfortunately, there are very few resources out there to aid these mothers and fathers when the opposing parent has the financial ability to continually file challenges to modify the child custody time established by the family court.

While we acknowledge equal custody is not a situation which is best with every case of divorce, and sometimes one parent might abdicate their responsibility, the data clearly shows that children statistically thrive better when parents are both involved in their upbringing. In fact, under the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study, separation from a parent is one of the assessed points of toxic trauma which hurts children long-term.

Over the past three years, OICA has worked with lawmakers to see support for such a policy to become law in Oklahoma. House Bill 1082 would create a rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody, joint physical custody, and shared parenting time is most often in the best interest of the child. The measure also would specify that if clear and convincing evidence shows child abuse, domestic violence, stalking, or harassment has occurred, this would nullify equal custody.

The measure would also direct courts to issue written findings if it is determined enough evidence has been presented to rebut the presumption. Courts would appoint guardians ad litem (GAL) to assist in constructing parenting time schedules which are consistent with the best interest of the children while maximizing the optimal time parents have with their children. Of course, if one parent opts for less time, that will be considered.

More than one dozen lawmakers have signed in support of this legislation as authors or coauthors. The bill passed with bipartisan support from the House of Representatives by a 92-1 vote and the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 7-0 vote. We thank Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, for proposing solid amendments to the legislation which would strengthen protections for children, including the GAL language.

Senate Majority Leader Julie Daniels will hopefully schedule HB1082 for consideration by the full Oklahoma Senate before the May 7 deadline; the bill will also need one more House vote for final passage before the Legislature adjourns this year, or the bill will die.

The calls OICA has received are truly heartbreaking when parents want shared time with their children. If you have a lived experience that relates to this legislation, I strongly encourage you to contact state senators to share your story if you feel this law would help children. You can find senators’ contact information at https://oksenate.gov/senators

Do Candidates Exhibit the True "Oklahoma Standard"?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:03:02 GMT

Last week, journalist Connie Chung returned to Oklahoma City for an event at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. While she was welcomed by those in attendance this time, such was not the case 31 years ago.

“Can you handle this? Can this fire department handle this? I know you’re doing a great job, but it’s extraordinarily difficult,” Chung asked my friend, Assistant OKC Fire Chief Jon Hansen. The question was met with anger by those who felt she had insulted our firefighters and first responders. She quickly issued an apology, but it was not well met, leading to her dismissal as a newscaster.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum invited her to speak at their “Better Conversations” series. The program fosters civil dialog on sensitive topics, using the 1995 bombing legacy of resilience to bridge community divides. This was the case with Ms. Chung, who said she felt forgiven and welcomed.

This overall effort led the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to honor the Memorial with our Organizational Advocate of the Year Award in 2025 as they involve young people in their many projects encouraging civility in our society.

“The Oklahoma Standard” is an ideal grown in the aftermath of the bombing; we even watermark the term on our state’s driver license. The Memorial established a statewide initiative under this banner, preserving and promoting a culture of caring citizens by encouraging “Acts of Service, Honor, and Kindness.”

Those running for office across Oklahoma should bear this in mind. We are less than two months from the Primary Election on June 16, and the candidates are putting on quite a show. Unfortunately, rhetoric is not corresponding with the ideals “The Oklahoma Standard” represents, especially for children.

The so-called culture wars get more attention in primaries – especially closed primaries like we have in Oklahoma – than actual solutions to real challenges.

For example, a recent report in Oklahoma Watch noted that “53% of likely Republican primary voters said cultural issues such as banning Sharia law and transgender surgeries for youth would be vital when deciding which candidate to support.” Of all Republicans polled, only 39% put day-to-day government functions ahead of culture war issues.

Similarly, Democrats primary voters have their own culture war issues and, like Republican primary voters, tend to skew more extreme than General Election voters. Nationally, 48% of Democratic voters are either “progressive” (37%) or “woke” (11%), according to a study by the Manhattan Institute. Only 47% of the Democratic primary voters put more stock in a functioning government than culture issues and less than half of them have shown a willingness to vote for a candidate rather than a party.

Primary voters who are frustrated that their candidate lost often do not return to the polls to vote in the November General Election, leading to low turnout, and Oklahoma was among the lowest turnout of any state in 2024.

Unfortunately, if this year follows past elections, Oklahoma will rank last in voters showing up to the polls in November. With what people are hearing from candidates, can you really blame them?

It might be too late to call upon candidates to run on ideas which will build the economy, increase opportunities for Oklahomans, and create a better state for our children, but I hope you will join me in elevating “The Oklahoma Standard” by voting based on those issues that truly matter.

Will it be service, honor and kindness, or will voters instead gravitate towards propaganda that divides communities and instigates fear?

For Oklahoma’s children, the issues that matter are the childcare crisis, children’s health insurance, hunger in general, and whether candidates support policies which reduce childhood trauma. I certainly hope we see candidates change their focus to issues which truly elevate The Oklahoma Standard.

There is Still Time to Support Childcare Programs

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:04:56 GMT

While lawmakers addressed many children’s policy issues this year, one which still needs support is childcare services.

Other states have taken this on as a top priority. Through an expansion of their Child Care Assistance program, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to offer no-cost Universal Child Care beginning November 1, 2025.

In Oklahoma, we have conflicting reports about the closures of daycares across the state. In March, Oklahoma Human Services reported 166 childcare programs have closed statewide since November, but 78 new programs have opened during the same period. In contrast, News 9 reported in January that more than 400 childcare centers in Oklahoma have closed their doors since November. Oklahoma received national attention as The New York Times reported this week on the impact on families from the closure of one childcare center.

Additionally, many workplace-operated care centers, provided as an incentive for employees, have closed as those businesses could not afford to maintain that important employee benefit.

Worsening the problem, as of April 6, day care centers across the state lost COVID-19-era funding, according to the Licensed Child Care Association of Oklahoma, with providers seeing a reduction of about $5 per child per day. While this funding was never meant to be a permanent allocation for these businesses, and each was advised this would eventually be eliminated, the timing was certainly not good.

Subsidized childcare depends on financial assistance for eligible low-income working families, paid directly to providers, often requiring co-payments based on income. Unsubsidized care is paid fully out-of-pocket by the family, often costing significantly more. In Oklahoma, federal and state early learning subsidized opportunities have served more than 80,169 children and families, or 27% of children ages 5 and under.

What is the price tag? TOOTRiS, a nationwide childcare network, reports that the average cost for infants in a childcare center breaks down to $901 monthly, or $10,809 annually per child; for toddlers, which is $838 per month, or $10,060 annually. For four-year-olds, the cost dips to $785 monthly, or $9,415 annually, which is likely due to children also being in four-year-old public-school programs for a portion of the day.

It is not just money impacting families. It’s been noted that many families have older children who stay home from school to watch their younger siblings while the parents are at work, which contributes to learning loss for both age groups. Young children benefit academically from childcare programs, and the older youth should not miss classroom time.

Despite the bad news, Oklahoma has made strides to address the problem. House Bill 1847 was authored by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, and became law last year. The new law exempts at-home childcare centers from specific regulation, saving small home childcares those expenses.

Other ideas have not advanced. House Bill 1849, also authored by Representative Schreiber and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, would have allowed childcare providers at licensed facilities to exempt their household’s income from consideration when applying for the Child Care Subsidy Program as an attempt to incentivize new industry workers and retain current employees. While this bill remains in committee, it is not expected to move due to the $11 million estimated cost.

HB 3552, authored by Rep. Cody Maynard and Sen. David Bullard, both Durant Republicans, would have allowed licensed childcare providers to charge parents receiving childcare subsidies the “differential” rate, the difference between the state subsidy reimbursement and the provider’s standard private tuition.

Another, HB 4201, authored by Representative Schreiber and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, would set the master teacher ratio required for two-, three-, four-, and five-star centers be one full-time master teacher for every 60 children enrolled at the licensed childcare facility.

With the remaining time left in the legislative session, I have hope that lawmakers will address this critical need in a way which helps provide families with much needed childcare resources.

Early Budget Agreement Mostly Good for State's Children

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:14:59 GMT

Gov. Kevin Stitt and Republican leaders from the state Legislature announced a budget agreement last week. The Fiscal Year 27 (FY27) budget proposal totals $12.8 billion, an increase of 1.52% or nearly $200 million over the current fiscal year's budget.

This amount is a fraction of total spending, much of which comes from federal matching dollars and “off the top” funding that is dedicated to specific programs and not left up to lawmakers to allocate. No across-the-board cuts happened to state agencies, a fear many had this year.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is especially pleased that an additional $5 million is going toward a plan to allow foster children to receive state benefits until the age of 21, raising that age from the current age of 18 years old. This is an effort we have long supported. Special thanks go to Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton for leading this initiative.

The state will see increased funding to the state Department of Education by $208.7 million, which includes almost $80 million for reading and math programs, and a $2,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise, totaling $85 million, along with $27.3 million to fund health insurance increases for teachers.

Support personnel are not included in this pay raise; school districts would need to find the money if they choose to give raises to all school employees. Also, there is no additional funding budgeted to add days to the public-school year calendar, a proposal which might occur for the upcoming school year.

There is also a $25 million increase to the Parental Choice Tax Credit, going from $250 million to $275 million, to pay private school tuition for those who qualify.

For childcare teacher recruitment and retention, $4.56 million was included, but this still leaves a large gap for anticipated need. The state is faced with closures of private facilities due to unsubsidized coverage being too costly and the loss of federal subsidies starting this month will hurt many. I hope this can further be addressed prior to adjournment.

The budget allocates $15 million to the Department of Commerce for the 2028 Olympics as Oklahoma City will host softball and canoe slalom and kayak events, making it the only city outside California to host events.

Further, $6.75 million will fund an Oklahoma Highway Trooper Academy class; $200 million will go to the Taxpayer’s Endowment Fund Trust, reportedly to allow the state to invest in “unspecified future projects”; $12.5 million for “DREAM” savings accounts for Oklahoma children; and more than $3 million to expand Dolly Parton Imagination Libraries across the state and to implement the Just Right Readers phonics education program.

Additionally, $3.7 million will be allocated to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission for “critical dam repairs” across the state, a life-saving move.

Other increases in the proposed budget include $38.9 million to the Department of Human Services for its Advantage Waiver Program, and $25.5 million to Human Services for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP). The budget increases funding for the Department of Mental Health, with $49 million coming to stabilize the current budget and an additional $49 million for FY27, along with $30.1 million to implement a court-ordered competency restoration agreement. The Oklahoma Healthcare Authority gets an additional $250 million support for increased Medicaid utilization.

For state employees, lawmakers will allocate $15.2 million to increase longevity pay – a bonus provided based on years of service – in hopes of keeping up with competition with the private sector. Those enrolled in public pension systems would also receive cost of living adjustments ranging from 3% to 6% depending on a retiree’s time spent working, including teachers, firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and state employees. Retirees’ monthly payments would increase 3% if they have been retired between 10 and 19 years or 6 percent if they have been retired at least 20 years

The complete budget proposal will be carried through the process by the two budget chairmen, Sen. Chuck Hall and Rep. Trey Caldwell this week. We will keep you posted regarding what happens.

New Polling Data is Clear: Voters Want AI Protection

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:04:01 GMT

New statewide polling released today by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), in partnership with independent pollsters Amber Integrated, shows overwhelming support among likely Republican primary voters for action to address the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) generated sexually explicit images involving minors.

The Oklahoma survey – conducted March 6–8 among 603 likely Republican primary voters – found near-universal concern about the issue and strong backing for legislative and enforcement action.

According to the poll, 93% of likely GOP voters say they are concerned about AI-generated sexually explicit images involving minors, including 81% who say they are “very concerned.” At the same time, 94% say it is important for state lawmakers and state attorneys general to take action to stop the creation and distribution of this material.

Support for policy solutions is similarly strong. More than 9 in 10 voters (91%) support legislation that would give state attorneys general and individuals the authority to bring enforcement actions against companies that knowingly allow these tools to be used to create sexually explicit images involving minors. Notably, 81% of voters say they “strongly support” such legislation.

Further, an additional national survey commissioned by Americans on AI Guardrails & Child Safety shows a majority of voters say risks of AI outweigh its benefits, with 77% of voters in both parties responding they prefer candidates who support AI safeguards for kids.

In a recent national NBC News survey conducted Feb. 27-March 3, 57% of registered voters said they believe the risks of AI outweigh its benefits. The respondents also noted that both parties need to do more to protect against the rapidly advancing technology. A second national poll, this one commissioned by the Alliance for a Better Future and conducted by OnMessage Public Strategies, showed that more than 77% of voters in both political parties prefer candidates who support safeguards to protect the public and minors from harm from AI.

“This data makes clear that Oklahoma voters see this as a serious public safety issue and expect action,” said Joe Dorman, OICA CEO. “There is broad agreement across the Republican electorate that these types of images, especially when they involve minors, should not be allowed to spread without consequences.

“Beyond that, voters in both parties across the nation have grave concerns about the potential harm of AI.”

The polls show consistent support across key demographic groups, and the Oklahoma poll shows particularly strong intensity among women and rural voters. Women voters report higher levels of concern and support across all measures, while small-town and rural voters, who make up a majority of the primary electorate, show especially strong backing for action.

Importantly, even among moderate voters, strong majorities express concern and support legislative action, suggesting that lawmakers face little political risk in advancing solutions and incur risk by not seeking solutions.

The findings come amid growing national attention on AI tools capable of generating realistic, non-consensual images using publicly available photos. Some platforms, including xAI’s Grok, have faced scrutiny for how easily this type of content can be produced and for the potential risks posed to minors.

“Oklahoma families want to know that there are clear rules in place and that bad actors will be held accountable,” Dorman added. “This is an issue where the public is not divided – conservatives, liberals, Republicans, and Democrats – they are all aligned and ready for action.”

Survey Methodology:

The Oklahoma survey was conducted March 6–8, 2026, among 603 likely Republican primary voters in the state. The margin of error is ±3.99%.

Artificial Intelligence Brings New Risks for Our Children

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:09:58 GMT

There is no question that artificial intelligence (AI) is helping improve many areas of our lives. Researchers use it to analyze medical data, businesses rely on it to streamline logistics and operations, and educators are even beginning to explore how it might support learning in the classroom.

However, as with any powerful technology, there are also risks, particularly when children are involved.

Over the past several years, it has become clear that the digital world our children are growing up in is changing faster than many families can keep up.

When social media first became widespread, many parents worried about screen time, online bullying, predators, and whether their child’s posts might affect future college or job prospects. Those dangers still exist today, but technology has continued to evolve, introducing entirely new threats.

One of the newest developments involves AI, which can generate images, videos, and conversations almost instantly, often with no direct human involvement or controls in place.

Recently, there has been a lot of attention in the news involving an AI tool called Grok, a part of the social media platform X. Users can interact with Grok directly on X or through the standalone app, making it accessible for even young children.

Unfortunately, while the intentions behind the technology may have been well-meaning, reporting has shown that this technology is being used to create sexually explicit images of individuals without their consent, including child pornography.

This intersects with a troubling trend that child safety advocates have been raising alarms about across the country – the rise of AI-generated deepfake pornography involving children and teenagers.

A report from THORN in mid-2024 found that 1 in 10 minors have friends or classmates who have created deep-fake images of other children using generative AI tools. Nearly two years later, as AI tools have only expanded and become more accessible, that number has likely grown.

In many cases, these deep-fake images can be created using ordinary photos pulled from social media accounts. A picture shared online can be manipulated by another user into something degrading in a matter of seconds.

For families, this means that a child’s reputation can be damaged quickly if manipulated images begin circulating among classmates or online communities. Victims may face embarrassment, harassment, or even coercion from individuals who threaten to distribute the images further.

Meanwhile, parents often find themselves in an impossible position, trying to track down and remove images that may already have spread across multiple platforms.

Law enforcement agencies are also grappling with how to address this rapidly evolving technology. Many of our existing laws governing exploitation and harassment were written before artificial intelligence tools made it possible to generate this type of material at scale.

That is why policymakers across the country, including here in Oklahoma, are beginning to consider how these technologies should be addressed. Laws have been passed to punish the action of creating AI pornography involving children, but little has been done to get to the root of the problem of preventing platforms from allowing the images of children to be used.

While lawmakers may debate the best approach, the underlying concern is widely shared: our children should not be exposed to technologies that can easily be used to exploit or harm them.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has long worked with policymakers to ensure that laws keep pace with the realities facing children and families in our state, including on recent Internet safety legislation. As technology continues to evolve, those conversations must continue and adapt with the times.

While artificial intelligence will undoubtedly play a major role in shaping the future, the challenge before us is ensuring that innovation, and in turn legislation, move forward in a way that keeps children safe. While the digital world may look different than it once did, our responsibility to protect Oklahoma’s children remains the same. Parents, educators, lawmakers, and community leaders all have a role to play in this effort.

"...Half the Battle..."

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:33:57 GMT

The old adage about knowing being half the battle is very true when it comes to policy advocacy.

I am thankful for the partner organizations with which the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) works year-round to promote awareness in not only policy issues. Many programs seek to educate their membership about ways to fully engage through legal means to encourage the best for the children of Oklahoma. OICA offers training and briefing sessions on best practices for this understanding tied to our mission.

OICA provides many tools to learn how to engage directly with policymakers, with most of our guides located at https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources on our website. Here, anyone can download materials for use for classes, conversations, or independent study. I want to run through a few of these as they might help Oklahomans who want to engage in policy work.

First, our team has put together both a PDF document and a PowerPoint presentation explaining how to be an effective advocate for shaping policy. This guide helps those who want to navigate communication with policymakers, ranging from initial contact and ways to maintain useful relationships with those who create the laws that govern the state. Phones calls, writing letters, and useful social media posts all can be effective, and we discuss the best ways to engage.

Another set of tools for advocates to use is modeled after lessons we learned from School House Rock or in the classroom about how a bill becomes law but adapted to Oklahoma’s unique legislative process. We provide an overview of the current makeup of the Oklahoma Legislature, along with the Executive and Judicial branches for our state, as well as an understanding of the duties of each..

A third set of resources provides an outline of how to read legislation in Oklahoma. This resource also explains the components of a bill and how to better understand why legislation is written in the format which we see lawmakers use. It also describes the process of taking an idea from individuals and shepherding it to become law.

The fourth set of documents helps guide the reader through a better understanding of the different levels of government and their responsibilities. Looking at local, state, and federal levels of government, we explain the different roles of each and what policies should start where. We also discuss the multiple variations of local government, including municipal, public school, and county operations.

We at OICA take great pride in visiting civic organizations to show ways they can fully engage within their individual interest in policymaking. Thanks to the generosity of donors, we can travel across Oklahoma and present to local clubs about each of these presentations, along with the history of how and why our nonprofit was formed to serve as the voice for Oklahoma’s children.

Still, these are not the only organizations that benefit from understanding how government works. We at OICA are preparing a program whereby for-profit organizations, businesses, and any others beyond the nonprofit world can contract with us for presentations on navigating these governmental systems.

If you have an interest in having us visit your group, please reach out to us at info@oica.org or at (405) 236-5437, extension 4.

In addition to all these resources, we also provide a link on our website to find who represents you directly at the state and federal level, along with sharing different items which can help the reader better understand what is currently happening through policy work.

Finally, I want to highlight a document which OICA publishes annually: our Children’s Legislative Agenda, compiled through the work done by assembled advocates at our Fall Forum conference, this year held in October in Oklahoma City. Registration will open soon for this year’s event. I certainly encourage you to join us if you have an idea for a law to ensure Oklahoma better serves its children.

Nominations Open for OICA's Anne Roberts People's Choice Awards for Child Advocacy

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:40:06 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will conduct its annual Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 25, 2026. The event occurs at the end of each summer and is used to recognize those Oklahomans – heroes – who have worked to improve the quality of life for the state’s youngest residents.

The event will be held at the historic Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market. Among the highlights of the evening is the presentation of the two Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards.

“The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards are given annually to an Oklahoma individual and an organization the public feels deserve special acknowledgment,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The process begins with nominations made by the Oklahomans and culminates with voting for the winners.”

The first step in that process, nominations for both the individual and organizational awards, is now open at https://qrco.de/26ARPCAHB . (NOTE: A QR Code to the address is attached to this press release.) A link to the nomination page is also available on OICA’s website at https://www.oica.org.

The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Award is used to select an individual or organization with its sole mission directed at serving youth through their primary work, paid or volunteer. We would like to see nominations come in for people or programs that have demonstrated excellence in improving the lives of Oklahoma’s youth through their mission or job.

Nominations will close at 5 p.m., Friday, May 15.

“From the nominations, the finalists are narrowed down by a committee of OICA board members,” Dorman said. “Then, the people will be able to vote to choose the winners in both the individual and organization categories.”

Once finalists are selected, they will submit videos and biographical information that will be available for interested individuals to view on the OICA website and social media before they cast their votes, which also will occur online. People may vote for a finalist in each category.

The Heroes Ball is an annual gala to recognize the state’s champions for children and raise funds for OICA’s ongoing mission of child advocacy. To learn more about how to purchase tickets, donate charity auction items, or become a sponsor of the Heroes Ball, please call (405) 236-KIDS (5437), Extension 5 or contact OICA Program Director Licia Walters at lwalters@oica.org .

OICA Child Advocacy Day, Chili Cook-Off a Tremendous Success

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:25:47 GMT

Judges judging chili – Several members of the Oklahoma Judicial Branch took part in OICA’s Child Advocacy Day & Chili Cook-Off by serving as judges for the chili competition. Those who judged were (from left) State Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich, District Judge Natalie Mai, state Supreme Court Vice Chief Justice Dana Kuehn, District Judge Thad Balkman, Special Judge Nichole Gillett and District Judge Sheila Stinson. (Courtesy Photo)

On Tuesday, March 10, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our annual advocacy day at the State Capitol.

Each year, we invite youth-serving organizations to attend and use the opportunity to network with lawmakers and others who might be visiting the Capitol during one of the busiest days of the legislative session. The event provides an amazing chance for them to promote the work they each do to benefit children in our state.

We also ask each program to make a pot of chili, and we have this also serve as a competition between the organizations, because one of the things I learned over my 31 years of working in and around that building is that people enjoy the opportunity for a meal if they are too busy to leave.

I am pleased to report that we had 34 programs set up and that many chili entries for the competition. The competition was fierce, but Sunbeam Family Services won first place, the Cherokee Nation got second, and St. Francis Ministries placed third. The People’s Choice winner, determined by donations, was True Wireless.

The best themed entry was the Oklahoma Primary Care Association, named through votes cast by lawmakers and their executive/legislative assistants. The best entry by a public servant went to Reps. John Waldron and Mickey Dollens with their team effort.

This was the first year we were inside the Capitol for the cook-off; in past years, we held the event in the Capitol parking lot. The only hiccup we faced with moving the event inside was the overload to the electrical system. We feel confident we have a fix for next year’s event.

We are very grateful to our chili judges, each of whom sampled each of the entries, which could not have been an easy task even with all of them being delicious. Each year, we ask members of the different courts in Oklahoma to do this over their lunch hour. We were honored to have Supreme Court Justices Noma Gurich and Dana Kuehn participate, along with Judges Thad Balkman, Nichole Gillett, Natalie Mai, and Sheila Stinson.

Of course, in line with the fun, we had a purpose: to help the participants “break the ice” to meet lawmakers and those who make the process of the capitol operate smoothly. I heard from most of the folks in attendance how valuable the day was for them to promote all that they do for children, and we hope to continue growing this event in years to come.

Additionally, we used this opportunity to invite folks to come to the Capitol and serve as citizen lobbyists to promote ideas that they would like to see become law from the multiple bills going through the process which would improve the lives of children, or in contrast, voice concerns over an issue which they feel might not feel are being addressed properly. Thank you to all who joined us! It was great seeing so many attend in support, including members of the OICA’s leadership program, Advocacy Boot Camp.

I want to thank those organizations who registered and participated, which include the winners listed above, along with Conscious Community Strategies, DentaQuest / Liberty Dental Plan, OKCare, the Center for Children & Families, CREOKS Health Services, Peppers Ranch Foster Community, Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, Reach Out & Read, Pioneer Library System, the Oklahoma Education Association, the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation, the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, Count Me In 4 Kids, the Cherokee Nation, The PATH Children's Advocacy Center, the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association, Mindful Resolutions, TRC - The Recovery Center, Kiwanis - Downtown OKC, the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, Rococo on Western, New World Comic Super Hero School, Pivot, Birthright Living Legacy and Oklahoma Complete Health.

If you have a youth-serving organization that would like to be a part of this next year, make plans now for mid-March in 2027 to join the fun, fellowship, and advocacy effort!

OICA Continues Advocacy on Children's Bills

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:40:20 GMT

As we discussed last week, the Oklahoma Legislature continues to move several potential laws forward for the 2026 session over the past month. Lawmakers have held committee meetings to initially consider the bills filed for 2026.

The ones that survived committees will now be scheduled by the majority floor leaders – Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, in the House of Representatives, and Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, in the Senate – along with their teams who develop the House’s and Senate’s daily agendas.

As I noted in last week’s column, if a bill would cost money, despite the value of the idea, the chance of it becoming law is slim. A good idea may pass with language stating, “if funds are available” and then not receive sufficient appropriations to function.

House Bill 1016, by Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair, would create protection for minors who appear in online content created by adults, including their parents. This legislation would require compensation, trust funds, and protections under the law included in monetized online content. Minors would be engaged in content creation work if they appear in at least 30 percent of a creator’s compensated video content within a 30-day period or if their participation generates more than $10,000 in revenue.

HB 3288 by Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, and Senator Brian Logan, R-Paden, requires the State Board of Education to require, as a condition of accreditation, that public elementary schools provide physical education or exercise programs for students in full-day prekindergarten through grade 5. The amount of physical education or exercise must average at least 150 minutes each week, not including recess. This is an increase from the current 60 minutes required under law.

HB 3636 by Rep. Emily Gise, R-OKC, and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, provides that beginning with the 2027 program year, the State of Oklahoma must participate in the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children program to provide supplemental nutrition assistance to eligible children when school is not in session.

For those keeping up with this policy, Oklahoma’s executive branch has refused to participate in this program over the past three years, placing a tremendous strain on families across the state, along with churches and nonprofit organizations who work to fill the gaps in feeding the hungry.

HB 4421 by Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, would require Oklahoma Human Services to include fentanyl and methamphetamine in drug screenings during child welfare investigations and before children are returned to parents or guardians. The legislation would require investigators to obtain a warrant for testing if parents refuse a drug test. This bill would make it a felony to knowingly expose a child to fentanyl.

Senate Bill 1377 by Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, and Rep. John Kane, R-Bartlesville, would require Oklahoma Human Services to provide foster children who lack a suitcase with a duffel bag or other adequate bag in which to pack personal belongings. Also, as funds allow, the department may include personal hygiene items or other personal supplies.

For years, far too many children taken into foster care or moved from placement to placement have had their items placed in garbage bags for transport, so this bill would eliminate that practice.

SB 1521 by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, and Rep. Cody Maynard, R-Durant, would prohibit the design, development, or making available artificial intelligence human-like chatbots to minors, with a penalty of up to $100,000 for each violation. The measure would require reasonable age certification measures to keep the technology away from children.

These and other bills will continue through the process, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will continue to monitor and engage in promoting legislation which supports the best interests of the health, safety, and well-being of the youth of our state. Please sign up at oica.org to follow these and other bills through our weekly email newsletter.

OICA Continues Advocacy Efforts as Lawmakers Enter Second Month of Session

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:41:26 GMT

As the Oklahoma Legislature enters its second month of work, there has been much progress made on the proposals the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) supports.

We deeply thank all the lawmakers for their work on the many bills going through the committee process and those which have advanced for consideration by either the full House of Representatives or Senate. We encourage you to reach out to your lawmakers if you feel strongly about a topic. A few calls from “back home” truly can make a difference on whether a legislator votes for or against a bill.

Many ideas have already been shelved for the year because anticipated revenues are significantly less than lawmakers had last year. Combined with inflation, even some noble concepts simply will not make it through the process.

One such idea was in House Bill 2935 by Emily Gise, R-OKC. This would have created a sales tax exemption for the purchase of infant diapers. I have been told that the citizen behind this idea is looking for another bill to attach this as an amendment, so it is possible this concept might become a law, but the original bill will not move forward.

HB 1979 by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, would create an Early Childhood Task Force to assess improved efficiency for delivery of early childhood services by consolidating different divisions of youth-serving agencies into one new freestanding state department.

A similar bill, Senate Bill 1570 filed by Sen. Paul Rosino, R-OKC, would create a consolidated agency by September of this year which would house the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Child Welfare Division of Oklahoma Human Services, and other such divisions within agencies. Both bills have garnered much attention and remain alive.

Another bill, one which OICA has worked on for three sessions now, is moving forward in the form of Senate Bill 1708 by Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher and Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks. This legislation would create a rebuttable presumption in divorce cases that joint custody and equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child. Data clearly show that the loss of time with a parent impairs the well-being of children. Too often children are used as pawns during a divorce to punish a parent by continually forcing them into court for custody cases.

Senate Bill 1591 by Senator Rosino and Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, would limit THC amounts in certain medical marijuana products and prohibit packaging which could mistakenly look like candy. There has been a significantly elevated number of cases where children have been taken to emergency rooms due to ingesting these products, so there is hope this will help protect children from harm caused by not safely and properly storing such items by adults.

Senate Bill 1806 by Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, would raise the age from 18 to 21 for extended services to Oklahomans transitioning from foster care into adulthood. Research shows that these youth, due to being in the system, have a much tougher time of coping with the adjustment of self-sustaining success once they reach adulthood. This bill would allow for three additional years to provide support for them to achieve successful independence.

Finally, we are pleased to report that House Bill 1484 by Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada, and Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, named “Rain’s Law,” has been signed by the governor. This law requires instruction in schools on fentanyl and how to prevent abuse. We at OICA have high hopes this new law will help reduce needless death and harm caused by this deadly illicit drug.

I will continue to update you in future columns about these and other bills. You can follow our policy report in our free weekly newsletter every Thursday by subscribing on our website at https://www.oica.org . Please join us for our Child Advocacy Day & Chili Cook-Off at the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 10!

A Notable Death, A Difficult Reflection

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:02:56 GMT

Last week, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a well-known political figure who first got his start in the public eye by working with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and later ran for the Presidency of the United States of America, passed after a long health battle.

I am fortunate that there are only a few instances I can look back on my life, and especially my career, and feel regret over something. One such instance was how I handled issues related to race during my time in elected office. Reverend Jackson’s death sparked such a memory.

I met Reverend Jackson twice. The first was when he was in Oklahoma City promoting storm shelters for schools thanks to my good friend, attorney David Slane. The second time, we dined at a local restaurant, along with former state Sen. Connie Johnson. I was fascinated to hear them converse about their experiences with fairness and equality, and while much had been overcome, there was still much to resolve.

I grew up in a small town and there were not many folks who looked too different from me, a white kid. Occasionally, a minority family moved to town, but they often did not stay. They were not run out of town as might have happened in the past in some communities, but they certainly did not fully engage, likely due to racial barriers.

In college, I had the opportunity to have a roommate who was Black and another who was Indonesian; I never at any point felt we were in any way different. For that, I thank my mother and other influences in my life who ensured that I did not hold views that people were in any way different because of skin color.

We live in a changing world, and I do feel that the issue of race is being broken down with each generation, but there are obviously still problems. Part of this comes from those who are overtly racist without care, some from those who do not realize they are being offensive simply out of ignorance, and others who judge rather than attempt to grow beyond that prejudice.

Mind you, I am not saying we should not condemn racism; we should, wholeheartedly. The fact remains the practice of solely judging an individual based on their skin color rather than the content of their character exists in our world. It is only through education, empathy, and understanding that this destructive bias will be overcome.

I had my photo taken with Reverend Jackson, but I did not get a copy – intentionally. The reason was out of my fear that a photo of me with such a polarizing figure would hurt me in my election efforts. Politicians are risk averse, and I was conditioned into this due to an earlier incident where a person told me, point-blank, that they had looked for a photo of me with former President Barack Obama to run with editorials attacking my views. There was only one reason for that: to alienate people who would have viewed such a photo of us together as a negative and which would have encouraged them to vote against me due to that association.

I am not only ashamed of myself for avoiding those photo opportunities, but also that I did not use that platform to influence conversations over division. Now, I realize that I should have proudly displayed that photo and used it to break down those barriers.

Today, I have moved beyond my fear of what people think regarding disagreements with me on matters of race. I instead try to influence them to a different outlook, and I appreciate David, Reverend Jackson, and all those who helped me understand the barriers faced by so many. Thank you to those who gave me grace as I have aged into what I believe is a better person. It would be easy to condemn me, but that dialogue helped me grow.

I hope that you will take these thoughts with you and do better than I did back then

OICA Informs Thousands of Oklahoma Families About SoonerCare Options

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:35:56 GMT

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Prepare Children for Their Educational Years by Reading to Them

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:49:41 GMT

Most legislative committees are finishing their work on bills in the houses of origin this week at the State Capitol. This is the time when thousands of bills die without ever being considered.

What certainly will move forward though is a host of ideas to improve children’s literacy rates. Many members of the legislative leadership have bills they hope will help younger children who are not reading at grade level by third grade and improve math comprehension among students at older grade levels.

Most agree that students must “learn to read before they read to learn.” To achieve this, no law can fix the initial problem. Parents must read with their children long before they enter Kindergarten or Pre-K, and reading with their children should continue as a daily ritual during the school year when parents help children with their homework.

According to a National Literacy Trust study from 2024, 50.5% of parents read with their children daily, a 15-point drop from 2019. While daily reading is lower, most parents do read to their children, but often on a less consistent basis (weekly rather than daily).

Likewise, while 73% to 77% of parents with children under five begin reading to their children before age one, the frequency often drops as children get older.

Equally concerning is that an estimated 39% of American nine-year-olds in 2022 reported that they read for fun almost every day, which is down from 53% in 2012, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. In that same survey, just 14% of 13-year-olds surveyed reported reading for fun almost daily, down from 27% in 2012.

Many folks yearn to return to the days when they were in school or for an idealistic visualization of schools prior to their time. The fact is times have changed, and certainly not always for the better.

Families today face issues at a higher rate than previous generations, such as an increase in single-parent homes, a struggle for households to keep up with bills that necessitate not only parents working longer hours in jobs, but sometimes for their children to contribute financially with the jobs they hold.

There was a time when a single income could support a family. Wages have not kept up with prices and now it takes two or more incomes to meet most families’ needs. On top of that, scarce access to health insurance, and identified struggles with those in the household, such as mental health issues or addiction, are also obstacles to student success.

So, I wonder, are we asking teachers today to do more with the children coming to them when students are not as prepared to learn as in the past? Sadly, the answer is, “Yes.” I hope this reality is weighed by lawmakers when considering legislation they hope improves students’ reading comprehension or face grade-level retention.

There are many ideas other than educational issues gaining traction at the State Capitol, and we at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) are directly engaged with several of these issues.

Guided by the “Children’s Legislative Agenda” developed from concepts shared by advocates at our Fall Forum policy conference, we are working with lawmakers on a host of subjects. OICA is also lending support to other ideas through collaborative efforts with partner organizations who also engage at the State Capitol. We need your help to see success though.

I want to invite each of you to our Child Advocacy Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Tuesday, March 10, which is also the day for our annual chili cook-off for child-serving organizations and advocates. This means if you show up to be a citizen lobbyist that day, you will also get a great meal!

We hope you can schedule the day off and join us as we work together to move great ideas into action to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children.

Youth Governors Take the Oath

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 02:02:31 GMT

Students from the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Youth Governors programs took the oath of office for their one-year terms on Monday, Feb. 2, at a ceremony at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Pictured are (from left to right) Joe Dorman, CEO of OICA; Cathleen Taylor, Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development; Victoria Justice, 4-H Youth Junior Cabinet Member from Depew; Riley Rudder, 4-H Junior Secretary of State from Fort Towson; Whitlee Moser, 4-H Junior Lieutenant Governor from Perkins; Riley Braden, 4-H Junior Governor from Bristow; Oklahoma’s Kid Governor Katelyn Talley from Valliant; Kid Lieutenant Governor Sophia Chavarria Rivera from Bethany; Kid Secretary of State Daphne Tanequodle from Lawton; and, Licia Walters, OICA Program Director and Oklahoma State Coordinator for Kid Governor. (Courtesy Photo)

OKLAHOMA CITY – While most attention at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Monday, February 2nd went to convening the 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature, a pair of youth governor programs sponsored by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) administered the oaths of office for their 2026 leaders.

OICA is pleased to coordinate year-long activities for the Oklahoma Kid Governor program, operated in conjunction with the Connecticut Democracy Center, and the Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor program for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders enrolled in 4-H.

For a little more about Kid Governor and the work we do, this civics education program immerses students in lesson plans and a real election to select a 5th grader who will serve a one-year term of active leadership. Our current Kid Governor was selected from 1,187 Oklahoma participating students.

Each student candidate selected an issue on which to run, and the classroom voted for their favorite. The winner then recorded a two-minute campaign video which was submitted into the statewide competition. From that, a panel comprised of Oklahoma’s former governors – David Walters, Frank Keating, Brad Henry, and Mary Fallin – and OICA board members narrowed the field to the finalists.

The campaign videos for the finalists were shared with each participating classroom or school library program, a total of 37 from across the state. The election was timed to coincide with Election Day last November, and students cast their votes on ballots which resemble the actual Oklahoma ballots.

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor for 2026 is Katelyn Talley, a 5th grader from Valliant in southeastern Oklahoma. Her platform is animal abuse prevention.

The Kid Lieutenant Governor is Sophia Chavarria Rivera, a 5th grader from Bethany, and her platform is the prevention of bullying.

The Kid Secretary of State is Daphne Tanequodle, a 5th grader from Lawton, who was elected with a platform of addressing homelessness.

For our other set of young leaders, OICA co-sponsored a conference in October with 4-H that brought 72 interested 4-H students together in Stillwater. They learned about state government and then elected the Junior Governor and Junior Cabinet.

2026 Junior Governor Riley Braden is from Bristow in Creek County. Riley is home schooled and ran on a platform to protect and promote the sanctity of life.

Junior Lieutenant Governor is Whitlee Moser from Perkins in Payne County. Whitlee attends Perkins Tryon Intermediate School and ran on a platform of education.

Junior Secretary of State is Riley Rudder from Fort Towson. Riley attends Rattan Elementary in Pushmataha County and ran on a platform of turtle conservation

The Junior Cabinet Member is Victoria Justice from Depew in Creek County. Victoria is homeschooled and her platform is to prevent debt collectors from making spam calls.

Toolkits consisting of free, custom-designed lesson plans reflecting Oklahoma’s system of state government help guide instructors through the program, the history and process of voting, and the importance of active participation in civic life. Students choose their campaign issues on their own with guidance and support from the local teacher or 4-H leader.

The students also received a complimentary comic book, Mighty Mia and Dyna-Bit Save Democracy, that was written by me, with editing and artwork done by Literati Press in Oklahoma City. OICA underwrites the cost of the program, mileage reimbursement for the families for traveling to speeches and events, and distribution of the books through donations.

We are very pleased to work with each of these seven ladies over this next year to help them promote their selected campaign policies. We will host them at the State Capitol to further visit with lawmakers before the legislative session concludes and also have them attend our annual Heroes Ball in July.

For more information about how you can help support the Kid Governor program or the 4-H Junior Governor program, contact us at info@oica.org or call (405) 236-KIDS (5437).

OICA Unveils Chili Cook-Off Logo, Celebrates 250 Years of the United States

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:34:48 GMT

The logo for the 2026 OICA Child Advocacy Day and Chili Cook-Off was designed by Amber Integrated, an Oklahoma City public affairs and strategic communications firm. The image recalls the famous “The Spirit of ‘76” painting in which patriots marched with a fife and drums during the American Revolution. The image ties into the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy’s year-long celebration of the United States’ 250 ^th birthday.

In just over a month, child advocates and chili cooks from across Oklahoma will gather at the Oklahoma State Capitol for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Child Advocacy Day and Chili Cook-Off.

The annual event is designed to give advocates face-to-face interactions with legislators and policy leaders during a casual event with some of the best chili in Oklahoma to bring them all together.

This week, OICA unveiled its logo for the event, created in partnership with Amber Integrated, an Oklahoma City-based public affairs and strategic communications firm, and a top sponsor of the Chili Cook-off.

“The talented artists at Amber Integrated did a great job with this year’s logo,” said Joe Dorman, OICA CEO. “It flows perfectly with our theme for the year, honoring the 250th birthday of the United States.”

The logo depicts the mascots of the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties – the donkey, elephant, and hedgehog – marching together playing the fife and drums, a nod to the Revolutionary War painting entitled “The Spirit of ’76.”

“While children’s policy should not be partisan in nature, the officials who we work with to shape ideas do run under a party nomination,” said Dorman. “We use this event each year to remind those officials that the success of the children of our state should come first and by working together, better things will occur for future generations.”

OICA also announced that Oklahoma youth-serving organizations or individuals may register to participate by cooking chili at a table that allows them to display about the work that they do, and that sponsorships are now available for the event.

“This is an excellent way for our advocates to engage in the process and share their stories,” Dorman said. “We encourage organizations who want to connect with officials to use this opportunity to join us at the Capitol and begin that process of building relationships and offer themselves as a resource, and if they cannot join, please consider sponsoring so their name can appear on the back of the event t-shirt with the event logo on the front.

“We share a commitment that on this one day, in this building of the people, we can lay the foundation for better outcomes for Oklahoma kids while celebrating the 250th birthday of our nation,” Dorman concluded.

For anyone who might wish to enter or sponsor the Child Advocacy Chili Cook-Off, they should contact Brenna Leeds, OICA Development Director, at bleeds@oica.org or by calling OICA at 405-236-KIDS (5437), extension 3, or interested parties can go to oica.org/2026-chili-cookoff and select sponsorship or entry.

Pair of Youth Governor Programs Inaugurate Student Leaders at State Capitol Ceremony

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:17:43 GMT

Katelyn Tally (center front) of Valliant takes the oath of office as Oklahoma’s Kid Governor for 2026 during a State Capitol ceremony on Mon., Feb. 2. Katelyn is surrounded by her mother Jessica Fulgham (front left) and father, Brandon Talley, as she takes the oath. Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich administered the oath. Courtesy Photo by OICA (Katelyn Talley KG 2026)

Riley Braden (center front) of Bristow takes the oath of office as Oklahoma’s 4-H Junior Governor for 2026 during a State Capitol ceremony on Mon., Feb. 2. Riley is joined by her parents, Forest and Jamie Braden, as she takes the oath. Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich administered the oath. Courtesy Photo by OICA (Riley Braden 4-H YG 2026)

A pair of youth governor programs sponsored by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) inaugurated their leaders for 2026 in a State Capitol ceremony on the opening day of the Oklahoma Legislature. State Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich administered the oaths of office.

The first is the Oklahoma Kid Governor program, operated in conjunction with the Connecticut Democracy Center’s national program, and is designed to empower 5th graders to change the world.

This ground-breaking approach to civics education immerses students in a real election for their state’s Kid Governor, a fellow 5th grader who will represent them during a one-year term of active leadership. In total, 1,187 students from across Oklahoma participated in the program this year.

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor for 2026 is Katelyn Talley, a 5th grader from Valliant in southeastern Oklahoma. Her platform is animal abuse prevention. In addition to the Kid Governor, 5 ^th graders in participating classrooms also elected a Kid Lieutenant Governor and Kid Secretary of State.

The Kid Lieutenant Governor is Sophia Chavarria Rivera, a 5 ^th grader from Bethany, and her platform is the prevention of bullying.

The Kid Secretary of State is Daphne Tanequodle, a 5 ^th grader from Lawton, who was elected with a platform of addressing homelessness.

The Kid Governor is elected in a statewide election based upon a local classroom election. Each student candidate will pick an issue on which to run, and the classroom will vote for their favorite. The winner will then record a two-minute campaign video which is submitted into the statewide competition.

A panel comprised of Oklahoma’s former governors – David Walters, Frank Keating, Brad Henry, and Mary Fallin – and OICA board members narrowed the field to the finalists.

The campaign videos for the finalists were shared with each participating school, a total of 37 classrooms from across the state. The students cast their votes on ballots that resemble the actual Oklahoma ballots, and the election is timed to coincide with Election Day in November.

Toolkits consisting of free, custom-designed lesson plans reflecting Oklahoma guide classroom teachers through the program and teach students about state government in their state, the history and process of voting, and the importance of active participation in civic life. The program only educates about the process, and students choose their campaign issues on their own with guidance and support from the local teacher. OICA is underwriting the cost of the program through donations and fundraisers with the state’s former governors.

In addition to the Kid Governor program, OICA co-sponsors with Oklahoma 4-H a “Junior Governor” program for 4 ^th , 5 ^th , and 6 ^th graders. This program brought 72 interested 4-H students together for a conference in Stillwater at the State 4-H Office on Nov. 1, 2025, where they learned about state government and then elected the Junior Governor and Junior Cabinet. The winners of the 4-H Junior Governor elections, their schools, and platforms who were sworn in on Monday are:

Junior Governor Riley Braden, from Bristow in Creek County. Riley is home schooled and ran on a platform to protect and promote the sanctity of life.

Junior Lieutenant Governor is Whitlee Moser from Perkins in Payne County. Whitlee attends Perkins Tryon Intermediate School and ran on a platform of education.

Junior Secretary of State is Riley Rudder from Fort Towson. Riley attends Rattan Elementary in Pushmataha County and ran on a platform of turtle conservation

The `Junior Cabinet Member is Victoria Justice from Depew in Creek County. Victoria is homeschooled and her platform is to prevent debt collectors from making spam calls.

“The Kid Governor program and the Junior Governor inspire students to be involved in the process and hopefully become lifelong agents of change for the better, maybe even running for Governor of Oklahoma someday,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “If young people are given an opportunity to learn these lessons at an early age, they will grow into the leaders that will shape our tomorrow.”

For more information about how you can help support the Kid Governor program with a donation, contact OICA at info@oica.org or call (405) 236-KIDS (5437).

Katelyn Tally (center front) of Valliant takes the oath of office as Oklahoma’s Kid Governor for 2026 during a State Capitol ceremony on Mon., Feb. 2. Katelyn is surrounded by her mother, Jessica Fulgham (front left) and father, Brandon Talley, as she takes the oath. Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich administered the oath. Courtesy Photo by OICA (Katelyn Talley KG 2026)

As the Legislature Begins, the "Readings" of Bills are Important to Understand

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:22:33 GMT

I told someone the other day that this time of year is when I am most optimistic for our state to see better, but that I am also highly concerned about what direction Oklahoma will go through policy.

On Monday, February 2, Oklahoma saw the Second Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature commence. Lawmakers convened to officially begin business for 2026 by conducting the “first reading” of bills by announcing the bill number associated with the filed legislation.

This term is spelled out in Oklahoma’s Constitution, requiring each bill to have three readings, with one only occurring every 24 hours. This is a protection for the people allowing them to mobilize should a bill be controversial, rallying support or opposition before reaching the desk of the governor.

“Readings” of a bill are called such because the bill’s title, number, and content in earlier days were read aloud to the legislative body, a tradition originating before widespread literacy and the ability to photocopy bills. Now, a motion is submitted stating the bills are considered as read thanks to improvements in both those areas.

On Tuesday, legislators will hear the “second reading” of the bills filed, announcing to which committee bills are assigned for consideration. Once bills pass out of committee and go to a hearing in the full house of origin (House bills in the House of Representatives, Senate bills in the Senate), then they will reach the “third reading” and be up for passage by the entire membership of the body.

The process is then repeated in the opposite body. If agreement cannot be reached between the bodies, it goes to further negotiation in a conference committee later in the session. The bill will be considered on a “fourth reading,” and it cannot be amended but simply passed or sent back for further conference.

So, the quickest a bill can pass is five calendar days due to three readings with 24 hours in each of the two bodies, with the third reading in the first house overlapping with the first reading in the other. I will say that it rarely happens for something to pass that quickly.

In the coming weeks, I will outline the different issues which will highlight this session, including education policies to improve early learning skills, issues tied around the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which shifts cost burdens on many programs to the states, the likely reduction of expendable revenue as compared to last year’s amounts due to tax cuts and other economic issues, the increased costs facing several state agencies, and the priority bills pursued by OICA.

I was pleased with several bills which were submitted that align with our “Children’s Legislative Agenda” as built by attendees to our annual Fall Forum conference and through the efforts of our board members to provide ideas for policymakers, lawmakers, and state agencies, to improve conditions for the youth of Oklahoma. We have had our team going through the submissions by lawmakers and with those bills which carried over from the previous session, which is allowed only over a two-year period in the first and second sessions of each Legislature.

In total, there are more than 350 bills which have been submitted that we have on our tracking list, with almost that many carrying over from last year.

We hope you will follow this column and our weekly newsletter, which you can sign up for at https://www.oica.org to receive on Thursdays. OICA Policy Director Greg Sawyer writes a weekly update on many of the bills which we are following to allow our advocates to learn more and use as a tool to effectively engage in policies important to them.

Next week, I will cover events from our Kid Governor and 4-H Junior Governor program as we held their inaugurations following the governor’s speech and the adjournment of the Legislature on that first day.

Where Do You Stand on Immigration Policies?

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:39:52 GMT

The conversation of immigration continues to weigh heavily on many Americans, especially following the death of a Minnesotan over the weekend who was protesting.

Eight people have been killed since the ramp up of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) going back to the beginning of the Trump Administration, which includes officers, civilians and those investigated, with an additional 32 people confirmed to have died in custody.

On one side, you have those who are passionate about the need for people to earn citizenship if they want to live in this nation, compared to those who view the laws as too rigid: unjustly preventing the opportunity to live here as a documented resident while seeking legal status, having committed no crime other than being here.

Data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University shows a significant majority of individuals in ICE detention nationally have no criminal convictions (70%). In Oklahoma, according to This Land Press in an article published in September, 1,994 people were flagged and booked across Oklahoma. At least 440 of those passed through the Tulsa County Jail, with 80% having no prior convictions, according to reporting by KOSU. Of course, there are opposing stories generated claiming those percentages are not accurate.

This effort has been aided by a federal program called “287(g) agreements,” a contract with local law enforcement agencies to assist and oftentimes provide detainment facilities with signed partnerships which allocate federal funding to the local law enforcement agency. The Tulsa Sheriff’s office has been a part of this program since 2009, making it one of the first to participate, with dozens more departments signing up just last year.

While this program might anger many, collaboration with local law enforcement does provide personnel who have undergone much longer training with proper deescalation protocols than recently hired ICE agents receive. Many have been put into the field after only 47 days of instructional training per new guidelines.

An AP-NORC poll conducted recently revealed President Trump’s approval ratings on immigration had dropped to 38% nationally, and a Quinnipiac poll found 57% of Americans disapproved of ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws. In contrast, this also shows how many people approve of these policies. I will note that these are national polls, and I suspect that favorability is much higher in Oklahoma.

One overwhelming sentiment though is support for children. We as a nation should not place any children in cages with only a silver-colored blanket as a possession, and yes, that has been the case with both parties over the past three administrations.

I ask our elected officials of both parties and law enforcement to do better. Gov. Kevin Stitt summed it up best on Sunday by saying, “We have to stop politicizing this. We need real solutions for immigration reform.” Senator Lankford worked on an immigration policy which was cast aside. No others have shown the

fortitude to continue that discussion.

I also do not want to see any more deaths. Am I angry, depressed, frustrated and disillusioned? Yes. I have peacefully participated in marches, walks, and protests throughout my life, hoping it would influence policy. I never feared for my life.

Participating in peaceful protests is a constitutional right guaranteed to us no matter what side of the issue you support, as long as it remains nonviolent and does not obstruct law enforcement. But, while protesting might generate stories and make someone feel involved by bringing pressure to policymakers, the ultimate power we have as Americans is at the ballot box.

If you don't vote because a candidate doesn’t “check all the boxes” for you, then you allow other people to choose for you who will decide policy decisions, including immigration.

Lawmakers, OICA Making Final Preparations for 2026 Legislative Session

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:51:50 GMT

The final pre-session deadline has been reached for the Oklahoma Legislature with the completion of bill filing for the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma State Senate.

Over the past month, lawmakers have worked with their staff members to complete the drafting of potential new laws in preparation for the Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature. The session will commence on Monday, February 2 at noon with Governor Kevin Stitt’s State of the State address as he begins the final year of his second term in office.

The legislative bodies completed bill filing Thursday, January 15. A total of 1,578 House bills and 50 House joint resolutions were filed before the deadline. Likewise, a total of 996 Senate bills were filed for 2026, with 23 Senate joint resolutions and two Senate concurrent resolutions.

This flurry of bills joins more than 1,600 House measures and more than 900 Senate bills and resolutions carried over from 2025 which remain eligible for consideration in the 2026 legislative session.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) team is combing through these bills to see which, in their initial stages, will be pro-child. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing with you which among all these measures are good for children in Oklahoma and those which might cause harm.

The House of Representatives is currently comprised of 80 Republicans and 19 Democrats with two vacancies. The Senate currently has a membership of 40 Republicans and 8 Democrats. Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who serves as the President of the Senate, is also in his final year under the two-term limit to hold an executive office.

With this, if you are a casual observer of Oklahoma politics and the legislative process, but you might want to learn more so you can engage in policymaking as an advocate, I have a great recommendation for you.

For years, OICA held a conference to help educate about the nuances of the lawmaking process called the Legislative Learning Lab (LLL). In 2025, the decision was made to turn this program over to the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) to hopefully broaden the scope of this training to reach more interested individuals.

This year, LLL will be held both in-person and virtually for attendees to participate and learn best practices of the legislative process. The two-day training will be held on Thursday, January 29 and Friday, January 30 at the OKCNP headquarters located at 701 N. Lindsay in Oklahoma City from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The link to register for this training is https://okcnp.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1980898&group= . For those attending in person or virtually, instructions will be sent upon registration.

Across the two days, topics include: conversations with state legislative leaders; understanding the state budget and its impact; working with government agencies and lobbyists; building coalitions and grassroots advocacy campaigns and discussing key issues for nonprofits, including the Johnson Amendment; and the upcoming 2030 Census, along with other relevant and timely topics.

We will hear from such speakers as Sen. Chuck Hall, the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee chair about Oklahoma’s budgetary process; Dr. Keith Gaddie will present about Oklahoma’s political history and how we got to where we are; Reps. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, and Andy Fugate, D-Del City, will discuss caucus priorities for their respective caucuses; panels of Capitol reporters and lobbyists will discuss how their work functions during the legislative session; and, I will present an overview of the three branches of government and how they work as a dynamic to create laws.

The cost to attend in-person is: OKCNP members $150, non-members $300; and virtually online OKCNP members $100 and non-members $200. I hope that you will be able to join us for this program which will certainly benefit those who want to help in the policymaking process.

Which Schools and County Services Do You Want Eliminated with Property Tax Cuts?

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:54:05 GMT

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. famously stated, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” This quote illustrates that taxation is a necessary component to fund public services, infrastructure, and a collective well-being that defines a functional and civilized society.

In Oklahoma, we have a tax structure unlike any found in the United States. Our different levels of government rely upon separate tax collections for providing services. For state government services, some major sources of the $12,180,552,061.03 collected in tax collections include:

• Individual Income Tax: The single largest source of state government revenue. In Fiscal Year 2025, collections were estimated to be $5,199,756,734.11.

• General Sales Tax: The second largest source of state collections was recently modified when the state eliminated this tax specifically on groceries, which was at a rate of 4.5% on those items, which is expected to reduce state revenue by $418 million per year. $2,788,283,516.29 was collected in the last fiscal year.

• Alcohol and cigarette taxes: Revenue generated from these two taxes totaled $271,221,152.24

• Gross Production Tax (Severance Tax): A tax on the extraction of natural resources like oil and natural gas. In FY-2025, $1,041,709,252.19 was collected.

You can review the wide variety of taxes collected by the state at https://oklahoma.gov/tax/reporting-resources/statistics.html#ca and also where the funds go if it is not to the General Revenue Fund, which is allocated by lawmakers and the governor.

Local governments (counties, cities, towns, and school districts) primarily rely upon different revenue streams than the state for delivering services, which includes:

• Local sales tax is used by cities and counties at a rate above the percent charged by the state. This generally serves as the major funding source for municipal operations. Oklahoma is unique in that many municipalities must rely on sales taxes as their primary revenue source for general operations.

• User charges are fees for services like water, electricity, and sewer utilities which provide a significant revenue source for municipalities.

• Intergovernmental revenue: Local governments also receive significant funding from the state (e.g., shared motor vehicle and motor fuel taxes) and allocated federal government funds. Both the state and several local jurisdictions also have agreements with Native American tribal governments within Oklahoma to help fund a variety of improvements and services.

• Property taxes are used almost exclusively by school districts and counties; cities can use their allotment to pay off bonded indebtedness approved by voters. State government is prohibited from levying property taxes.

Why is knowing this information important? A group is circulating a petition to send to a vote of the people a state ballot question to eliminate property taxes for homeowners. Under their plan, homeowners’ property taxes would be cut by one-third in 2027, another third in 2028, and eliminated entirely by 2029 for homesteads, removing $1.2 billion from local governments.

In FY 2024, overall property taxes, which include the taxes paid by homeowners, businesses (including rental property), commercial enterprises, and farming operations, brought in $3.9 billion for schools and county governments and made up at least half of the budget in 62 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.

Last week, Canadian County officials stated that about 85 percent of their property tax collections went to fund schools in their county. This will fluctuate per county depending upon the types of property, but each would face a significant shortfall for providing public schools and services should this question make it to the ballot and pass by a vote of the people.

So, what will make up lost revenue if people want to retain their public schools? One of the petition organizers questioned whether Oklahomans would even want these services, saying the Legislature would need to approve other funding if Oklahomans wanted to continue the services.

As Justice Holmes puts it, consider what parts of services provided do you want eliminated should this pass, and what other taxes you would want raised to not see a decline in our society.

Connecting Kids to Health Care Coverage

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:55:50 GMT

As 2026 begins, the topic of insurance affordability and what can be done to keep costs from going up is top-of-mind. While much of that discussion will occur at the federal level and involves adults, there are things occurring locally which can assist many Oklahoma youth.

For the past several years, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has promoted the work of My OK Plan, a nonprofit program operated by Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO), Inc. Their team of local assisters are real people who are standing by to assist Oklahomans statewide, at no cost, in finding the health insurance coverage that works for them. You can get information on the program on the front page of our website at oica.org .

This effort is a funded project through a federal grant administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Under this grant, our two organizations have promoted awareness of SoonerCare/SoonerSelect coverage.

SoonerCare (Oklahoma Medicaid) is a health insurance program for lower income people/families to receive coverage provided by the state. SoonerSelect is Oklahoma’s managed care program for SoonerCare, implemented by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) and operated through plans provided by selected insurance providers.

To qualify for SoonerCare/SoonerSelect, you must:

• Reside in Oklahoma.

• Be a US citizen or qualified documented resident.

• Meet financial income and guidelines in certain categories

Income eligibility varies depending on household size. It is important to know that children and pregnant women qualify at higher income limits.

For those who qualify for this insurance coverage, you can receive:

• Child Health & Wellness visits to doctors.

• Primary Care/Preventive Care support services.

• Behavioral/Mental Health coverage.

• Dental coverage.

• Prescription Drugs authorized by a provider.

• Pregnancy & Postpartum Care for expectant mothers.

There is no monthly or yearly cost to have SoonerCare/SoonerSelect coverage for those who meet the income guidelines. Some services may require a small copay ($4-$10) at the time services are received.

As of November 2025, the age breakdown of total enrollment for children under the OHCA was 511,209 Oklahomans ages 18 and under, more than half of the children estimated to live in our state. In the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book, Oklahoma ranks 43rd in health and 7% of children are uninsured (around 77,000 kids). That is a slight improvement from previous years but still concerning. These are children who either fall above the income threshold, or their caregivers simply have not enrolled them.

For our part in this project, OICA is doing outreach to school districts, daycares, and other early childhood organizations across the state to promote information about this nonprofit’s work and how those who qualify might sign up.

We also have received funds to distribute printed materials to these entities in 20 selected counties across the state. Our work makes a difference in reaching Oklahomans who qualify for this support. Over a six-month span at the end of last year, 6,866 children were new enrollees for coverage.

Another bonus, in 2023, the state started using a new federal option to count students who get help from Medicaid (SoonerCare) to also qualify for free school lunches, and the impact was successful. Now, almost 300,000 students in Oklahoma receive free meals at school thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program which helps schools in high poverty areas serve meals to all students at no cost to their families. This has doubled support around the state and provided a lifeline for many families to help survive tough economic times.

To see if your children qualify for SoonerCare or SoonerSelect, or if you know of a family with children who might qualify, please direct them to myOKplan.org to have a navigator assist with enrollment, or you can call (833)465-7526 and an operator will assist.

A Very Busy 2025 for Children

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 22:25:43 GMT

OICA CEO Joe Dorman presents gift cards for teen foster children to Codi Darakhshan, M.Ed., community engagement coordinator strategic engagement for Oklahoma Human Services (OHS). OICA helped raise thousands of collars for the holiday gift cards to help foster teens have a happy holiday season. – Courtesy Photo

Students at Gore Elementary School who participated in the Kid Governor® program were among 50 students in Kid Governor® programs receiving Chromebook computers from AT&T to support OICA’s efforts to improve civics education and engagement among the state’s fifth grade students. – Courtesy Photo

It is hard to believe that 2025 has come to an end. For those of us at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), I must say that our work felt incredibly important this year with addressing issues at the local, state, and federal levels for child well-being.

There were some big wins and a few disappointing losses, but the mission to elevate support for children will carry on into the new year.

For a short recap of the year, our work at the State Capitol led to legislation to end the practice of corporal punishment by school employees used on children who face special needs classified under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This legislation took three years to make it into law, and we are very grateful for those lawmakers who voted for this legislation (63 for, 35 against in the House of Representatives, and 31 for and 16 opposed in the Senate).

As you can see, this was not an easy bill to see become law, and I hope this paints a clear picture of why OICA is needed to promote policies which support the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.

Additionally, we worked with counterpart organizations across the nation to raise awareness at the federal level regarding the harm which would come from seeing children lose access to SNAP benefits for food, health insurance for children, and the potential danger of eliminating protections for children under IDEA with the significant downsizing of the United States Department of Education before states could adjust to maintaining greater oversight.

With the end of the previous federal shutdown, but with the next potential one looming on January 30, 2026, it is imperative that individuals continue to raise concerns with federal policymakers regarding programs which impact children.

We also saw success with projects which we undertook this past year. OICA has been working to complete multiple tasks in conjunction with our mission, and I am pleased to report on a few of those to you.

I want to begin by thanking AT&T for the donation of fifty Chromebooks for youth participating in our Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® program. Children from participating communities, including Gore, Putnam City, Lawton, Valliant, Rush Springs, Ardmore, and several others, received these devices, which include the Kid Governor® officers who were elected from 2025 and 2026.

We greatly appreciate AT&T’s partnership with us to help provide opportunities for these young learners. The lesson plans provided for teachers in public, private and home school settings around the state allow a greater, more in-depth understanding of civics, voting and the importance for young people to use their voices. These devices will provide even more opportunities for those who received them.

I also would like to thank the generous donors who helped support the Holiday Hope initiative led by Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) through our OK Foster Wishes drive. We collected enough funds to provide 125 gift cards of $100 each for OHS to distribute to teens in foster care. The foster families will use these to help purchase gifts for the youth tied to the holiday the child celebrates or to be given directly to the teens. Those of you who supported this effort made certain that child had a brighter holiday during this traumatic time.

Our leadership program, the Advocacy Boot Camp (ABC), saw Class I complete their work and Class II finish the first half of their program, and we are thrilled with the participants from both classes. We hope to expand this to include a summer program for students completing their sophomore year. Please stay tuned for more information.

While it was a busy year, 2026 will likely be more so. Thank you for reading this weekly column in your local newspapers, and to the editors/publishers who run it. If you ever have any questions or suggestions, please drop a note to info@oica.org for us.

May Your Season Be Bright and Joyous

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 18:59:54 GMT

I hope each of you is looking forward to the upcoming Christmas break and will have time to spend with loved ones.

As a Christian, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and is a very special time for those of us who celebrate. It is especially enjoyable for children. While gifts are important, I also believe it is important to share the reason for the season with young ones and the teachings which align with peacefully practicing your faith.

Not all religions recognize Jesus or December holidays the same. In Christianity, Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) foretold in the Old Testament and the Son of God. Christians believe that through his death and resurrection, humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life. Christmas is the celebration of his birth and the promise associated.

Judaism does not recognize Jesus as the Messiah or divine. While some Jewish scholars value him as a historical figure, they do not see his life as having fulfilled the messianic prophecies outlined in scripture. Those of the Jewish faith await a messiah to bring peace and restore Israel.

In Islam, the Quran mentions Jesus by name 25 times - more often than Muhammad - and emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. The Quran describes Jesus as one of four major human messengers sent by God to guide mankind. Many Islamic people celebrate Christmas, but not as a religious holiday.

With the Hindu faith, views on Jesus vary widely. Some may see him as a holy man or a saint, while others may include him among their pantheon of deities. However, he is not considered the only path to God.

Like Hinduism, Buddhism does not have a unified view of Jesus. Some Buddhists may appreciate his teachings and moral example, but he is not a central figure in Buddhist belief.

The religious composition of America in 2025 reflects both historical foundations and contemporary demographic shifts. Christianity maintains majority status at 62% of the adult population, equivalent to approximately 160 million Americans across all Christian denominations. Within this total, Protestants comprise 40% (103 million adults), while Catholics represent 19% (49 million adults), and other Christian groups comprise 3% (8 million adults).

Non-Christian religious populations make up 7.1% of Americans (approximately 18.3 million adults), with Jewish Americans at 1.7% (4.4 million), Muslims at 1.2% (3.1 million), Buddhists at 1.1% (2.8 million), and Hindus at 0.9% (2.3 million). The religiously unaffiliated population stands at 29%, representing approximately 75 million American adults who identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”

The freedom to practice religion without government influence is guaranteed to Americans, and it is regarded as one of our most sacred Constitutional rights. The Founding Fathers’ acceptance of other religions was influenced by their diverse backgrounds and the Enlightenment ideals of reason and individual liberty. This allowed for a wide range of religious beliefs to coexist peacefully within the framework of a secular state.

I hope this conversation does not offend, but I believe it is important to have respect for others’ beliefs, even if you do not believe the same as them, and for children to learn that respect.

Please do not view another person’s peaceful beliefs as an endangerment to your own, but as a celebration of the ability to live together in a nation where people can rejoice in the peace promised from the season.

Whether you are celebrating Christmas (Christianity), Hanukkah (Judaism), Bodhi Day (Buddhism), Kwanzaa (African American heritage), Immaculate Conception (Catholicism), Yule (Pagan), Winter Solstice (several Native American tribes), or some other festivity, I wish you the happiest and peaceful time of year, and please make sure the children in your life have an equally joyous time!

Support for Foster Teens and Prayers for #MightyMiller

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:52:43 GMT

This time of year can bring stressful times for children who endure traumatic experiences.

As we approach the end of the year and with the holidays of celebration occurring, OICA is once again assisting Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) with their Holiday Hope program to provide support for foster youth in the state. Our goal, which was requested of us by OHS, is to raise $30,000 – enough to provide $150 gift cards to 200 teens in foster care.

As of Monday, December 15, we have only raised about one-fourth of the amount needed to complete this mission. While this will certainly help those young people who will receive a card, I hate that we have not achieved our goal and might not reach it before the deadline next week. If you would like to help with this mission, please consider donating any amount to help us fulfil our mission.

OICA has created a link for individuals to directly donate to the program. The donation page is found at https://tinyurl.com/2026HolidayHope . We also have the link on our social media accounts. With full transparency, OICA has factored the processing fee for each card into the donation amount to ensure all needs are met at a level of ten percent to cover expenses and our costs to complete this project.

This holiday season, you have the power to show a young person in foster care that they are seen, valued, and deserve joy. These are youth who often feel overlooked during a time of year that celebrates family, warmth, and belonging, and their foster families are overwhelmed with the costs associated with caring for these youth. Your support helps ease this burden.

By doing gift cards, these will give Oklahoma’s foster teens a chance to choose something for themselves, to experience independence, and feel the excitement every young person should during the holidays. Together, we can make sure no young person in foster care feels forgotten. Your support can turn a simple gesture into a lasting message for them: you matter.

If you are unable to help, we certainly understand how difficult finances are for many during this time of year. If you provide support for a different youth-related mission, we are grateful for what you and wish you the happiest of holidays with your loved ones.

I want to close this week with another special request. Just about eight years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Miller Hines through his mother, Miranda, who was working for OICA as the director of our OK Foster Wishes program and who operated our special projects. Miller was a typical young boy who enjoyed all the activities which boys do. I will never forget the phone call from his mother as we were preparing for a conference that they had to rush Miller to the hospital and found out he had been diagnosed with leukemia.

In the years since, Miller has been a champion through his health battles, ranging from extended periods in the hospital to being able to participate in sports in his school during healthier periods. I have watched over that time as he has often struggled to live the normal life in which we all hope children will be able to experience. He has even developed a large following of supporters who hoped that #MightyMiller would be able to stay in remission and grow into adulthood.

Miller had to enter the hospital this past week, and the news has not been good. His 15th birthday will be Saturday, and he wants to not only be able to celebrate this special day, but he also really wants to be able to watch the University of Oklahoma football game on Friday night and for his team to bring home a win. If you believe in prayer, please reserve one for Miller as he goes through his health battle.

Axay "Ax" Parekh Elected President of OICA Board

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 22:01:22 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) announced today that Axay “Ax” Parekh of Tulsa has been elected President of its Board of Directors for 2026-2027. Parekh, a recognized leader in real estate, advocacy, and community engagement, brings a strong commitment to championing the needs of Oklahoma’s nearly one million children.

OICA is a statewide nonprofit organization which has a primary focus on elevating advocacy issues and awareness regarding youth policy. Their goal is for every child to have access to safety, opportunity, and a brighter future. Parekh’s leadership marks an exciting step forward for the organization as it has been several years since the board president has resided in eastern Oklahoma..

“It is an honor to serve in this role,” Parekh said. “Our children deserve a future filled with hope, stability, and opportunity. I encourage everyone to join us in supporting this work.”

As OICA launches its year-end fundraising drive, Parekh calls on friends, family, and supporters statewide to give before December 31 to help advance programs and advocacy efforts across Oklahoma. Contributions toward this nonprofit organization are classified as charitable donations and can be declared on one’s tax returns.

Other officers elected to two-year terms include Rebekka Lucas of Oklahoma City, Vice-President; Terry Boehrer of Washington, Okla., Treasurer; Samonia Byford of Oklahoma City, Secretary; Sandy Foster of Lawton, Governance Chair; and Amanda Mullins of Norman, Past President.

To contribute or learn more, please visit OICA’s website at https://www.oica.org

Handling Stress Over the Holidays

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:36:47 GMT

With the beginning of December and upcoming celebrations, stress is an inevitable part of the season. Holidays are often portrayed as joyful and exciting, but many children experience significant stress.

Changes in normal routine, more social events, travel plans (with inevitable disruptions), and elevated expectations often make this time of year feel overwhelming. Children may disguise their struggle, but many show stress through irritability, attachment, sleep disorders, or difficulty concentrating on tasks or with conversations.

Recognizing early signs can help families intervene before stress builds to a level of disruption. Here are some suggestions offered to make the holidays much brighter for you and your children.

Holidays often lead to a change in normal routines, and children thrive better when schedules stay relatively normal. It is recommended that while you might need to change some things such as times for meals or lose sleep with some travel, try to maintain as much normality as possible with their day-to-day activities. If you read to your children at night, continue to do so. If you take walks together or trips to the store, find time to keep that in place.

Family or friends’ gatherings often provide excitement for many children, but for others, they simply add to stress levels. If a child needs to take time to go to their room or step outside to avoid an overwhelming feeling, allow them to break from the party to reset, and if they have had enough, try to keep the disruption down so they can have that quiet time in their own space.

Try to involve children in the planning of activities. The more they feel involved and part of the event, the more likely they will enjoy it. If you have regular activities planned with them annually, gauge whether they have outgrown that and try to adapt to something similar but more within their age.

Holidays can also trigger memories of loved ones lost. Children often connect with older relatives, and this time of year brings forth those thoughts of time together with people special to them. It is important to discuss those feelings of mortality with them and how it is not just them feeling that loss. Take that time to give them a hug and let them know they are not alone in how they feel.

Gifts often add to stress levels. Many children want that one special gift that is the hot item of the year, but with economic struggles, it is sometimes difficult to find that item on a budget. If it is simply not possible, be honest with them that finances just will not allow it this year. Instead, consider giving time instead of items. For example, offer a weekend family excursion to a local festival or event which they would enjoy and include something tangible which will connect them to that event, such as a stuffed animal if going to a day at the zoo.

If you do purchase presents, teach children the meaning of giving and ask them to assist with picking out gifts for family members. This will help them understand the thought that goes into presents and the need to budget if you establish a set amount to spend for items for multiple people.

If stress levels are growing, try to recognize the signs. Young children do better when they can have a release, sometimes with simple things such as drawing, playing outdoors, putting headphones on to listen to music, or spending time with their hobbies. It is always suggested for parents to maintain a healthy amount of conversation with their children and listen to them to help assess when the tension is building. Easing their stress will also help your own stress level.

I hope these tips help you navigate December and lead to a very happy 2026 for you and your children!

OK Foster Wishes Facing Critical Shortage for Teen Support this Season

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:20:20 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) through their project OK Foster Wishes is assisting Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) Holiday Hope program in an effort to provide support for foster youth in the state, according to Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

“Our goal is to raise $30,000 – enough to provide 200 gift cards of $150 each to teens in foster care,” Dorman said. “We’ve only raised $1,240 as of Monday, December 1, and that includes one $500 donation.”

OICA has created a link for individuals to directly donate to the program. The donation page is found at https://tinyurl.com/2026HolidayHope . OICA has factored the processing fee for each card into the donation amount at the different levels to ensure all needs are met.

“OHS asked us to take on this teen age range as those are often the ones who it is harder to shop for with items. This holiday season, you have the power to show a young person in foster care that they are seen and deserving of joy,” Dorman said. “These are youth who often feel anguish during a time of year that celebrates family, warmth, and belonging, a time when these children are unable to be with their biological parents.

“These gift cards will provide Oklahoma’s teenaged foster children a chance to choose something for themselves, to experience independence, and feel the joy every young person should during the holidays. Together, we can make certain no young person in Oklahoma foster care feels forgotten. Your support can turn a simple gesture into a lasting message for them: you matter.”

OICA has set up different levels for donations, so a person can give $25, $50, or even donate the full amount for a card, or multiple cards.

“We know many people are struggling financially this year, a clear indicator by the amount which has been raised so far, so we do not want anyone to place themselves in a tougher financial position,” said Dorman. “We are asking Oklahomans to consider helping with this endeavor and to give what you can to ensure these teens have a little brighter holiday season.”

If an Oklahoman would rather contribute to support a local effort working with OHS, locations can be found at https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/foster/holidayhope.html for giving. The deadline is approaching quickly to ensure a gift can be sent to a foster youth.

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About OICA : The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was established in 1983 by a group of citizens seeking to create a strong advocacy network that would provide a voice for the needs of children and youth in Oklahoma, particularly those in the state’s care and those growing up amid poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, disparities, or other situations that put their lives and future at risk. Our mission statement: “Creating awareness, taking action and changing policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.”

About HOLIDAY HOPE: The Holiday Hope program, through Oklahoma Human Services and valued community partners like the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, is dedicated to spreading joy, support, and hope during the holiday season. Together, we work to brighten the holidays for foster families and children involved with Child Welfare Services by building community connections and ensuring every child experiences the warmth and magic of the season.

OICA Expresses Thanks for Child Advocacy Award Winners

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:51:26 GMT

As we just celebrated Thanksgiving, I would be remiss to not express appreciation for those who work tirelessly for the youth of our state.

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) presents multiple awards for deserving advocates. In 2025, we were thrilled with each of the nominations, people or organizations doing exceptional work, and certainly for those selected as the winners by our board. Those selected are:

The Jasmine and Melvin Moran Kidizenship Award was presented to Addison Sams, a high school freshman who is a Student Advocate for the Oklahoma Chapter of Decoding Dyslexia.

The Laura Choate Resilience Award was presented to Dr. Bradley Mays, the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma’s Advocacy & Training Coordinator.

The Dr. Dwight Sublett Health Care Award was presented to Dr. Ashley Weedn, a board-certified pediatrician and Assistant Professor at OU Health Sciences Center.

The Sandy Garrett Educator Award was presented to Teresa Eichenberger, at Tulsa Public Schools Teacher who has helped with the education of youth in the Tulsa Juvenile Detention Center, leading to their first two graduates during time in the facility.

The Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award was presented to Mayor Kim Peterson, for service as a board member for Kids Inc Guymon, Guymon United Way, Guymon Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Guymon Rodeo Board.

The Burnes/Lichtenstein Journalism Award was presented to John Small, the managing editor of The Johnston County Sentinel in Tishomingo.

The Senator Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award was presented to children’s book author Mariana Llanos.

The Jon Hansen Public Servant Award had two winners: Tulsa County Juvenile Detention Center Assistant Manager Penny Lewis and Ardmore Police Department Detective Landon Gary for his work in the investigation unit with a specialization in child crimes.

The Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award also had two winners, Oklahoma Policy Institute’s child well-being specialist Jill Mencke and Stephen Garvin, a former Human Services worker of 18 years who helped shape Citizens for Children, a Stephens County nonprofit working to help keep biological families united.

The Jari Askins Justice for Children Award was presented to attorney Cameron Spradling, who specializes in civil representation for children, survivors of sexual abuse, and victims of violent crimes.

The H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award was presented to Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores for their support of Children’s Miracle Network and multiple youth initiatives.

The OICA CEO’s Recognition Award was presented to Dr. Amy Emerson, a Tulsa child advocate with a lengthy track record of service to youth programs, including service to Reach Out and Read and Lilyfield Empower Tulsa.

The OICA Volunteer of the Year award was presented to James “Tony” Willis, who generously gives of his time to help OICA.

These winners join other awards’ recipients presented earlier this year:

The Honorable Joe Eddins, winner of the Laura Booy Public Servant Award, presented to a formerly elected/appointed Democratic official who has continued doing exception work for children.

The Honorable Weldon Watson, winner of the Henry Bellmon Public Servant Award, presented likewise to a Republican official with the same qualifications.

Justice Yvonne Kauger (retired), winner of the Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement in Child Advocacy Award, for her efforts during her service as member of the Oklahoma Supreme Court to expand education through the Sovereignty Symposium and modernization of court systems.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, winner of our OICA Organization Advocate of the Year, for their programming which elevates civility conversations with youth.

Kim Garrett Funk, winner of our Jay Scott Brown Individual Advocate of the Year Award, for her work with Palomar as founder and their Chief Visionary Officer.

Thank you to each of these amazing Oklahomans, along with everyone who has done exceptional work as child advocates. We are thankful for you!

Elevate Learning, Not Just Test Scores

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 21:54:09 GMT

Oklahoma has consistently lingered toward the bottom of state rankings when it comes to reading comprehension with elementary-aged students. Some leaders have offered solutions, and we at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) agree change is needed, so long as it’s done responsibly.

Last year, Senate Bill 362, the Strong Readers Act, changed policy for improving reading sufficiency, removing the “good-cause exemption” for students who do not demonstrate proficiency by the third grade.

Some support reinstating third grade retention, using Mississippi as an example. The so-called “Mississippi Miracle” refers to their significant improvement in metrics, particularly fourth grade reading comprehension, over the last decade. This turnaround is attributed to bold reforms like an early literacy law that emphasizes phonics and includes third-grade retention for students who cannot read at grade level.

Other contributing factors include using literacy coaches, mandating reading screenings, focusing on high expectations and student progress, and a necessity for providing opportunities to succeed – all which cost money.

Mississippi has consistently been the poorest state in the United States for decades, and by a significant margin. It has the highest percentage of Americans living in poverty and places last or nearly last on a wide variety of metrics, to the point that the phrase, “Thank God for Mississippi,” is often used in other low-performing states as Mississippi usually spares them the shame of being dead last.

Mississippi decided that being a laughingstock was unacceptable, and they did many things right.

For Oklahoma, poor reading scores should be similarly unacceptable. If we want to see success with those young students who first must “learn to read” before they “read to learn,” then we need to do it the correct way long before third grade.

First, leaders must invest in the right priorities. Policies should not simply hold children back who are behind in third grade so fourth grade levels show improvement, falsely implying success. Those retained third graders did not go away; we simply tested fewer children by isolating those who lacked earlier reading support.

Holding back a third grader can cost the school district as much as $10,000 per year, according to Business Insider and the Education Commission of the States.

For reading comprehension, real solutions will not be found overnight, and in fact, doing it wrong will cost the state significantly more, both in dollars and long-term problems. For the child, the trauma associated with being held back will impact them for the rest of their lives, spelling out point-blank to them that they are a failure, not that the system failed them.

Retention also leads to increased dropout rates when the child cannot move forward. Students who cannot read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma, according to a 2011 study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Half the states and the District of Columbia have statewide reading initiatives requiring schools to retain students who do not read on grade level by the end of third grade; however, several states, like Michigan, have relaxed or suspended the retention provisions of their laws.

A study conducted last year found Michigan school districts spent about $2,600 per-student-per-year implementing a reading initiative, including interventions like tutoring and summer school for students at risk of being held back, and for those who did repeat a grade.

Policymakers must ensure funding is in place to support whatever policy they decide to enact. That includes having qualified educators in the classroom who understand reading fundamentals, such as phonics, rather than emergency certified teachers and semi-permanent substitutes, at these earlier grade levels.

OICA wholeheartedly supports and encourages policies which will aid young children with achieving an elevated level of reading comprehension. Let’s learn from the mistakes made by other states and do it in a way which elevates learning, not just test scores.

OICA Kid Governor, 4-H Junior Governor Inspire Future Leaders, Elevate Importance of Voting

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:01:24 GMT

The work done by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), while always rewarding, can sometimes be stressful, and occasionally downright depressing.

The statistics and real-world conversations about the things which impact children often wear on our team as we work to improve children’s lives.

Still, one of the best and brightest parts of our work offsets the gloominess is our work on the Kid Governor® and 4-H Junior Governor programs. Through these projects, we see the hope these young Oklahomans have for a better future; that reinvigorates us, knowing we truly are making a difference.

OICA helped initiate the original concept in 2015 with the selection of a young person to serve in the role of Kid Governor in conjunction with another nonprofit organization. The program morphed into the current project with the selection of our sixth Kid Governor. We partnered with the Connecticut Democracy Project to provide lesson plans for 5th grade teachers to use to better educate their students about government, the need to better understand civics, and the importance of voting once they turn 18.

Last year, teachers were concerned about the program and all the classrooms which had normally participated had chosen to withdraw from the program. OICA pivoted to partner with Oklahoma 4-H to continue this program through a one-day conference for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders enrolled in their organization, which yielded an impressive slate of young leaders to fulfill that role for 2025.

I want to thank Kid Governor® Emma Stephens from Ardmore; Kid Lt. Gov. Shawn Ferrell from Orlando; Kid Secretary of State Lawson Ream from Alva; and Kid Cabinet members Clayton Rohla from Roff, Ryan Young from Chickasha, Koda White from Vici, Alburto Harmon from Perry, and Harper Witt from Antlers for their work this year.

For 2026, OICA was able to continue this 4-H partnership and rebuild our classroom component, allowing us to operate two separate opportunities for youth. The 4-H Junior Governor conference with more than 40 students in attendance selected their leaders November 1; our classroom Kid Governor® program completed its election just last week, with 1,187 students going through the lesson plans.

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® for 2026 is Katelyn Talley, a 5th grader from Valliant in southeastern Oklahoma. Her platform is animal abuse prevention.

The Kid Lieutenant Governor is Sophia Chavarria Rivera, a 5th grader from Bethany, and her platform is the prevention of bullying.

The Kid Secretary of State is Daphne Tanequodle, a 5th grader from Lawton, who was elected with a platform of addressing homelessness.

The winners of the 4-H Junior Governor elections, their schools, and platforms are:

• Junior Governor Riley Braden, from Brisco in Creek County. Riley is home schooled and ran on a platform to protect and promote the sanctity of life.

• Junior Lieutenant Governor is Whitlee Moser from Perkins in Payne County. Whitlee attends Perkins Tryon Intermediate School and ran on a platform of education.

• Junior Secretary of State is Riley Rudder from Fort Towson. Riley attends Rattan Elementary in Pushmataha County and ran on a platform of turtle conservation

• The first Junior Cabinet Member is Lizzie Marlin from Adair in Mayes County. Lizzie attends Bernita Hughes Elementary and ran on the platform of smoking prevention and education.

• The second Junior Cabinet Member is Victoria Justice from Depew in Creek County. Victoria is homeschooled and her platform is to prevent debt collectors from making spam calls.

The student leaders will be inaugurated during a ceremony at the State Capitol on February 2, 2026, the opening day of the Oklahoma Legislature’s session.

For more information about how you can help support the Kid Governor® program with a donation that helps provide mileage reimbursement for the students and allow us to operate the program, contact OICA at info@oica.org or call (405) 236-KIDS (5437).

Pair of Youth Governor Programs Elect Student Leaders for 2026

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:38:38 GMT

2026 Kid Governor Katelyn Talley (left) & 2026 Junior Governor Riley Braden

A pair of youth governor programs sponsored by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) have elected their leaders for 2026.

The first is the Oklahoma Kid Governor® program, in conjunction with the Connecticut Democracy Center’s national program, designed to empower 5th graders to change the world.

This ground-breaking approach to civics education immerses students in a real election for each participating state’s Kid Governor®, a fellow 5th grader who will represent their home state during a one-year term of active leadership. In total, 1,187 students from across Oklahoma participated in the program this year.

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® for 2026 is Katelyn Talley, a 5th grader from Valliant in southeastern Oklahoma. Her platform is animal abuse prevention. In addition to the Kid Governor®, 5 ^th graders in participating classrooms also elected a Kid Lieutenant Governor and Kid Secretary of State.
The Kid Lieutenant Governor is Sophia Chavarria Rivera, a 5 ^th grader from Bethany, and her platform is the prevention of bullying.
The Kid Secretary of State is Daphne Tanequodle, a 5 ^th grader from Lawton, who was elected with a platform of addressing homelessness.

The Kid Governor® was elected in a statewide election based upon a local classroom election. Each student candidate chose an issue on which to run, and the classroom voted for their favorite, a process which replicates voting in a Primary Election. The winners then recorded a two-minute campaign video which was submitted into the statewide competition where the students voted a second time from among the statewide candidates, simulating a General Election.

A panel comprised of Oklahoma’s former governors – David Walters, Frank Keating, Brad Henry, and Mary Fallin - and OICA board members narrowed the field to the finalists.

The campaign videos for the finalists were shared with each participating school from 37 classrooms from across the state. The students cast their votes on ballots that resemble the actual Oklahoma ballots, and the election was timed to coincide with Election Day in November.

The winning candidate serves a one-year term promoting leadership and advocacy, working with OICA to fulfill their campaign platform while mobilizing students to take action and make a difference on youth issues. The remaining finalists will serve as members of the Kid Cabinet, working with the Kid Governor to raise awareness on their platform issues. The cabinet will spend the year speaking to civic organizations and other such programs to promote their platforms and encourage civic engagement. OICA provides support to the families by providing mileage reimbursements for their official visits.

In addition to the Kid Governor® program, OICA co-sponsors with Oklahoma 4-H a “Junior Governor” program for 4 ^th , 5 ^th , and 6 ^th graders. This program brought more than 40 interested 4-H students together for a conference in Stillwater at the State 4-H Office on Nov. 1, where they learned about state government and then elected the Junior Governor and Junior Cabinet. The winners of the 4-H Junior Governor elections, their schools, and platforms are:

Junior Governor Riley Braden, from Brisco in Creek County. Riley is home schooled and ran on a platform to protect and promote the sanctity of life.
Junior Lieutenant Governor is Whitlee Moser from Perkins in Payne County. Whitlee attends Perkins Tryon Intermediate School and ran on a platform of education.
Junior Secretary of State is Riley Rudder from Fort Towson. Riley attends Rattan Elementary in Pushmataha County and ran on a platform of turtle conservation
The first Junior Cabinet Member is Lizzie Marlin from Adair in Mayes County. Lizzie attends Bernita Hughes Elementary and ran on the platform of smoking prevention and education.
The second Junior Cabinet Member is Victoria Justice from Depew in Creek County. Victoria is homeschooled and her platform is to prevent debt collectors from making spam calls.

The student leaders will be inaugurated during a ceremony at the State Capitol on February 2, 2026, the opening day of the Oklahoma Legislature’s session.

“The Kid Governor® program and the Junior Governor inspire students to be involved in the process and hopefully become lifelong agents of change for the better, maybe even running for Governor of Oklahoma someday,” Dorman said. “If young people are given an opportunity to learn these lessons at an early age, they will grow into the leaders that will shape our tomorrow.”

The outgoing Kid Cabinet members who served in 2025 are: Kid Governor® Emma Stephens from Ardmore; Kid Lt. Gov. Shawn Ferrell from Orlando; Kid Secretary of State Lawson Ream from Alva; and Kid Cabinet members Clayton Rohla from Roff, Ryan Young from Chickasha, Koda White from Vici, Alburto Harmon from Perry, and Harper Witt from Antlers.

OICA annually budgets costs for operating the programs and providing reimbursements for costs. For more information about how you can help support the Kid Governor® program with a donation, contact OICA at info@oica.org or call (405) 236-KIDS (5437).

Children's Legislative Agenda Unveiled for 2026

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 21:24:23 GMT

Advocates Focus on Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family & Community

As lawmakers prepare for the 2026 session of the Oklahoma Legislature, they will have the collective wisdom of child advocates from across the state in their hands.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has unveiled the “Children’s Legislative Agenda” for 2026, a document containing recommendations to raise the quality of life for Oklahoma’s children.

“Oklahoma ranks a dismal 46 ^th among the states when it comes to overall child well-being,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “During our Fall Forum, child advocates from every corner of Oklahoma came together to examine why our state ranks so poorly and to make recommendations on what needs to be done to raise that ranking.”

Using the Annie E. Casey’s KIDS COUNT Data Book, the annual examination that ranks states, advocates developed a comprehensive plan to present to Oklahoma’s lawmakers. Using the four overall areas of KIDS COUNT – Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family and Community – those at Fall Forum made formal recommendations to the OICA Board of Directors. The board then finalized the recommendations going to Oklahoma’s representatives and senators for consideration during next year’s session of the Legislature.

Under Economic Well-Being, the recommendations include:

· Improving affordable housing programs.

· Expansion of family leave and access to affordable childcare.

· Making the state’s child tax credit refundable.

· Support for the Oklahoma Child and Adolescent Survivor Initiative.

In Education, advocates suggested:

· Expansion of quality afterschool programs for all grades.

· Requiring trauma-based education for future teachers.

· Creating and funding reading improvement programs like those that have worked in Ohio, Indiana, and Mississippi.

· Limit emergency teacher certifications.

· Promote free Pre-K for three-year-olds across the state, while protecting the childcare subsidy and existing programs for preschool children.

· Proactive outreach by school personnel to reduce chronic absenteeism and to require schools to develop plans to address the problem.

Under Health, the recommendations include:

· Access to prescription lock boxes to prevent accidental access to dangerous prescriptions drugs.

· A child-safe approach to TCH gummies and other products through age-appropriate packaging, lock bags, or per item dosages.

· Expansion of the “Food is Medicine Act” to allow food to be covered by Medicaid.

· Prohibit smoking in a motor vehicle while in the presence of a minor.

· Expand human trafficking mitigation and victims’ services.

· Expand and fund access to mental health care in communities and in schools.

Recommendations under Family and Community include:

· Creation of child courts modeled after Texas to provide consistent rulings and quicker decisions on child dispositions.

· Create protections and compensation for minors associated with monetized online content.

· Increase the use of GPS tracking for Victim’s Protection Order (VPO) enforcement by changing statute from “convictions” to “findings of guilt.”

· Eliminate the requirement for a jury trial for termination of parental rights, creating a different review, either by judge or administrative process, similar to most other states.

· Establish minimum age for court jurisdiction.

· Fund and sustain family resource centers to increase services such as resource referral, transportation, and other vital services, especially for more supervised visitation programs to increase accessibility for non-custodial parents.

OICA will also continue to work on issues presented in previous agendas, including the increase of support payments for foster families, as authored by lawmakers last session.

“Oklahoma’s rankings in the 2025 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK are extremely low, so much work is in store for us as a state,” Dorman said. “A great amount of work went into developing these recommendations, but we realize this is only the beginning.

“We call upon our lawmakers to carefully consider these recommendations, which come from advocates who truly have the ‘boots on the ground’ working every day to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children.”

The full Children’s Legislative Agenda is available on the OICA website at https://tinyurl.com/2026OICACLA .

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2026 "Children's Legislative Agenda" Sent to Lawmakers

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:22:36 GMT

In October, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our Fall Forum, a conference which annually assembles delegates for sharing ideas and brainstorming solutions for the many issues facing the children of our state.

The theme this year tied in with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Report, a review of state statistics which uniformly look at how well states are performing on 16 different metrics under four different categories – Economic Well-being, Education, Health, and Family & Community assessments. Overall, Oklahoma ranks 46th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in child well-being.

The delegates looked at ideas previously proposed by lawmakers, along with shaping creative solutions for problematic youth issues through policy. Experts presented on subjects associated with the four categories and shared their data about where the state is succeeding or falling short on addressing difficulties.

In Economic Well-Being, the delegates suggested improvements for affordable housing policies to increase family stability and reduce homelessness and chronic absenteeism in school attendance, designed to improve educational outcomes. Another aspect was to support lawmakers’ efforts to expand paid family leave programs to help parents – those who are biological, foster, or adoptive – to better acclimate parents to the responsibilities in raising children. A third point was to enhance the child tax credit, allowing it to be refundable with reasonable income phase-outs.

In the area of Education, a hotly debated category in recent years, advocates suggested the establishment and expansion of quality, affordable afterschool programs statewide for all grades. There was also the desire to require trauma-based education for future teachers and in continuing development requirements. Another conversation was to establish and adequately fund reading improvement programs to help ensure students are able to read at grade level and not be held back a grade.

With Health, suggestions included that the state mandate child-safe laws to protect young Oklahomans by ensuring packaging and marketing of edible marijuana products is age-appropriate, and to provide access to prescription lockboxes for families at an affordable price. Further, advocates recommended expanding the “Food is Medicine Act” to support those with chronic diseases and other health concerns. They further promoted the adoption of a dental therapist program to help expand care throughout Oklahoma where there is limited access to care, with oversight provided by a dentist.

The Family and Community category encouraged the creation of “Child Protection Courts” like the model in Texas, which would reduce the timeframe of issues in the courts involving children and also give judges specialized training and access to resources to help resolve concerns involving custody and other family-related cases. Another point suggested was to fund and sustain “family resource centers” which have been created to increase access to local supports such as referrals, transportation, and other vital services which are barriers to success.

Other recommendations were for improving nutrition programs to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, accepting federal funds to provide summer feeding opportunities for youth directly, and to add further interventions for pre-arrest community programs for both youth and parents in partnership with local businesses and civic organizations.

These items and the many others included can be found on our website at https://tinyurl.com/2026OICACLA . We will work with lawmakers to draft legislation and seek funding support for those which are taken up as bills or agency policies in the 2026 session.

OICA will also assist other organizations to ensure that legislation seeking to enhance beneficial youth-based policies move through the state capitol successfully. Please follow along with our weekly Thursday newsletter, to which you can subscribe for free, at https://www.oica.org .

Food Assistance and Health Coverage Key Factors During Government Shutdown

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:52:54 GMT

I want to start by saying “thank you” to the governor and Oklahoma’s legislative leaders for the commitment to allocate $1 million in state funds per week over the next seven weeks to the two major food banks to assist with food distribution during the suspension of SNAP benefits. This will help many Oklahoma families who are struggling.

Now, as Paul Harvey used to say, let’s look at the rest of the story.

The normal monthly allocation from the feds to Oklahoma for SNAP is more than $120 million per month for the 684,000 people in our state who receive benefits. At the level which the state will provide, that only equals to be $5.85 per person per month for every Oklahoman who is on SNAP.

Additionally, the food banks cannot reach every person on SNAP, and there is no specific requirement this supplement will go only to SNAP recipients due to added demands with so many government employees furloughed. With their families in need, there will be increased demand upon our food banks, statewide and local. What they can do is leverage your donation for larger amounts of food, so this is a worthy effort.

In some good news, two separate federal judges ordered the Trump Administration to use contingency funds designed to pay SNAP benefits when money is short. This is not a new thing; these funds have been used by every other administration to cover SNAP during government shutdowns. Leaders said they would not appeal the decisions, meaning SNAP could start being at least partially funded later this week.

Even with this, please do what you can to help those in your community because people are likely to face even greater struggles with Thanksgiving and other holidays coming soon.

This is not the only major concern right now for American families. Enhanced premium subsides for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are slated to end, causing premium costs to skyrocket for many enrollees by approximately 26% in 2026. These tax credits, passed several years ago, and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act, are set to expire. These credits lowered costs for many and made previously ineligible middle-income individuals eligible for insurance at a reduced cost.

Those Americans with incomes over 400% of the federal poverty level will lose eligibility for the enhanced credits without congressional action, forcing these significant premium hikes. Many lower-income enrollees in ACA insurance also will endure an increase in their out-of-pocket costs, something they cannot afford.

Without these tax credits, many will have to end health insurance coverage altogether due to higher costs, leading to more uninsured individuals seeking emergency care and potentially straining hospitals to the point of closure, as we have already seen in Oklahoma.

This is a central point of debate in the federal government shutdown. Many Democrat officials are refusing to vote reopen the government unless negotiations on these subsides are continued. They believe this provides leverage for them to demand the continuation of these subsidies and to lower costs for those on ACA insurance. In contrast, many Republicans do not feel this is a role of government and should be left to the private sector to meet needs, with ACA and SNAP alike.

Those wanting compromise are being drowned out by the fringe sides of both political ideologies seeking a “win” on these issues. Meanwhile, American families are facing cuts to food support, increased health insurance costs, and for government employees, a loss of their paycheck until the shutdown ends.

Please reach out to your elected leaders and share your own story about how this is impacting you, as these officials depend upon your vote to continue in office and receive their own paychecks following next November’s elections.

SNAP Assistance to Halt in Oklahoma on November 1 Unless Shutdown Ends

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:59:29 GMT

The federal government entered a shutdown on Oct. 1 when Congress failed to pass the required 12 annual appropriations bills or agree on a short-term funding patch called a continuing resolution. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a part of this. SNAP helps nearly 42 million Americans purchase much needed food each month – more than one out every 10 citizens. Funds will expire Nov. 1 for most states, including Oklahoma.

Benefits have continued because money for October was allocated to states before the shutdown began. In local terms, SNAP aids more than 684,000 Oklahomans according to Oklahoma Human Services, the state agency which maintains local oversight of this program.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website reports, “USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) works to end hunger and promote nutrition through the administration of 15 federal nutrition assistance programs including Women Infants and Children (WIC), SNAP, and school meals. In partnership with State and Tribal governments, FNS programs serve one in four Americans during the course of a typical year.”

While much has been covered regarding SNAP benefits lapsing, it is important to be aware that each of these programs will be impacted unless Congress acts to end the shutdown soon.

WIC is currently being kept afloat by a $150 million contingency fund, but experts warn that it could halt soon without a budget agreement. The National WIC Association has indicated the program will run out of funding within one or two weeks if the shutdown continues.

The same is true for school meal programs. If the shutdown continues, it could lead to significant disruptions in public schools’ ability to provide meals for students. While USDA’s reimbursements to schools (for breakfast and lunch programs) will continue for the short term due to use of carryover funds, many of USDA staff, whose jobs range from reviewing school meal reimbursements to issuing new grants (also temporarily halted), are now on unpaid furlough. Should the shutdown continue for much longer, reimbursements will slow down or stop, creating cash-flow problems for local school districts.

A few states have already suspended their SNAP benefits programs. The only way for states to intervene and continue assistance would be for governors and state legislatures across the nation to call themselves into session and use available state funds to provide temporary relief to impacted state agencies and those they serve. Thus far, no state has even suggested that course of action, likely due to no federal commitment to replace those state allocations should they occur.

As that deadline approaches, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) recommends that those impacted use remaining SNAP benefits to purchase allowable items as you will not be able to access any currently available funds after Oct. 31. Use your benefits to purchase shelf-stable items such as pinto beans, rice, and other such products which can provide stability until the shutdown ends.

Those in need may also seek support through local resources. To find a program which provides aid close to you, go to http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/ for western Oklahoma and https://www.okfoodbank.org/ for the eastern part of the state. Additionally, some restaurants have even offered free meals to families in need and who have lost their benefits; check local news to see if any restaurants in your community are participating.

I will also add that while every nonprofit organization is currently facing budget woes, please consider donating to a food assistance program in your community. Churches and nonprofits are only able to provide food with what funds they have available, and support is critical for those who are struggling..

Combined Federal Campaign for Nonprofits Faces Uncertain Future

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:10:14 GMT

Just over one month ago, notice was issued that the federal government had paused the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), an annual fundraising effort that has contributed billions of dollars to charitable organizations since it was established more than 60 years ago. This became a temporary halt to allow efforts to continue this year, but notice was served that significant change would be coming.

Usually beginning in September, members of the federal sector — including employees, retirees, and contractors — select charitable organizations in which to donate money or volunteer their time to support nonprofit work. This provides a level of support for organizations to build budgets for the upcoming year’s work.

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the “President’s Committee on Fund-Raising Within the Federal Service” to review and modify the fund-raising program. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10927, which gave authority to the United States Civil Service Commission to organize nonprofit solicitations of federal government employees. Kennedy’s executive order was eventually replaced by President Ronald Reagan in 1982 when he created the modern Combined Federal Campaign under the United States Office of Personnel Management.

Nonprofits must meet specific eligibility criteria set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the CFC team. These criteria include the organization’s existence for at least three years, its ability to provide real services, and its commitment to engaging federal employees in philanthropy. Nonprofits must also apply through the CFC’s online application system and may need to apply annually. The CFC team manages the charity application process, ensuring that only eligible organizations can participate in the campaign.

Around $9 billion has been given to approved charities since its inception, and CFC has allowed federal employees to donate to charities of their choice, peaking in 2009 with about $282 million in donations.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has received modest sums in the past from supporters through our numbers (federal - 58911 and state - 8041) for campaigns. Many organizations with higher profiles receive substantial sums which could significantly diminish their mission if this funding stream were eliminated.

We certainly understand concerns overseeing the program form CFC. In a statement issued by President Trump’s OPM Director Scott Kupor, donations have declined in recent years, and administrative costs have grown to oversee the program, which in turn sends fewer funds to nonprofits that also have administrative costs. They also indicated CFC made sense pre-internet – when donors lacked more automated and efficient ways to direct dollars to their favorite charities.

While these concerns are certainly valid, we at OICA feel this is a program worthy of retention.

CFC allows employees to learn more about different nonprofit organizations through workplace events. It is a simple task to itemize deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040 when dealing with your own taxes. The above-the-line deduction for cash donations to qualified charities reinstated in 2026 will make sense for giving.

Charities that rely on regular funding from employees will likely benefit more from employee donations, thus providing a sustainable and stable source of income for the nonprofit’s work, thereby reducing fundraising expenses for the nonprofit.

Organizations with a strong sense of community and employee involvement in charitable activities may find it beneficial to support their employees' charitable contributions through a matching dollar program. Offering matching gifts can incentivize employees to contribute more, which can be a win-win for both the charity and the employee.

In a difficult time for charitable nonprofits, we strongly encourage those decision makers at the federal level to weigh the cost and the benefit of CFC. We hope they can find a way to continue support through this process in a streamlined manner that does not diminish the work done for children and other services through charitable giving.

Shutdown, Healthcare, and Opportunities for Oklahomans

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:46:07 GMT

With the federal government “shutdown” of services continuing, one likely outcome will be that Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, subsidies will end or be reduced.

Should this happen, the burden for health insurance coverage will fall to the states to decide. Fortunately, one opportunity exists in Oklahoma which provides a way for employers, employees, and state government to elevate health insurance coverage for those in the workforce.

In April 2004, Senate Bill 1546, authored by Sen. Ben Robinson and Rep. M.C. Leist, authorized the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to develop a program assisting employees of small businesses, 19 to 64 years of age with either (1) a portion of their private health plan premiums (Employer Sponsored Insurance), or (2) the purchase of a state sponsored health plan operated under the state Medicaid program (Individual Plan).

The goal was to provide affordable health insurance for 50,000 low-wage Oklahomans in the workforce.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority administers the Insure Oklahoma program. The agency balances this fiscal responsibility with two equally important goals:

1) Assuring that state-purchased health care meets acceptable standards of care; and

2) Ensuring that citizens of Oklahoma who rely on state-purchased health care are served positively.

The Affordable Care Act made a program like Insure Oklahoma redundant, but if the federal government rolls back provisions, this is a way in which health insurance can continue for those in the workforce

For employer qualifications:

· Have up to 250 (for profit) or 500 (non-profit) employees.

· Be located in Oklahoma.

· Offer a qualified benefit plan.

· Contribute at least 25 percent of premiums for qualified employees.

· Health insurance must be billed from the first of calendar month to the end of the calendar month (not mid-month).

For the employee:

· Be between the ages of 19 and 64.

· Be an Oklahoma resident and meet citizenship guidelines.

· Have an annual gross household income within the Employer-Sponsored Insurance income guidelines.

· Not enrolled in Medicare or SoonerCare (Medicaid).

· Contribute up to 15 percent of monthly premium cost for self, and up to 15 percent of premium cost for qualified dependents (not to exceed three percent of annual gross household income).

While Democrats created this, Republican lawmakers saw the benefit of having healthy Oklahomans at work and modified several categories. In 2007, the program was expanded to include self-employed Oklahomans, certain unemployed individuals and working individuals with no access to small group health coverage. In 2009, this program was further expanded to include full-time college students within qualifying income guidelines who are ages 19-22, and increased the Employer Sponsored Insurance (ESI) to with up to 99 employees.

Additional changes allowed coverage for dependent children for Insure Oklahoma members who fell between 186 to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and the number of employees for a business was expanded to 250. Then the state authorized the ability to submit applications online. Expansion allowed non-profit organizations with more than 250 employees to be allowable.

Current income thresholds provide a significant barrier. For a single person, the maximum annual income (MAI) is only $35,700 to qualify. For a household a two, the annual income cap is $48,228. For three, the MAI is $60,756; for four, $73,320; and for a family of five, $85,848. For this to apply to current income levels and keep workers insured, lawmakers would need to elevate the payroll threshold for coverage.

I encourage our state leaders to look at this program or similar opportunities to do whatever is possible to help keep employed Oklahomans healthy and thriving. A healthier workforce means stability, productivity and allows parents to not deal with astronomical healthcare costs.

Fall Forum is Your Opportunity to Bring Forth Youth Policy Ideas

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 15:37:55 GMT

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds our Fall Forum to look at trends in child health, safety, and well-being.

We invite advocates from across the state to hear from experts about critical topics. The attendees then share thoughts and ideas regarding how to seek improvement, which is then adapted into the “Children’s Legislative Agenda” for the upcoming legislative session. This document is presented to state and federal lawmakers for their consideration. Through the years, many topics have moved forward and were enacted into law to improve conditions for youth.

One of the foremost indexes of child wellbeing is The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Report. This analysis uses 16 data points, four each in four categories: Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family & Community. Published annually over the past 35 years, this highly respected and reliable report indicates children’s needs and status at national and state levels. Below are the four measurements within the four categories.

Economic well-being : Children in poverty, children whose parents lack secure employment, children living in households with a high housing cost burden, and teens not in school and not working.

Education : Young children (ages 3 and 4) not in school, fourth graders not proficient in reading, eighth graders not proficient in math, and high school students not graduating on time.

Health : Low birth-weight babies, children without health insurance, child and teen deaths per 100,000, and children and teens (ages 10 to 17) who are overweight or obese.

Family and community : Children in single-parent families, children in families where the household head lacks a high school diploma, children living in high-poverty areas, and teen births per 1,000.

You can see the report at https://assets.aecf.org/m/databook/2025-KCDB-profile-OK.pdf with a comparison of where our state ranked against the overall United States and also a comparison to previous years, which some areas did show improvement.

Our 2025 Fall Forum began on Monday with a virtual gathering of advocates, with speakers including Jill Mencke, the Oklahoma KIDS COUNT Director, discussing current state data points. Elizabeth Kaup with the Oklahoma Commission for Children and Youth updated attendees on preventable deaths of children and youth in Oklahoma. We also heard from Martin Munoz of Utah Voices for Children, who provided a better understanding of what other states are facing and policy changes they have sought.

Advocates submitted ideas for conversation which will be more deeply discussed at our in-person gathering in Oklahoma City on October 15 and 16. If you are interested in joining us, you can register at https://www.oica.org to attend the conference in-person or by tuning in virtually on Zoom.

We will hear from experts discussing domestic violence, child death trends, foster care concerns, custodial rights, and accessible and affordable insurance when we reconvene. We are especially thankful to hear from former Lieutenant Governor and Cameron University President Jari Askins as our keynote speaker at our awards luncheon on Wednesday.

As we prepared for this important Fall Forum, I was heartened to see lawmakers already looking to ideas for consideration in the upcoming legislative session. Speaker Kyle Hilbert brought forth a conversation on Facebook assessing how Mississippi has improved their fourth grade reading levels and expressed a desire for Oklahoma to possibly replicate some of those innovations. Thank you to Speaker Hilbert and those other lawmakers who propose legislation which benefits our youth.

I want to conclude this week by congratulating Lindel Fields on his appointment to fill the vacant position of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I have known Superintendent Fields for years through his work in CareerTech. I look forward to seeing the positive changes he will bring forward for our system of education, which has already started under his watch.

Living in Interesting Times

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:33:57 GMT

There are some days when I wonder if the person who first said, “May you live in interesting times,” was applauded for this statement or condemned. The world has certainly become an interesting place with state, federal and international issues bombarding each of us through the news outlets and on social media.

The resignation of Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters certainly topped that weekly list. Walters will be leaving this elected role prior to the conclusion of his first term to take on the role of chief executive officer of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a newly formed national organization that is described as an anti-teacher-union organization.

He has indicated that he will assume this role on October 1, so he will leave the vacancy up for appointment by Gov. Kevin Stitt for the remainder of the term, which concludes in January 2027 following next year’s elections. As things move forward, and a new public education leader is selected, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will continue to be a voice for improvements through school health and well-being policies.

A key part of what OICA coordinates through schools is the Kid Governor® program for fifth grade classrooms. For this year, we have more than 1,000 students signed up to receive the lessons provided by their classroom teachers. Using award-winning materials we provide, these lessons educate about the importance of voting when they turn 18, the role of officials, and how citizens can engage with ideas. These students represent more than 25 schools participating across the state. OICA will also work with 4-H to hold a one-day conference for 4th-6th grade students in their program to learn these lessons.

Both programs will hold elections and select new youths to hold the position of Governor. OICA will continue to work with the families who participate in both programs to provide support to them so they will be able to share their vision with civic organizations and at our own events.

At the other side of the educational spectrum, OICA is holding a fundraiser around the annual OU/Texas football game. We are selling limited-edition collector T-shirts promoting Oklahoma to beat Texas, not just in football, but also in child well-being.

Under KIDS COUNT data, our state ranks 46th in overall child well-being, compared to Texas, which ranks 41st. That is too low for both states. When you break down other categories, both states have significant statistical categories which do not reflect well on how our children are raised.

We hope this t-shirt sheds light on ways we can improve, and the proceeds from these “Arch Rival” shirts go to support programs like Kid Governor® and the work we do for foster youth, homelessness, and education improvements. We are proud to partner with WWLS, The Sports Animal, with this shirt and will set up at the Bevo Bash on October 10 while they broadcast live.

If you would like to directly make a difference in the work that OICA does through policy, our annual Fall Forum will be held in October. The conference will kick off with a virtual day on October 6 to look at the aforementioned KIDS COUNT data, where we will compare notes with what other states are doing successfully.

Attendees will then gather in-person in Oklahoma City on October 15 & 16 to hear from presenters and share ideas. Jill Mencke with the Oklahoma Policy Institute will present about child well-being data, and then we will hear from our keynote speaker, former lieutenant governor and Cameron University President Jari Askins about the importance of being engaged positively in the lives of youth.

If you are interested in supporting our work through purchasing a t-shirt or by attending Fall Forum, go to https://www.oica.org to learn more.

Child Protection Courts, Other Reforms, Studied by Lawmakers

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 19:40:15 GMT

Recently, Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, along with Reps. Colin Duel-R, Guthrie; Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, hosted an interim study on a unified statewide family court system to help improve outcomes for Oklahoma children in deprived cases.

The study brought together advocates and judges to discuss specialized courts which would allow for attorneys and judges to have an increased level of expertise in both laws and best practices in determining rulings that would ultimately best benefit the children involved in cases.

Removing a child from a home is a very traumatizing event, both for the young one and the parents. Many families struggle to afford a legal defense in making the case for why they should be able to keep their child rather than being sent to foster care or another avenue.

Efforts were made a few years ago to implement a standard for “high quality legal representation” (HQLR) to help attorneys be able to afford to take on cases which would help lead to quicker reunification for families. The Oklahoma Office of Family Representation (OFR) reported that just a few years into implementation, HQLR now covers about half the counties in the state and nearly two-thirds by year end. The goal, if funding is provided by the state, is to have this in all counties by the end of 2026.

The study also allowed lawmakers to hear from three judges, two from Oklahoma and one from Texas, on disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system. Specialized courts, like those operating in Texas and other states, could better serve children and families in the state’s care.

Among the models reviewed was the Texas Child Protection Courts (CPCs), which are dedicated solely to handling Child Protective Services cases. CPC judges undergo specialized training in foster care, youth trauma, and CPS procedures, allowing them to manage caseloads more effectively. This is like other court systems already in Oklahoma handling drug cases, veterans’ issues, and most recently, proposed business courts.

Texas began with four CPCs funded through a federal grant; it now operates 31 courts managing more than half of the state’s CPS dockets and are funded by the Texas Legislature. CPC judges are appointed by regional presiding judges and serve as either associated judges or former judges. Their decisions are subject to appeal by elected judges, ensuring a fresh look at each case.

While this has increased the number of judges practicing law in a specialized area, Texas has found this has significantly decreased costs associated with multiple hearings by judges who are not specialized in this area, along with reducing the human cost of dealing with long-term trauma for children who are forced into the foster care system for extended periods of time.

“By having judges who specialize in family and child welfare cases, we can make sure these matters are heard by someone who truly understands the system and the trauma many of these children have faced,” said Representative Williams. “We owe it to these children to build a court system that works for them."

Additionally, Reps. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, and Erick Harris, R-Edmond, will hold a conversation about parental equity in divorce proceedings. We have equally high hopes this study will lead to a reduction in drawn-out, expensive divorce and custody lawsuits which cause disruption in the lives of children. This study will be held on October 21 and is open to the public.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is very appreciative to the lawmakers for holding studies over this topic, along with OFR Director Gwendolyn Clegg, Associate District Judge Brett Butner, retired Associate District Judge Doris Fransein, and Texas Associate District Judge Robert Hofmann for presenting. Conversation about the issue is the first step in addressing the problems experienced in this area, and we believe this was a significant step forward.

All Gun Deaths Are Tragedies

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 16:29:53 GMT

After the events of the past week, I am just feeling drained and honestly experiencing a bit of despair.

Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old political activist who had invigorated the conservative movement on college campuses, was assassinated by a young man in Utah. Despite what commentators and those joining in the fray online are saying, no motives have been revealed. The shell casings had language written on them which indicate leftist leanings, but those are also sayings used by far right leaning young people playing violent video games used to mock others.

As the shooter was captured alive, I am sure we will learn more as he, his friends, and his family are interviewed, but the frenzy is indeed at a fever-pitch. There are those who want to point fingers at “the other team” to somehow not be labeled as a part of the reason that a sick person decided to silence a political voice who dared to speak out in public.

On the same day, two high schoolers were shot by a third student at a high school in Colorado. While the Kirk murder dominated the news due to his star power and the fact that it was a political assassination, I was demoralized with how little people seemed to care that another school shooting had occurred in our nation. This especially struck me as a friend of mine has two children who currently attend that school.

A few days ago, security.org published an article which did not improve my demeanor. According to them, a report released by K-12 School Shooting Database, a publication of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), shows a total of 118 active shooter incidents have been reported at K-12 schools in the U.S. since 1999.

These shootings are defined by the CHDS as situations where the perpetrator killed or wounded targeted or random victims within the school campus during a continuous episode of violence.

If you want to know the death total from those shootings, since 1999, 440 people have been killed and 1,243 injured in shooting events at these schools. If you want to delve into the compiled data, https://k12ssdb.org/all-shootings shows a breakdown of various data points.

Any violent action against another human is a crime. When it comes to young people dying, whether it be a young father daring to speak about politics or students who should be safe in their school, it feels that much more of a tragedy.

I am not going to get into the gun debate as I am a gun owner and strongly believe in the Second Amendment, but I also realize that something must be done to keep guns away from people who are going to use them for no other reason than to commit a crime.

Last year, a Michigan judge sentenced parents of a convicted mass school shooter to 10 years in prison for “repeated acts, or lack of acts, that could have halted an oncoming runaway train” in not acting to stop their 15-year-old son from murdering four other students in 2021.

Is this the perfect solution? No. Has someone else come up with something to stop these horrific acts? The answer is also, “No.” I do know that cuts to mental health support which we are seeing at both the state and national level will certainly not reduce these numbers.

If you want to see better and live safer, now is the time to engage your policymakers at all levels and demand that these two latest shootings not just be the most recent in a long line of senseless tragedies that deprived families of their loved ones.

Support the Sooners & Oklahoma's Children During Red River Rivalry

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:39:50 GMT

T-Shirt Campaign to Help Raise Funds for Child Well-being

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) today announced the launch of its newest fundraising campaign, designed to capture the spirit and intensity surrounding one of college football’s greatest rivalries.

OICA is selling a limited-edition T-shirt is emblazoned with the phrase “Arch Nemesis” on the front, a nod to the fact Sooners are now the arch nemesis of the Longhorns’ new quarterback. Arch Manning. The back of the shirt says, “Beat Texas in child well-being and football” and the link to OICA’s website at www.oica.org . The back of the shirt also will include logos from the efforts’ sponsors.

“The University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns are a pair of ‘blue bloods’ in college football,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “Both rank among the top college football teams in the nation every year.

“However, both our states tend to lag when it comes to child well-being. Hopefully, the friendly competition this shirt will generate will help drive both states’ numbers up in the child well-being statistics.”

According to the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Oklahoma ranks 46 ^th among the 50 states; Texas does not fare much better, ranking 44 ^th . In specific areas, Oklahoma is 40 ^th in economic well-being, while Texas ranks worse at 41 ^st . Texas is ahead of Oklahoma in education, ranking 38 ^th , while Oklahoma ranks 48 ^th among the states. Health scores favor Oklahoma, which is at 43 ^rd , with Texas is 48 ^th . Oklahoma also ranks ahead of Texas in Family and Community, ranking 40 ^th compared to Texas at 47 ^th .

“If either OU or Texas ranked this poorly in football, it is no exaggeration to say, ‘Heads would roll’,” Dorman said. “Both our states owe it to our children to do better by our children because it is our future we are putting at risk.”

All proceeds from the t-shirt sales will benefit OICA’s year-round efforts to improve the health, safety, and well-being of children across the state. Each shirt sold supports the organization’s mission of “creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policies” that ensure a brighter future for Oklahoma’s youth, helping to continue OICA’s more than 40-year mission.

Fans are encouraged to order their “Arch Nemesis” shirts now, as quantities are limited. To order a shirt for pickup, go to https://tinyurl.com/ArchNemesisPU ; that price is $40. To buy a shirt and have it shipped to you for $50, go to https://tinyurl.com/ArchNemesisSH . On each shirt purchase, $20 is considered a tax-deductible donation to a nonprofit organization.

“With the ‘Arch Nemesis’ campaign, Sooner fans have a chance to show their true colors, proudly wear crimson, stand behind their team, and help make Oklahoma a better state for its children,” Dorman concluded. “The quantities are limited, so we encourage fans to order their shirts soon!”

Civility Versus Hostility

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:11:38 GMT

Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman (far right) listens as U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, addresses a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. In this week’s “For the Children” column, Dorman discusses “Civility Versus Hostility” in today’s political discourse.

One of my goals with the “For the Children” weekly column is to keep people aware of issues involving child advocacy and policy updates so individuals and organizations can champion solutions to problems faced by youth.

To me, it feels like many areas of conversation are growing harsher with distinct lines drawn over varying divides and other barriers. Politics is but one of those divides, but civility should prevail in discussion.

Case in point: U.S. Sen. James Lankford, one of Oklahoma’s two federal senators who is also a Republican, spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City at one of our regular meetings. The senator discussed issues currently being considered in Congress, along with his views on policies. He took about 15 minutes of questions, including one from me about cuts brought forth to public broadcasting and changes to emergency management programs. He gave a very direct answer to my question explaining his position and concluded that we likely would have a different opinion, which he is correct.

Afterwards, I thanked the senator personally and told him that I looked forward to our next visit, hopefully when I make it to Washington next month for an official visit about federal policy issues related to youth.

Even though we do not see eye-to-eye on this and many other policies, I expressed appreciation on social media for him taking the time to speak to roughly 300 people in the club and for the work he has done to restore the ability for Americans to declare a deduction on their taxes for contributions to nonprofits. This is an issue that was created in 2017 that led to many not donating to receive a tax break, resulting in billions lost to charitable organizations overall.

Unfortunately, I should not have been surprised at the ensuing posts from those who I have as connections on my pages. Most appreciated the civility in our dialogue, but others, including both liberals and conservatives, found reasons to post commentary that was not too flattering toward me for “not calling him out” and toward the senator for a variety of reasons.

I grow as frustrated as anyone about various issues which I feel are important, but I know that name-calling and hostility are not going to move the needle. Others obviously have a different opinion and feel that it takes sharp action to either change a politician’s mind or motivate the public to vote someone out.

While that might yield some success occasionally, I fear for what it does for our society to have young people see that as what feels to be the most taken pathway to make a difference in the world.

And it is not just politics, as this attitude has creeped into our personal lives, dividing friends and family. If we are not willing to sit down and look those others in the eye and maturely discuss differences, problems will not be fixed. It will take individuals who are willing to “agree to disagree” on some points, ultimately finding compromise in areas which can be reached to fix many issues before us.

This is how we encourage better behavior with future generations, and it starts at home, school, church, and other places as these children are learning from how we act as the adults in their lives.

And while I certainly do not agree with every position a politician has, no matter who it might be, I am willing to appreciate the good that each of them does on individual issues. I will certainly continue to advocate for changing someone’s mind to hopefully come around regarding the rest, as I hope you will also, but remember, children are watching and learning with how we do this.

Rest, Reflections, and Farewells

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 21:11:29 GMT

"For the Children" Column for Week of Sept. 1, 2025

I hope your Labor Day weekend was full of relaxation. I schedule a vacation each year with friends to get away over this holiday which allows me to “charge up the batteries” for upcoming work. I hope you have had that opportunity as well, as this truly does help to renew one’s spirit.

My family rarely took vacations due to my dad suffering from injuries sustained from a truck wreck. In fact, the only real trips which I remember were to visit my grandparents in Texas, which helped establish a bond of love with them. Certainly consider factoring trips to see family members as that can build greater connections with relatives.

National trends show a high likelihood of families traveling for a vacation. For example, one source indicates that 53% of people plan to travel with family, and 85% of parents are likely to travel with their children in the next year. Even if it is just for a weekend, this will create memories which they will hopefully cherish for the remainder of their lives. Oklahoma has some amazing destinations for one-day visits, so check out https://www.travelok.com/brochures for recommendations.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is in the middle of accepting nominations for a series of awards to be presented at our Fall Awards Luncheon, which will be held on Wednesday, October 15 in Oklahoma City during our Fall Forum conference. We present 12 different awards to child advocates from different backgrounds or for noble causes. Please go to OICA’s website at https://www.oica.org/awards . The 12 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.

We also recognize our volunteer of the year. By submitting nominations for our board to consider, this helps us know who is doing great work for children, and it allows us to offer our services to further assist them.

I want to conclude this week with what feels has been a sad trend for 2025. There have been several Oklahomans who have made a positive difference in our state who have passed this year. The two most recent ones close to me are former state Rep. Debbie Blackburn and Oklahoma City philanthropist Pat Potts. Both had a tremendous impact all across the state.

Representative Blackburn authored the state college savings plan legislation which has aided families in providing education for many who otherwise could not afford it. She also was a champion for community development and beautification, along with a long list of positives done both inside and outside her work as a lawmaker. Condolences to her husband, Bob, and the rest of her family.

Pat founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, and with her husband Ray established the Potts Family Foundation (PFF). This foundation provides support for programs for working with children from birth to three years old. They have provided assistance for thousands of youth-serving programs and countless children. Her work to create an early childhood caucus in the Oklahoma Legislature helped drive forward many positive laws which support youth. Condolences to her family and the team at PFF.

I will certainly miss having both wonderful women in my life, but I am most assuredly thankful that these leaders championed truly life-changing work and left a positive mark on our state.

Nominations Open for Fall Child Advocacy Awards

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 21:16:17 GMT

Nominate a Deserving Champion for Children at OICA.ORG/AWARDS

During its annual donor appreciation luncheon slated for Oct. 15, 2025, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will announce winners of twelve 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 twelve 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, and

· OICA’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

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.”

“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 the organization. “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. 12. Award winners will be determined by OICA’s Board of Directors and announced at the luncheon on Wednesday, October 15 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.

Lawmakers Study Critical Children's Issues

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:10:08 GMT

Interim study season at the Oklahoma State Capitol is kicking off this week, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is not only monitoring several, but we are engaging with authors for some of these reviews. Two studies will be held soon which I would like to highlight.

The first is by Rep. Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow, to cover the intent of his House Bill 1100 and House Bill 1164, two bills to restructure how Oklahoma Human Services employees may take children into foster care custody and strengthen the threshold necessary to remove children from homes. The result would be similar to what we see in tribal human services cases and with other states like Kansas and Texas.

Another by Reps. Danny Williams, R-Seminole; Colin Duel R-Edmond; Woolley; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan would look at potential improvements to the Oklahoma Family Court system, with an emphasis on child-centered outcomes. This study will examine disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system and explore the creation of a unified statewide family court model.

There is no question that positive changes must be made in these state foster systems designed to place children in the best possible situation until they can return home. In 2020, over 6,500 children were in custody of the state, and 450 were waiting for loving homes. While there have been significant improvements recently, there are about 5,800 children currently in the foster care system, with a need for more than 700 additional foster families to help provide stability for these children. Additionally, children often must be taken hours away from their communities to find a stable setting. In 2024, data showed that one-third of Oklahoma children in foster care were moved to homes or group facilities at least two counties away.

Many current programs are working and should receive support. The school-based social worker program is one which has helped parents. Workers provide wraparound services, including completing complicated applications for food support programs, insurance submissions, and even driver’s license paperwork, which has proven to be effective in helping families maintain stability and better provide for their children, thus decreasing removals.

Additional support for the Oklahoma court network to recruit judges who specialize in juvenile issues could decrease the time which children linger in the system, along with directing toward additional support services for families to receive the help they need for reunification. Unfortunately, our state suffers from a lack of such services, especially in the rural areas of our state.

Often, judges are forced into juvenile dockets which they have no interest or experience in those types of cases. Incentives to recruit those to the bench who would want to work in this area, along with improved funding for familial services and additional funds to better train and reduce the case log for Human Services workers are needed.

Another much-needed reform is legislation authored by Rep. Nick Archer which would increase the reimbursement rate for foster families by increasing that daily stipend. It has been almost a decade since rates have increased, and this has been a problem as families simply cannot afford to take children into their home without sufficient support to help provide for them.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, go to https://okfosters.org/oklahoma-human-services/ where you can learn more about how you can help a youth or a sibling set with the stability they need until they can return to their biological family.

If you want to see better results for our children in this type of need, reach out to your own lawmakers to encourage support and certainly watch these studies at https://www.okhouse.gov or attend them when they are held at the Capitol.

Back to School Means a New Beginning for Children, Families

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:40:45 GMT

On Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, 59 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from across Oklahoma gathered at the Oklahoma County OSU Extension on office as the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy and Oklahoma 4-H hosted the 2024 Kid Governor® Conference, in cooperation with the Connecticut Democracy Project. The students learned about Oklahoma government and conducted a campaign for the next Kid Governor® of Oklahoma. The 2025 Oklahoma Kid Governor is Emma Stephens, and she and her cabinet were sworn in at the State Capitol in February of this year.

On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) partnered with the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma (FCAO) to hold a back-to-school bash for more than 350 foster youth and caregivers.

The event was held at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City, and multiple partner organizations provided resource information for families. Thanks to a generous donor, OICA sponsored the music supplied by the Rockin’ Roly Polys, a kid’s rock band, and dinner was provided by Dado’s Pizza.

We also thank the Oklahoma City Fire Department, longstanding supporters of foster care assistance programs, for being present to visit with the youth and should anyone become overheated. FCAO stepped in when one of the normal annual events could not occur, and I will say it went flawlessly thanks to their hard work.

For OICA, this event signals the beginning of the school year but truly plans started for families weeks ago.

The first weekend of August saw the statewide sales tax holiday for shoppers. This legislation was authored by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, now with OICA, nearly two decades ago. Due to budget restrictions, this was limited to specific clothes items, matching the Texas sales tax holiday. There is discussion that this might expand to athletic equipment and school supplies, so please reach out to your own lawmakers if you feel this would benefit families.

More recent legislation will also impact students as the “bell to bell, no cell” law goes into effect this year. With certain exceptions dealing with health issues, this law prevents students from having their mobile devices on them during school hours. After this first year, schools will be able to adapt policies which best fit their school district as determined by the own local school board.

In addition, State Superintendent Ryan Walters expressed his desire for school meals to be offered at no cost to students, along with an end to the school standardized testing required under state and federal law. Though not policy yet, for testing, he has submitted a waiver request to the federal government to eliminate this requirement. Both policies must also be addressed by the Legislature for amending laws relating to each, along with necessary funding allocations.

The most exciting part of the school year for OICA directly is the kick-off of our annual Kid Governor® program. This is a project for which OICA is the state affiliate of this nationally based program. Free curriculum approved by the State Department of Education is provided to 5th grade teachers for lesson plans about state government. The role of elected officials is a highlight, as is the importance of voting when the students turn 18. The program also encourages civility in resolving policy disagreements.

Teachers can opt into an enhanced program that allows them to hold a classroom election, with the winner in each class competing statewide for the office of Kid Governor®. The winner is selected by votes from the students going through the program, showing them how voting with ballots works. The Kid Governor and cabinet members speak to civic organizations and work with lawmakers to see ideas they promote possibly become law. Go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org/ to learn more about the program.

Additionally, OICA has partnered with Oklahoma 4-H to hold an “Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor” program, a one-day civics-based conference with students who range from 4th to 6th grades. Check with your county 4-H extension leader for how your 4-Her can participate or contact Cathleen Taylor at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu for more information.

We hope you will share this information with your local 5th grade teachers and 4-H leaders as we want to see these young Oklahomans are prepared to hold an elective office someday, with possibly even a future governor inspired by this!

Oklahoma Kid Governor® & Cabinet Volunteer at OKC Homeless Shelter

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:26:49 GMT

OKLAHOMA’S KID GOVERNOR® EMMA STEPHENS (right, standing) of Ardmore along with Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams of Alva (right, kneeling) and Kid Cabinet members (from left on the left) Alburto Harmon of Perry and Clayton Rohla of Roff, pose at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City where they spent a Saturday volunteering as part of the Kid Governor® program, designed to teach fifth-graders the importance of public service and how government operates. (Courtesy Photo)

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® Emma Stephens and several of the Kid Cabinet members recently volunteered for a day at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City.

Stephens, now a sixth grader from Ardmore who attends Oak Hill Episcopal School, was joined by the Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams from Alva who attends Lincoln Elementary School, and Kid Cabinet members Clayton Rohla from Roff Elementary School in Roff, and Alburto Harmon from Morrison Elementary in Perry.

All the Kid Governor® leaders are now sixth graders, having been elected during their fifth-grade year, and all are active members of Oklahoma 4-H, which partnered with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to put on the program for 2025.

“We are very proud of all our Kid elected officials,” said Joe Dorman, CEO of OICA. “Each of them is learning the lessons necessary to take the reins of leadership when their time comes to lead this state. All of Oklahoma should be proud of these kids for giving up a Saturday to help others.”

OICA Program Director Licia Walters accompanied the young leaders during their service at City Rescue Mission. “These are impressive young people who took their work very seriously,” said Walters, who directly oversees the program. “They were engaged, enthusiastic, and helped brighten the day by serving meals to many who depend on City Rescue Mission and helping to clean up.”

For the past eight years, the OICA has sponsored Oklahoma’s Kid Governor program. Three years ago, Oklahoma became the fourth state in the national Kid Governor® program, developing a state-specific curriculum on voting and government. Oklahoma 4-H partnered with OICA for this year’s Kid Governor program.

Classroom sign-up for the 2025-2026 school year is underway. The next Oklahoma Kid Governor® will be elected from registered fifth-grade classrooms this November and will be sworn in during a State Capitol ceremony in February 2026. If you are a fifth-grade teacher and would like to sign up your class, or get more information, contact Licia Walters by email at lwalters@oica.org or by telephone at 405-326-KIDS (5437). You can also go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org in order to learn more about the program.

A separate program is being conducted solely for 4-H members. 4-H members in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades who would like to participate in that program can sign up through Oklahoma 4-H’s enrollment system; only Fifth Graders can run for 4-H Kid Governor. For more information on the 4-H/KG program, contact Cathleen Taylor at the state 4-H office at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu .

The purpose of Kid Governor® is to educate students about elections and the role of public service and elected officials in creating a brighter tomorrow.

Representatives Set to Study Myriad Issues

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:33:45 GMT

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the interim studies approved by the state Senate. This week, I want to cover some from the House of Representatives.

Interim studies are officially filed reviews of specific policies which lawmakers wish to request a hearing to delve further into the issue. These studies must be approved by the leadership of the body in which they are submitted. They are held during the time in which legislators are not in session, usually over the fall months.

In total, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is following or assisting with more than 20 of the 154 House studies that were filed. Here are some which stand out:

25-001 by Rep. Woolley (R-Broken Arrow) - deals with custodial issues involving Oklahoma Human Services cases.
25-003 by Rep. Archer (R-Elk City) – increasing reimbursement rate for families who are foster/bridge parents.
25-022 by Rep. Pogemiller (D-OKC) - problems resulting in chronic absenteeism from school.
25-035 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC) and Pae (R-Lawton) - needs faced by state juvenile detention facilities.
25-036 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC), Pae (R-Lawton), and Turner (R-Kinta) - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies.
25-047 by Reps. Turner (R-Kinta), Gise (R-OKC), and Norwood (R-Owasso) - policies governing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline.
25-051 by Reps. Pae (R-Lawton) and Gise (R-OKC) - support for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs do forensic interviews of children who have been involved in a horrific situation. These interviews are often admissible in court to help convict perpetrators. OICA is not a CAC as we are involved with overall children’s policies).
25-053 by Rep. Pae (R-Lawton) - youth homelessness.
25-055 by Reps. Menz (D-Norman), Waldron (D-Tulsa), and Pogemiller (D-OKC) - childhood hunger.
25-063 by Rep. Ranson (D-Stillwater) - establishing a Department of Early Childhood in Oklahoma.
25-070 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC) - childcare accessibility and DHS Star Rating, affordable daycare for working families.
25-073 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC)- education reading readiness.
25-078 by Rep. Schreiber (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Gollihare (R-Kellyville) (joint study between both bodies) - strengthening victim services in Oklahoma.
25-079 by Rep. Bashore (R-Miami) - mitigation of the effects of fentanyl.
25-102 by Reps. Tedford (R-Tulsa) and Harris (R-Edmond) - joint equal shared custody with divorced parents.
25-105 by Rep. Pittman (D-OKC) - food insecurity and agricultural solutions.
25-109 by Reps. Lay (R-Tulsa) and Adams (R-Duncan) - improving foster home environments.
25-110 by Rep. Adams (R-Duncan) - children’s court reforms.
25-111 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Sneed (R-Fort Gibson), and Stinson (R-Edmond) - rural healthcare access (Medicare/Medicaid).
25-115 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Hardin (R-Stilwell), and Kelley (R-Yukon) - life without parole sentencing review.
25-116 by Rep. Munson (D-OKC) - human trafficking and victim’s services.
25-126 by Reps. Chapman (R-Broken Arrow) and Stinson (R-Edmond) - federal Medicaid cuts to states.
25-130 by Rep. West (R-OKC) - public-private partnership for Family Resource Centers.
25-135 by Rep. Alonso-Sandoval (D-OKC) – creation of an Oklahoma Youth Advisory Council.

We were pleased to see so many submissions which directly deal with children and families. When it comes to those studies dealing with children, OICA is a resource to assist lawmakers by providing state and local data, along with best practices, for potential legislation, along with connecting advocates to help them pursue the best policies..

If you would like to review the list of the House studies, you can see them at https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx and Senate studies are at https://oksenate.gov/publications/interim-studies?Year=2025 for your review.

If you would like to be notified of when the study will occur, you can contact the office of the lawmaker who requested the study at their Capitol office. You can connect with lawmakers at https://www.okhouse.gov/ or https://www.oksenate.gov/ through their individual pages.

Good Guy, Good Governor, Oklahoma Legend!

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:10:45 GMT

I first became acquainted with Governor Nigh not directly because of politics, but through a college program called the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL).

This organization allows students to attend from their institution at a mock legislature held at Oklahoma’s State Capitol each semester. The students write ideas into legislation and debate those policies with peers, simulating state government. Governor Nigh was the state official who helped sponsor their first meeting held in 1969 and is regarded as the father of the organization. OIL is what shaped my future in public service, so I owe him a great debt of gratitude. As a lawmaker, he attended several events through the years in my district, with most, if not all, showing up to see and visit with him.

From there, I would grow to know him and hear his many tales of Oklahoma history. For those not aware, Rep. George Nigh was the youngest-elected state representative in 1953 when he first ran for office. His most famous accomplishment as a lawmaker was changing our state song from “Oklahoma, a Toast” to the Rodgers & Hammerstein song “Oklahoma!” from the musical.

You can view the story as told by Nigh at https://tinyurl.com/NighOKSong .

Nigh went on to serve as lieutenant governor, the youngest in the nation, and then had the distinction of being sworn into the office of governor four separate times, twice to fill vacancies and then to be Oklahoma’s first two-term elected chief executive. In fact, he won all 77 counties in his race for re-election to governor.

As governor, Nigh was a trailblazer, appointing the first two women to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and selecting minority representation to serve on state agencies, boards, and commissions, and even those from differing political parties.

Following his elective career, George served as the director of Tourism, the president of the University of Central Oklahoma, and as a founding member of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature Foundation, along with so many other roles.

Governor Nigh joked that the first time he realized that he was no longer governor was when he got into the back of a car, and it did not move. He, later in life, did not drive, so it fell on to others to ensure that he made it to events, including the delivery of graduation speeches over a 75-year period. I became one of his “chauffeurs” for speeches, and his entourage of drivers ranged from students to even former Govs. David Walters and Frank Keating.

My first time driving him was to my hometown for the funeral of former Lt. Gov. Spencer Bernard in 2001, the person who served alongside him. I escorted him to Oklahoma American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, where he spoke at 73 conferences, only missing one recently due to a health issue. Other opportunities included the OICA Heroes Ball and OICA’s Kid Governor® events, of which he was one of our strongest supporters of this grade school civics program.

In fact, it was at that age that he decided that he wanted to be a governor, so this was very dear to him. You can watch a video about his thoughts at https://tinyurl.com/GovNighReflects .

George Nigh was the epitome of stateman, and I consider him a mentor, as did so many other politicos through the many generations. I last saw him a month ago when he spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Up until the end, he promoted the thought that we all need to work together for the betterment of our great state.

I’ll conclude with a Nigh quote about the musical, “Oklahoma!” that fits him perfectly: "Do for your life what they did for our state — put an exclamation point behind your life!”

Statement from OICA on the Passing of Gov. George Nigh

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:33:59 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) and its CEO Joe Dorman released the following statement on the passing of Gov. George Nigh at the age of 98:

“The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy mourns the passing of one of our greatest patrons and an Oklahoma statesman without compare, The Honorable George Nigh. Governor Nigh was a staunch supporter of OICA and the Kid Governor program. His memory will guide us in the years ahead and our deepest sympathies go to his family and the entire state.

“Goodbye to my friend, mentor, and a true public servant, the modern-day Will Rogers of Oklahoma. My life was certainly better for you being a part of it.”

A Night of Heroes and Hope

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:14:00 GMT

Justice Yvonne Kauger receives the Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement Award in Child Advocacy from Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, at the organization’s annual Heroes Ball, held Saturday, July 26, at OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City.

On Saturday, July 26, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our annual Heroes Ball Gala at OKANA Water Park and Resort. The event drew nearly 500 people who support our mission of raising awareness, taking action, and supporting policy for the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma's children.

We were honored to have former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating and First Lady Cathy Keating, along with Chickasaw Nation Industries Chief Executive Officer Jonna Kirschner serve as our event co-chairs.

Those in attendance included state and locally elected officials, along with representation from federal officeholders. We were pleased to have Miss Oklahoma City Katelynn Woods, and the 2025 Rush Springs Watermelon Queen Kylee Heston join us for the event. And the Watermelon Queen asked me to invite everyone to our hometown on August 9 for our annual Watermelon Festival.

The Kiowa Blackleggings Warrior Honor Guard kicked off the event with a flag procession and Reverend Alvin Deere provided the blessing. Our masters of ceremonies, Laura and Justin Rudicel kept the event lively and at pace. Sandmann Auction Service helped us achieve our goal for fundraising for the evening, but you can help us hit the overall mark by checking out the post-event auction at our website, https://oica.org .

Our keynote speaker was the current Kid Governor® of Oklahoma, Emma Stephens. Emma delivered a terrific speech, and we were honored to have her and Lawson Ream, the current Kid Secretary of State, be there to volunteer for the evening.

I was pleased that my mother, Jan Dorman, was able to attend. No matter how old I might turn, it still means the world to me to have my mom be able to be a part of my life. Let that be a lesson to all parents out there that encouragement for your children will help build them as stronger leaders in their own right as they age.

Our honorees, including Justice Yvonne Kauger (retired), the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Sandra Sand, and Kim Garrett-Funk, were all truly deserving of the recognition of the hard work they put forth for children.

We also want to send condolences to the Funk Family with the passing of an Oklahoma legend, Bob Funk, Sr. His work through Express Employment Professionals is how most people know his name, but he was a true champion for programs such as 4-H, FFA, the Oklahoma Youth Expo, and so much more.

Our two Anne Roberts People's Choice Award winners, Sarah Soell and M&R Doyle Holdings, were deserving choices selected by the record number of Oklahomans who voted.

Sarah Soell is a passionate advocate for individuals with Down syndrome, especially children. As executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, she has expanded programs and partnerships that promote acceptance, inclusion, and lifelong success. M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc. is a premier community services organization focusing on children and the developmentally disabled.

I want to thank the nearly three dozen volunteers who assisted with the activities and the program, and especially those who helped make the Sidekicks Ball portion a success, including the Rockin' RolyPolys band, Mad Science, and the cosplay superheroes who posed for photos and entertained the youth ages 6-12 who attended. You can see many of them every other Saturday at the New World Comics Super Hero School.

We closed the evening with a video showing former Gov. George Nigh leading the OCU Orchestra in “Oklahoma,” our state song. Governor Nigh is dealing with some health issues, so please hold him in your thoughts and prayers.

It was a tremendous celebration! My thanks to the OICA staff and interns, our Board of Directors, and everyone else who made Heroes Ball a success. We hope to see you next year on Saturday, July 25, for the 10th Annual Heroes Ball!

Of Heroes and Making Oklahoma a Better Place

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:24:23 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Heroes Ball will be this Saturday, July 26, and we are excited about the honorees who have been selected this year.

The 2025 awards, as chosen by our Board of Directors, will recognize the work of Justice Yvonne Kauger (retired), Kim Garrett-Funk of Palomar, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, and Sandra Sand, paramedic and assistant director at Kirk’s Ambulance in Lawton.

We also present People’s Choice Award in Child Advocacy for an individual and an organization. These two awards – named for Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving executive director – are up for public voting right now. You can learn more about each finalist and vote at https://oica.org/awards prior to Friday at 5 p.m. The nominees this year are:

Organizational finalists are:

M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc.; OK Appleseed Center for Law & Justice; Oklahoma Family Network; Pivot; Rainbow Youth Project; and Ray of Hope.

Individual finalists:

Sky Collins, Elizabeth Fisher, Darryl Savell, John Schneider, Sarah Soell, and Erika Wright.

While we are certainly ready for these festivities, our advocacy work has not stopped. The state Senate announced their list of interim studies which will be held over the upcoming months. Thank you to those who submitted ideas to lawmakers, and to those who sent suggestions to lawmakers through OICA. Some of the studies we will be watching include:

25-001 was filed by Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair, and will look at ways to potentially eliminate the purchase of junk food, sodas, and energy drinks through SNAP, and look to limit use to healthy choices for family meals.

25-027 by Sen. JoAnna Dossett, D-Tulsa, will examine best practices in prenatal and infant healthcare, including a look at policies to assist pregnant mothers who are battling substance abuse disorders.

25-036 by Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, will hold a study reviewing the legal framework, prosecutorial practices, and real-world implications surrounding the various “failure to protect” laws, or enabling child abuse, including child sexual abuse, child abuse, and child neglect.

25-046 by Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, will look at potential policies for improving maternal and infant health outcomes through proven, cost-effective models of care, which would include looking at evidence-based models of care that improve health outcomes for pregnant women and infants.

25-064 and 25-066, both filed by Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, will look at modernizing the Oklahoma Child Tax Credit and improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality rates, respectively.

25-067, also submitted by Senator Nice, will examine the root causes of student absenteeism in Oklahoma’s public schools and identify effective, fiscally responsible strategies for improving attendance.

25-072, submitted by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, will conduct an analysis of money going into the school lunch program, and look for ways to localize food sources and to make school lunches more nutritious.

25-076 by Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks, will conduct a similar study that examines the benefits and costs of universal healthy meals for all students attending public schools in Oklahoma.

25-082 by Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, looks at the nutritional value in choices available under the SNAP program, similar to 25-001.

The final study submitted, 25-090, was filed by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, and will examine Oklahoma’s response to human trafficking and assess service gaps and funding inequities, along with exploring solutions to ensure victims receive comprehensive care.

If you have an interest in a specific study, please reach out to the office of the lawmaker who submitted the study. You can find their contact information at oksenate.gov or call their Capitol number at (405) 524-0126. House studies are still under review, so we will keep you posted on any updates.

Standing Up for Critical Warning Services

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:47:26 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) was formed with the primary mission of ensuring the voices of Oklahomans are heard when it comes to developing better policies which benefit the children of our state.

For almost 42 years, we have led efforts to better educate Oklahomans on how to effectively share their message with policymakers at all levels. We champion policies for the level allowed within our nonprofit status.

Nationally, conversations are being held regarding the downsizing of emergency management services for Americans. Part of this is shifting the cost for efforts to local governments rather than the federal government. This will simply increase tax burdens on states, territories, and municipalities.

Public broadcasting, among functions slated for cuts, plays a key role in providing alert systems. Visiting with Rachel Hubbard, the executive director of KOSU Radio, I learned that under the updated Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan, almost all radio outlets, regardless of format or ownership, in rural areas depend on an Oklahoma public radio station to air these warnings and alerts during emergencies through an interconnected system.

The authors of the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan and the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters years ago approached public radio in the state to take over this critical distribution role. This was because the federally funded Public Radio Satellite System is one of two FCC-required pathways into the state for national alerts and presidential warnings.

Public radio stations in the state depend on these federally funded systems, including the required tests of the national alert and presidential warning systems. Interconnection funds also subsidize the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is operated by National Public Radio on behalf of rural radio stations that cannot use the internet or microwave links to deliver programming to tower sites. This system, even subsidized, is already extremely expensive and the site is also vitally important for Oklahoma’s emergency warning system.

If you are not aware, four pages within the “Project 2025” proposal for overhauling government call for dramatic changes to how the feds will reduce their part of emergency alerts, including the suggestion to privatize alert systems, placing the cost solely on those who could or would pay out of pocket to get warnings over the phone or radio.

OICA has created an online petition for anyone to sign, which will soon be shared with members of the United State Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump, calling for continued funding support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

This petition calls for officials to:

Immediately reverse federal staffing cuts and restore full funding to the NWS and do a thorough, proper review of services provided and staffing needs available to provide support and proper research (which also seeks to protect the center in Norman).
Preserve and protect the FEMA as a critical federal agency — not dismantle it.
Invest in disaster science, communication tools, needed infrastructure too costly for rural and lower income areas, and emergency coordination for areas of need across the country, not cut them.
Protect the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and other essential facilities from any cuts.
Work with state and local emergency management services to aid critical areas of need.
Investigate what went wrong in Texas to ensure that it does not happen again.

Anyone who shares OICA’s concern about the weather prediction cuts can go to https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition to sign the petition. You should also contact your members of Congress directly. Together, we can ensure policymakers hear our concerns about averting future disasters and protect American lives from severe weather conditions.

Finalists Set for Anne Roberts People's Choice Awards for Child Advocacy

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:44:37 GMT

Each summer, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds its annual Heroes Ball to celebrate champions for children.

Among the awards presented are two chosen by the people: The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy. The award is named in honor of Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving CEO; it recognizes outstanding service to Oklahoma’s children by an individual and an organization, as nominated and voting on by the people.

The process began with nominations, which were open to the public. Following the nomination period, the OICA Board of Directors narrows the list to a select few to put forward for an online public vote by Oklahomans.

The finalists for this year’s Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy in the Organization category are:

M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc.
Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice.
Oklahoma Family Network.
Pivot – A Turning Point for Youth.
Rainbow Youth Project.
Ray of Hope.

In the Individual category, the finalists are:

Sky Collins.
Elizabeth Fisher.
Darryl Savell.
John Schneider.
Sarah Soell.
Erika Wright.

Online voting is underway and is available through OICA’s website at https://oica.org or by going directly to https://qrco.de/ARPCVOTE25 . Those in attendance at OICA’s Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 26 will receive a final paper ballot to help finish off the voting. Winners will be announced at the Heroes Ball, held this year at OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City.

“This award is fully in the hands of those interested in child advocacy in the state of Oklahoma,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The list of previous winners reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Oklahoma Child Advocates.”

Previous winners of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Organizational Award are:

2017 – Whiz Kids Oklahoma.
2018 – Peppers Ranch.
2019 – Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care.
2020 – Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma.
2021 – SoonerStart.
2022 – Fostering Connections.
2023 – Sara’s Project.
2024 – The Anna’s House Foundation.

Those individuals who have won the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Individual Award are:

2017 – Brenda Lene’.
2018 – Cody Inman.
2019 – Judy Payne.
2020 – Ryan Abernathy.
2021 – Melissa Ahlgrim.
2022 – Amber Cuyler.
2023 – Alethea Satterwhite.
2024 – Mary Beth Talley.

Tickets to the Heroes Ball are going fast. They can be purchased at https://www.oica.org/events

Child Advocacy Organization Sponsors National Petition to Support Weather Prediction Funding

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 19:31:23 GMT

Sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition

In the wake of the tragic flooding along the Guadalupe River in Texas, the ever-present risk of tornadoes in Oklahoma, an already-active hurricane season, and droughts across much of the U.S., the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is urging federal decision makers to sufficiently fund weather prediction efforts.

“Without assigning blame, it is obvious there are holes in the weather prediction and warning system,” said Joe Dorman, chief executive officer of OICA. “Recent cuts have certainly made the problem worse. We at OICA believe we have a responsibility to give Oklahomans and Americans the chance to weigh in on these cuts.”

To that end, OICA has created a Change.org petition directed at the White House and members of Congress pleading with them to restore critical weather prediction funding. Specifically, the petition requests that Congress and the White House:

Immediately reverse federal staffing cuts and restore full funding to the National Weather Service and do a thorough, proper review of services provided and staffing needs available to provide support and proper research.
Preserve and protect FEMA as a critical federal agency — not dismantle it.
Invest in disaster science, communication tools, needed infrastructure too costly for rural and lower income areas, and emergency coordination for areas of need across the country, not cut them.
Protect the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and other essential facilities from any cuts.
Work with state and local emergency management services to aid critical areas of need.
Investigate what went wrong in Texas to ensure that it does not happen again.

“This is a national emergency for every American community facing tornadoes, wildfire, hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters,” Dorman asserted. “Communities can neither prepare for nor fight extreme weather with hollowed-out agencies, missing experts, or antiquated/unreliable infrastructure.”

Anyone who shares OICA’s concern about the weather prediction cuts can go to https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition to sign the petition.

“As someone who has lived in ‘Tornado Alley’ in Oklahoma for most of my life, I cannot imagine what impact this could have on our safety,” said Dorman, a former state representative from Rush Springs, Okla. “I understand cuts to help balance the budget, along with elimination of ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ as is the rhetoric being used to justify the cuts; but they apparently were done arbitrarily and without proper governmental budgeting review.

“Our leaders in Washington need to give these cuts another examination, and when they do, I am confident proper funding will be restored.”

Calls Needed to Protect National Weather Service Operations

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:23:56 GMT

We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) extend our deepest condolences to families tragically impacted by the recent flooding in Texas.

Flooding along the Guadalupe River early Friday caught residents, summer campers, and tourists off-guard. Monday, the death toll rose to 81 across six counties. In Kerr County, officials reported 68 deaths — 40 adults and 28 children. Camp Mystic said it was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors.

The catastrophic flooding struck with a surge of 20-26 feet on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, causing widespread damage. President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, which is west of Austin.

People have asked how something like this could happen. A flood watch was issued at 1:18 p.m. on July 3, and then on July 4, a flash flood warning was issued at 1:14 a.m. The river was above flood stage between 3 and 4 a.m., and a flash flood emergency was issued at 4:03 a.m. in Hunt, Texas, then 5:34 a.m. in Kerrville.

As this happened early in the morning, unless someone was prepared with a weather radio or had a mobile phone with service, they would not know of the severity of the weather. Kerr County had considered installing severe weather sirens and a flood monitoring system in 2017, but that was shelved due to costs.

Most cellphone alerts came from the National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio station. But some alerts about life-threatening flooding didn’t come until the predawn hours, and this is located in areas where cellular reception was spotty.

The holes in this warning system and others around the nation, as Oklahomans impacted recently by tornados can attest, are not new and highlight the challenge of urgently communicating weather risks across rural America. Added to this danger, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just one week ago announced sweeping cuts to its programs, including the National Weather Service which is crucial for weather forecasting and severe weather alerts.

These cuts include the potential closure of the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman and the elimination of nearly 300 jobs across various weather laboratories around the nation. The proposed cuts are part of an effort to support Trump Administration budget priorities, but meteorologists warn that these reductions could lead to a decline in forecasting quality and potentially cost lives.

Project 2025, the policy blueprint suggested by the conservative Heritage Foundation, includes about four pages on NOAA and the National Weather Service. The document describes NOAA as a primary component “of the climate change alarm industry” and said it “should be broken up and downsized.”

The document further cites “commercialization of weather technologies should be prioritized to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested in the most cost-efficient technologies for high quality research and weather data.” Investing in commercial partners will increase competition, Project 2025 said.

As someone who has lived in “Tornado Alley” in Oklahoma for most of my life, I cannot imagine what impact this could have on our safety. I understand cuts to help balance the budget, along with elimination of “waste, fraud and abuse” as is the rhetoric used for many of these overarching slashes in budgets without proper governmental budgeting review. I certainly do not recommend a “fee for service” weather alert system as this is simply passing the cost along to taxpayers to fund these alerts for those who can afford a subscription.

Please contact our federal delegation of lawmakers to encourage them to continue federal funding for state-of-the-art emergency weather alert systems through NOAA and NWS. You can see federal lawmakers’ contact information at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

"Big Beautiful Bill" Overhauled in Senate, Would Cause Even More Borrowing

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 16:30:12 GMT

Over the past month, I have highlighted portions of the federal “Big Beautiful Bill” as passed by the U.S House of Representatives.

Currently, the bill is under consideration by the U.S. Senate, but significant changes have been made, both by lawmakers and by the Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. Over the past few days, significant amendments have been suggested in response to provisions the Parliamentarian ruled out of order.

Many have discussed what this role entails and how a person hired by the legislative body can do this.

The Parliamentarian of the U.S. Senate is the official advisor to the senators on the interpretation of Standing Rules of the Senate and parliamentary procedure. This person helps determine if provisions are allowable within certain pieces of legislation. For example, a multipart “Byrd Rule” test – named for former West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd – is used to examine budget reconciliation legislation to determine whether the provisions are primarily budgetary in nature. Reciliation bills, which are used to pass budgetary measures with a simple majority instead of the standard 60 votes.

This process has existed since the 1980s and, under the rule, each of the bill’s provisions must comply with three guidelines:

1) It must primarily be a change to spending or revenue. Provisions with no or minimal budgetary impact, or those that are mostly there for policy reasons, are supposed to be struck.

2) May not increase the deficit outside of the budget window. In this case, provisions cannot add to deficits past 2034.

3) May not make changes to Social Security.

The Parliamentarian ruled that Sect. 71120 of the bill covering health care provider taxes, among other provisions, violates the Byrd Rule. This section deals with the cap on health care provider taxes in both states that expanded Medicaid (including Oklahoma) and those that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This is projected to save hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years in federal funds but will force states to shoulder more of the cost for Medicaid coverage. An amendment allocates $25 billion incrementally for rural hospitals over the first five years that the provider taxes would be lowered.

Several provisions have generated strong pushback from several Senate Republicans, including Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Tillis warned deep cuts to federal Medicaid spending could cause dozens of rural hospitals in his state, and here in Oklahoma, to close.

A few of the other areas of the budget bill challenged include a private school scholarships and a tax credit, removing taxes and regulations on silencers and certain guns, requiring states pay a portion of food aid costs in the SNAP program, vehicle emissions rule removal, increasing required contributions to the federal retirement system for those who do not give up some civil service protections, requiring workers and former workers to pay filing fees when they make complaints, and reducing Defense Department spending if plans are not submitted on time.

As you can see, much of this has nothing to do with spending and should be run in separate bills. In fact, Oklahoma’s Constitution requires legislation must comply with a single subject, and it is overdue that the federal government also implements something similar to avoid multiple issues being packed into one bill.

The Senate bill in its version prior to amendments this week could add $3.5 to $4.2 trillion to the debt through Fiscal Year (FY) 2034, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It could go even higher, causing $500 billion to $1.5 trillion more in borrowing than under the bill when it passed the House of Representatives. We are awaiting further amendments to see what impact changes might have on the legislation. If you have concerns, please contact our federal delegation at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

State Child Advocacy Group Examines Lawmakers’ Votes

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:58:59 GMT

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) examines the voting records of members of the Oklahoma Legislature to determine how child-friendly each lawmaker’s record is.

From that nonpartisan evaluation of the voting records of all 101 state representatives and 48 state senators, Oklahomans can see which lawmakers put children first during their deliberations for the 2025 session of the Oklahoma Legislature.

There were some vacancies during the session, so those seats were not scored, as well as former Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, who resigned when elected as an Oklahoma County commissioner. One lawmaker, Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, was awarded points for votes missed during his recovery period from a medical condition.

“Our desire with the ‘Children’s Legislative Report Card’ is to cut through the haze of rhetoric that tends to permeate lawmakers’ achievements and provide Oklahomans with an unbiased view of how their representatives and senators voted on issues critical to our state’s children,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

“The goal of the ‘Children’s Legislative Report Card’ is simple: to ensure Oklahomans have clear information on which lawmakers place a priority on children's issues during this year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature.”

This year’s scores ran from a high of 110 points for House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton. They and four members of the state Senate and two representatives scored 105 to earn “valedictorian” honors. Those were: Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks; Rep. Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh; and Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond.

Of the 148 lawmakers scored, 20 had scores of 100 or better, and an additional 62 representatives and senators had scores of 80 or better. The average score of all lawmakers was 79, and only 25 lawmakers had scores of below 60.

Lawmakers received five bonus points given for authoring a positive child-related policy. A total of 73 lawmakers got the five point bill author extra credit. Additional points were also provided to the Senate and House presiding officers, minority leaders, majority floor leaders, and appropriations chairs and vice-chairs.

Lawmakers of the year were selected for their overall work on key issues in the First Session of the 60th Legislature, and not necessarily their grade. The 2025 OICA Lawmakers of the Year are Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City; House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton; Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City; and Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa.

“This was a very positive session for Oklahoma’s children, with both a high average score for lawmakers and far more than half the Legislature scoring 80 or above,” Dorman said. “This shows that advocacy works, and that our lawmakers are responsive to the caring Oklahomans who make their voices heard to their elected officials.”

The full scorecard, with lawmakers’ ranks, can be found at https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources . Also available is a color-coded chart showing lawmakers’ votes on the bills that were scored, giving voters a chance to see how the scores were developed.

“Congratulations to the several lawmakers who had positive scores on children’s issues,” Dorman said. “We tried to make this similar to the report card given to students and schools, so that voters have a clear view of what is happening at their State Capitol.”

Dorman concluded by noting that even though the 2025 session just adjourned, OICA is already working with lawmakers for next year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature, requesting interim studies on critical children’s issues. OICA is collecting ides for interims study requests. Dorman said if anyone has a child-related issue they would like for us to recommend lawmakers study, they can fill out an online form at https://tinyurl.com/IntStudy25 .

“The work of advocates never ends,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our positive relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and from all areas of the state to improve the lives of our state’s children. Working together, we will continue to make progress for our state’s most valuable resource, our children. To learn more about how you can help, go to oica.org to be a part of the effort.”

Thank You to Elected Officials for Their Call to Service

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:37:26 GMT

As a former lawmaker and someone who continues to work publicly in policy, the horrific act which happened over this past weekend in Minnesota with the murder and attempted murder of state lawmakers and their spouses is truly frightening.

As always, many people are making assumptions on the motivation of the perpetrator. Fortunately, he was captured and can be questioned to determine what led him to kill two people, attempt to kill two others, and have a list with more than 70 politicians and others on it.

This news hit me hard. I have friends in both parties from Oklahoma and across the United States who serve as lawmakers at the state and federal levels. A majority of those going to the polls decide who represents the 7,386 state legislative seats across the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States, along with the 535 members of Congress and the President. That someone would attempt to change the outcome of an election with the murder of an elected official or candidate is despicable.

I have received death threats before because of my work and the title that I held. That unfortunately goes with the job now, which is a sad commentary. Still, this is also nothing new considering the history of political assassinations in our nation. Last year’s attempts on President Trump and several years ago on members of Congress at their annual baseball game, including many other incidents through the years are just a few known. Thankfully, most are prevented.

Thank you to those men and women who step up to run for and serve in office, as well as their families. While violence is a rarity, it is still possible. I pray this does not stop good people from serving or seeking office. We need you now, more than ever, no matter what political party, if your intentions to serve are noble and just a desire to “hate” the other side of the political aisle.

And no, I am not running for anything. I simply felt compelled to share this as my heart is hurting right now for the state of our world.

Now, for something positive, I want to thank lawmakers at the State Capitol who voted in the best interests of Oklahoma’s children. Our Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Children’s Legislative Report Card will be issued soon, but I want to recognize our selected Lawmakers of the Year first.

The 2025 OICA Lawmakers of the Year are Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City; House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton; Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City; and Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa.

Those receiving honorable mentions for their work in 2025 are Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City; Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry; Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond; Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton; Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa; Rep. Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City; and Rep Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa.

In the first session after an election, OICA recognizes new lawmakers for their achievements. The OICA Freshmen Legislators of the Year are Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City; Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City; and Rep. Ronald Stewart, D-Tulsa.

Lawmakers will begin their summer work with interim studies soon. These are deep dives into policy that are requested by lawmakers which are reviewed by legislative committees. If you have suggestions for a study idea pertaining to children, please submit your idea by June 25 at https://tinyurl.com/IntStudy25 for us to forward to lawmakers.

Together, we all can be a part of the process, helping our state lawmakers pursue policies to benefit our youth.

"Big Beautiful Bill" Makes Significant, Drastic Changes to Education Policy

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:26:39 GMT

As we continue our examination of the massive federal legislation called the “Big Beautiful Bill” by proponents, it is important to look at the education portion of the bill. As you can see from the analysis below, the federal funding and policy changes will be a tremendous change in how Kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) classes and access to college courses are supported by federal dollars.

The bill would create an unprecedented $5 billion national school voucher program under K-12 called the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). Families making up to 300% of area median income would be able to apply for and receive scholarships to use toward private school tuition, homeschooling books, or tutoring, for example. The money would be distributed by third-party scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) certified by the U.S. Treasury and IRS.

Donors to SGOs would reap the tax benefits from this system. Anyone would be able to donate to one of these SGOs like a charitable organization. The difference, instead of getting a deduction from your taxable income, donors will receive a dollar-for-dollar full tax credit for up to the greater of $5,000 or as much as 10% of one’s income. For example, $1,000 donated to an SGO would result in $1,000 deducted off one’s tax bill. This is an unprecedented dollar-for-dollar charitable donation tax credit at the federal level.

The changes are not limited to just young Americans in the education system. For America’s college students, the news is very concerning to many, especially community colleges. The bill proposes to:

• Raise the definition of “full-time” to 15 credits per semester to get full Pell (from the current 12 credits)

• Eliminate Stafford subsidized loans

• Eliminate graduate student PLUS loans and limits parent PLUS loans.

• Eliminate existing income-contingent repayment plans and create one new income-based repayment plan, increasing the percentage of discretionary income allowed and the number of payments needed before a loan can be forgiven.

This will place extreme hardships many, including those who choose to work while taking college courses. By current standards, only 36% of undergraduate Pell Grant recipients attempted 30 or more credits in one academic year, the newly proposed definition of full time.

This means that in the 2024-25 academic year, only about 2.5 million of the 6.9 million Pell Grant recipients nationwide would have qualified under the new definition. Further, about 1.4 million, or 20%, of Pell Grant recipients would lose their Pell Grant funding entirely due to the limitation on awards for less than half-time enrollment.

This would include 810,000, or about one-third, of the 2.5 million Pell Grant recipients who are currently enrolled at community colleges, according to Center for American Progress. For part-time adult students who work while attending school, this could have a devastating impact on enrollment numbers.

Most students who register in less than full time enrollment have jobs to help cover the rising cost of college and often have families to support. These programs currently provide an offset opportunity to complete courses more quickly, therefore allowing entry into the job market at a quicker pace. The low interest loans these students would lose under this bill will likely have a devastating impact on enrollment, depriving many of the chance for better lives and opportunities through higher education.

You can read my previous two columns at https://www.oica.org/weekly-columns which discuss changes to SoonerCare and food assistance programs. A future column will look at the tax provisions of the bill being discussed. Should you have concerns about the legislation and wish to contact members of Oklahoma’s federal delegation, you can find their information at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

Dozens of Organizations & Individuals Express Concern with HR1 in Letter to Okahoma Members of Congress

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:13:22 GMT

A total of 25 civic organizations and 135 individuals have signed on to a letter to Oklahoma’s members of Congress expressing concern about the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The organizations and individuals are among those “charged with protecting and improving the quality of life for several marginalized communities in Oklahoma,” they wrote.

Specifically, they asked federal lawmakers to “do all you can to protect funding for Medicaid, SNAP, FEMA and other critical life-saving services supporting Oklahoma’s children in need.” The group noted that they “support efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse of programs, we encourage you to not slash essential services supporting children.”

The cuts to Medicaid in the federal legislation received the most attention from the advocates, as they noted the program is “critical to the long-term health of Oklahomans.” The letter goes on to say that “(m)ore than a million Oklahomans, one-fourth of our population – are enrolled in SoonerCare (the state’s Medicaid program). The split between adult and child enrollees is fairly equal, with 47 percent adults and 53 percent children.”

The advocates noted, “protection of Medicaid funding is wholly consistent with each of your stated views regarding the birth of children. In fact, Medicaid pays for more than half of Oklahoma births and covers 47% of all Oklahoma children. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Oklahoma’s future depends on the protection of Medicaid funding.”

The campaign to sign on to the letter was coordinated by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), in concert with Child Focus, a national organization that shares much of its mission with OICA.

“This letter is a chance to remind our Senators and Representatives about how families in Oklahoma benefit from Medicaid, SNAP, and other critical support services in particular, and the impact of cuts to Medicaid on children and families in the child welfare system,” wrote Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

The “Big Beautiful Bill,” as it is called, is slated to be taken up by members of the U.S. Senate this week after having passed the House of Representatives by a single vote before the Memorial Day recess. Dorman noted that it was important to get the letter into lawmakers’ hands this week as the bill continues to be considered.

“There is hardly any Oklahoman that will not in some way be impacted by this bill,” Dorman said. “Whether it is rural families who may lose a hospital in their community, or a hungry child who will not be able to get food, this bill’s impact is virtually universal across the state.”

To read the full letter, and the names of the organizations and individual who signed it, go to https://tinyurl.com/LTCOICA6-3 .

In conclusion, Dorman suggested every Oklahoman who may have thoughts on parts, or all of the legislation, should reach out to our federal delegation.

“Our elected officials work for us,” he said. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to give them instructions on the kind of state and nation we want. Again, they are public servants.”

To get federal lawmakers’ contact information, go to https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

"Big Beautiful Bill" Puts Medicaid Pressure on State Governments, Including Oklahoma

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 16:51:59 GMT

Last week, we discussed the cuts to programs through HR 1 at the federal level and what those cuts would do to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds allocated to states. You can read the column at https://tinyurl.com/FTCVoice . The legislation passed by a single vote along a mostly party line vote and is in the hands of U.S. senators now, weighing if they will make changes.

This week let us examine the impact of the “Big Beautiful Bill” on Oklahoma’s state Medicaid program, SoonerCare, and other state programs that receive this heavily subsidized federal match to operate. Currently, one in four Oklahomans receive health insurance coverage through SoonerCare.

The Medicaid sections of HR 1 would:

Impose work or community engagement activities for recipients to begin no later than December 31, 2026. Exemptions for this are: pregnant women, individuals under the age of 19 or over the age of 64, foster youth and former foster youth under the age of 26, members of a Tribal nation, and individuals considered “medically frail,” once verified as such.
Reduce by 10% the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid expansion states that cover the cost of Medicaid for immigrants who are not “qualified aliens.” The FMAP is calculated based on each state's average per capita income relative to the national average.
Sunset FMAP increase for Medicaid expansion states on January 1, 2026. This is a 5% FMAP increase for 2 years for states, like Oklahoma, which opted for Medicaid expansion; 10 States have not yet opted for expansion. Oklahoma is one of three states which enshrined Medicaid expansion within our state Constitution.
Reduce retroactive coverage for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to one month from three months beginning December 31, 2026.
Prohibit Medicaid funding of gender-affirming care for all individuals.
Require redetermination of eligibility every six months for expansion populations beginning on December 31, 2026.
Freeze the current amount of provider taxes for states. These taxes are state-imposed assessments on healthcare providers to help fund Medicaid services. Many states use provider taxes to increase provider payments or to offset potential cuts.
Require states to impose co-pays on Medicaid Expansion adults with incomes over 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). This cost-sharing may not exceed $35 per service. Exempted services include primary care services, mental health care services, or substance use disorder services.
Prohibit federal funding for certain entities providing abortion services.
Increase the state share of Medicaid expansion from 10% to 20% for states that use state-only funds to provide health coverage to undocumented immigrants, placing a greater burden on state budgets should states choose to continue this service.

It is estimated that approximately $880 billion will be reduced over the next decade through the Medicaid provisions of the legislation, with much of that shifted to states if they want to continue providing services at current levels. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 174,000 Oklahomans will lose SoonerCare benefits under this proposal, with uninsured rates increasing by roughly 95,000 or 2 % of our population.

Rural hospitals face the greatest risk under this proposal. According to the Center of Health Care Quality and Payment Reform “Sixty-seven percent of rural facilities operate with losses on services, and 59% are at risk of closing.“ The center’s report states that most at-risk hospitals are in isolated communities where closures would force residents to travel long distances for emergency and inpatient care. Nine rural hospitals have closed since 2005 in Oklahoma.

If you have thoughts on parts or all of this legislation, please reach out to our federal delegation for your input on what should happen. You can find their contact information at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

Your Voice Matters as Congress Considers Major Policy Changes

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:52:46 GMT

Prior to the Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1, commonly called the “Big, Beautiful Bill” Act. The vote of 215-214 fell almost exactly on a party-line vote. The bill now moves the bill to the Senate for consideration. It is expected that a vote will occur within the next few weeks.

Much of this legislation will have a significant impact on children and families across the country. I wanted to share a synopsis of the legislation which was prepared for one of our collaborative partners at the national level, SPARC.

Over the next three weeks, I will highlight some of the major portions of this legislation tying to Medicaid modifications and how it will impact Americans, including those in Oklahoma receiving SoonerCare, educational support programs for students, and tax reform.

I first want to highlight what the bill would do to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being, along with providing many with basic survival through this program.

The SNAP-related sections of the bill propose to:

• Limit the frequency of updates to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)—the basis for calculating SNAP benefits—to once every five years and requires cost neutrality in updates.

• Impose work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), raising the age to which an ABAWD must work from 49 to 64, and narrowing the definition of a dependent child to those under age 7, and limiting caregiving exemptions

• Limit state flexibility by allowing ABAWD work requirement waivers only in areas with over 10% unemployment and reduce the allowable exempt population from 8% to 1%.

• Restrict the automatic qualification for utility deductions in SNAP calculations to households with elderly or disabled members and limit income exclusions for state energy assistance.

• Require states to contribute at least 5% toward SNAP benefit costs starting in FY 2028, with higher contributions (up to 25%) required for states with high SNAP error rates. Currently the federal government pays 100% of the SNAP benefit.

• Reduce the federal contribution to SNAP administrative costs from 50% to 25%, increasing the state share to 75%.

What does this mean to families who depend on SNAP?

• Nearly 11 million people — about 1 in 4 SNAP participants, including more than 4 million children and more than half a million adults aged 65 or older and adults with disabilities — live in households that would be at risk of losing at least some of their food assistance under the legislation.

• Shifting the cost of SNAP and program administration to the states will force states to have to make hard decisions about how they provide SNAP. If every state had needed to pay 5 percent of food benefit costs last year, states would have collectively paid about $4.7 billion.

Much of this federal legislation would apply to the following fiscal year or later, so immediate modifications to state budgets by state lawmakers and governors would not be necessary. As I mentioned, I will highlight other areas of this bill in the coming weeks. If you would like to join us in calling for federal lawmakers to carefully consider the changes to SNAP, SoonerCare, emergency management support and other provisions directly impacting children, please sign on to our letter of encouragement for them to weigh their decisions.

Of course, you can reach out to our federal delegation on your own. If you want to join our effort, you can read the letter at https://qrco.de/CongressLetter . If you wish to sign on to the letter as an individual, go to https://qrco.de/IndSignOn , or if an organization wishes to join in, they can sign on at https://qrco.de/OrgSignOn .

Many Moving Parts Still Remain with FY26 State Budget

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 19 May 2025 02:23:33 GMT

Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders have announced an agreement for the key elements to the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget.

The plan for the estimated $12.6 billion budget includes an income tax cut of a quarter percent and consolidation of the lowest income tax brackets. Based on modeling from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, a 0.25% cut to Oklahoma’s personal income tax rate is estimated to reduce collections by $338 million annually. By flattening the bottom three income tax brackets, this is expected to lower the state budget by $87 million annually.

The negotiating parties agreed on key spending priorities, including funds for a new, state-of-the-art veterinary hospital at OSU in Stillwater for $250 million; a world-class pediatric heart hospital at OU in Oklahoma City for $200 million; and funds for various infrastructure investments across the state.

Other items in the budget include the purchase of a private prison in Lawton for $312 million and funding for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services so they can make payroll for the rest of this fiscal year ending June 30. There will also be $41.6 million for the Oklahoma National Guard to do needed maintenance and $5 million for state employee maternity leave costs.

“Enhanced tort reform” is included in the agreement, further limiting lawsuits against doctors and some businesses. Other “business-friendly” policies include “Behind the Meter” to allow power generation by large-scale manufacturers and data centers, the establishment of business courts, and expense recovery for utilities.

The agreement also boosts public school funding by $25 million and private school vouchers by $50 million, while raising the ceiling on teacher pay. A pair of programs — for statewide inhaler access and school panic buttons — will be moved out of the State Department of Education into other agencies. The deal also will make the children of teachers eligible for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program scholarships.

Lawmakers are spending $8 million for a partnership between the OSU Medical Authority and St. Francis Hospital to capture federal funding to establish a Level 1 trauma center in Tulsa; currently, the state’s only Level 1 trauma center is in Oklahoma City.

Lawmakers must constitutionally adjourn by 5 p.m. on the final Friday in May. These agreements, along with other bills yet unresolved, must make it to the desk of the governor by then.

Many issues discussed this year, including an increase of $5 per day for traditional foster care to meet the growing costs of the economy - a detriment to recruiting much-needed foster families – will be held over until next year.

Some have called for eliminating the state’s income tax. This would slash an estimated $5.8 billion annually from the current state budget. Obviously, many government services such as public schools, SoonerCare, and highway maintenance would face severe shortages if this were to happen.

Of great concern, state lawmakers still do not know the impact of cuts looming with the upcoming federal budget. In Oklahoma, our state budget includes 43-47% matching federal funds. Early indicators predict that there will likely be between $400-$800 million of federal funds to Oklahoma eliminated. This could require some potentially unpleasant actions.

One is a special session to modify the budget. Governor Stitt would need to call lawmakers back to adjust agency allocations, or lawmakers could try to call themselves back by a two-thirds vote of both the state House of Representatives and Senate. The second option is for agencies to absorb those cuts in the programs funded by federal dollars and reduce services.

There are still many unknowns about what will happen with the federal budget. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy will keep you informed once more is revealed.

Nominations Open for Anne Roberts People's Choice Awards for Child Advocacy

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:17:04 GMT

Each summer, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds its annual Heroes Ball to celebrate champions for children.

Among the awards presented are two that are chosen by the people: The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy. The award is named in honor of Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving CEO; it recognizes outstanding service to Oklahoma’s children by an individual and an organization, as nominated and voting on by the people.

The process begins with nominations, which are open to the public. Following the nomination period, which runs from now through June 6, the OICA Board of Directors narrows the list a select few to put forward for an online public vote by Oklahomans.

To nominate either an individual or an organization, go to https://oica.org and click on “Awards.” You can also go directly to https://tinyurl.com/OICA25PeoplesChoice . (A QR Code is also provided for publication.)

Previous winners of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Organizational Award are:

· 2017 – Whiz Kids Oklahoma

· 2018 – Peppers Ranch

· 2019 – Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care

· 2020 – Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma

· 2021 – SoonerStart

· 2022 – Fostering Connections

· 2023 – Sara’s Project

· 2024 – The Anna’s House Foundation

Those individuals who have won the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Individual Award are:

· 2017 – Brenda Lene’

· 2018 – Cody Inman

· 2019 – Judy Payne

· 2020 – Ryan Abernathy

· 2021 – Melissa Ahlgrim

· 2022 – Amber Cuyler

· 2023 – Alethea Satterwhite

· 2024 – Mary Beth Talley

After the nominations close at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 6, finalists will be announced shortly thereafter, and online voting will begin on OICA’s website. Those in attendance at OICA’s Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 26 will receive a final paper ballot to help finish off the voting. Winners will be announced at the Heroes Ball, held this year at the OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City.

Tickets to the Heroes Ball are on sale and can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/OICA25HBTix .

OICA Leads Two Initiatives to Educate Oklahomans about Advocacy

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:59:45 GMT

STATE REP. JOHN WALDRON (right), D-Tulsa, listens to Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® Emma Stephens (second from right with sash), during a Kid Governor® visit to the State Capitol. Waldron, along with state Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-OKC, hosted the visit to share insight into state government and to listen to the Kid Governor® and her cabinet. Joining Kid Governor® Stephens were Kid Lt. Gov. Shawn Ferrell, Kid Secretary of State Lawson Ream, and Kid Cabinet Member Clayton Rohla, as well as Oklahoma State Department of Education personnel who also took time to visit with the young leaders.

MEMBERS OF THE FIRST CLASS OF THE OKLAHOMA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY’S (OICA) ADVOCACY BOOT CAMP (ABC) pose under the marquee at Circle Cinema following the presentation of The Curse of Stigma, which was the second entry in OICA Tulsa Movie Series and was made possible by generous grants from the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Whitten-Newman Foundation. ABC is an intensive leadership training cohort designed to train the next generation of child advocates in Oklahoma. Applications for Class II are being accepted at https://www.oica.org/abc

Over the past week, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has not only been busy with promoting youth-related policies at the state and federal capitols, but we have also led two important programs under our mission.

Our Advocacy Boot Camp (ABC) visited Tulsa over three days and learned about many wonderful programs in the area which serve youth. Ranging from the Educare program for early childhood education to CREOKS, a mental health provider serving those in need of support, the wide array of services available was amazing to see.

We also were able to tour Greenwood Rising, the museum dedicated to learning about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and we hosted a screening of the documentary “The Curse of Stigma” that was followed by a panel consisting of health and media professionals to discuss ways to increase awareness about seizures and epilepsy. Thank you to the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Whitten-Newman Foundation for making this experience possible.

The Advocacy Boot Camp is a leadership cohort that meets seven times from September to September and visits different locations around Oklahoma to learn about the advocacy efforts occurring in those communities with the hope of building partnerships and better understanding of how to engage in policy to better lives. Applications are currently open for the upcoming class, and you can go to https://www.oica.org/abc to apply for Class II.

OICA also hosted four of our current Kid Governor® Cabinet at the Oklahoma State Capitol to meet with lawmakers in support of public education initiatives. The program was hosted by Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa and Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City.

We appreciate the four students who were able to attend, including Kid Governor Emma Stevens, Kid Lieutenant Governor Shawn Ferrell, Kid Secretary of State Lawson Ream and Kid Cabinet Member Clayton Rohla. Special thanks go out to the lawmakers and the Oklahoma State Department of Education personnel who took time to visit with these young leaders.

OICA is taking reservations for the upcoming school year for classrooms to sign up for the program with curriculum designed for 5th grade classrooms. If you are a 5th grade teacher, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/KG25-26Teachers to pre-register. If you are a parent of a soon-to-be 5th grader, please ask your teacher or the elementary school administration about inquiring about how to be involved.

I also want to extend thanks to the many people who were involved in seeing Senate Bill 364 become law in Oklahoma. This is the legislation which would ban the use of corporal punishment on students who fall under the guidelines of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Due to the hard work of Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa and House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, this bill received a majority of votes in each legislative body. Gov. Kevin Stitt chose to allow this bill to become law without his signature.

This is a fairly unusual process commonly called “Pocket Passage.” It allows for any legislation to become law without the governor’s signature so long as the Legislature is in session. It is very similar to the “Pocket Veto” which occurs if the governor does not sign a bill and the Legislature has adjourned for the year. The Constitution says that such bill will not become law.

It was a great effort over three years to see this legislation achieve success. Thank you also to the original authors of the bill, Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater and Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, who worked on this in the previous two legislative sessions.

None of this would have been possible without the more than 20 organizations statewide who led the awareness campaign to educate lawmakers and other Oklahomans about this practice that still happens in more than 60 school districts. The bill will take effect in late 2025.

Child Advocates Laud End of Corporal Punishment for Students with Special Needs

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Fri, 09 May 2025 03:30:36 GMT

“This is a great victory for Oklahoma’s students with special needs,” said Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). Dorman was speaking about the fact that Senate Bill 364 became law today, without the governor’s signature.

SB 364 makes it illegal for schools to use corporal punishment for certain students with special needs under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Gov. Kevin Stitt neither signed nor vetoed the bill, meaning that – under a provision in Oklahoma’s Constitution called "pocket passage"– it has become law. While the Legislature is in session up until their final five days of business, if a governor neither signs nor vetoes a bill within five business days, such a measure nonetheless becomes law.

“We are grateful that Governor Stitt allowed the ban on the use of corporal punishment on children with special needs to become law,” Dorman said. “This was a top priority of OICA this session, and the culmination of years of work by many dedicated child advocates across the state.”

One of the leaders of that coalition, Carolynn Macallister of Payne County, was quick to praise the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, for their hard work to get the bill passed.

“ On behalf of the coalition, I am very thankful that students with special needs are protected thanks to the dedicated work of these leaders and legislators in both the House of Representatives and Senate who voted for the bill,” Macallister said.

It was a coalition of 24 organizations from across the state that came together to end the practice of inflicting physical pain on students with special needs, some of whom might not have understood why they were being punished. Only a few dozen school districts still allowed physical punishment on special needs students.

“This was a manifestation of their needs and prevented them from getting their legally required fair and appropriate education,” Macallister said. “The stories we heard from parents were heartbreaking, with some of their special needs children being punished without the parents’ permission.”

Dorman said the stories echoed the events which led to the creation of OICA more than forty years ago. “OICA was created as a response to the state maintaining a system of abuse on children in its custody, to ensure that something like that is never repeated,” he said. “Now we know that these special needs students will be treated properly, and their parents can rest easy.”

While ending the practice of corporal punishment on special needs students in school, the bill does not impact parents’ right to discipline their children in whatever manner they deem appropriate under the law, nor does current Oklahoma law prevent school districts from using corporal punishment on other students.

Macallister thanked former state Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, who first carried the legislation two years ago. Dorman noted that former state Sen. Kay Floyd, D-OKC, was the original Senate sponsor.

As Macallister summed it up, “I just thank God that we got it done.”

Registration Opens for 5th Grade Teachers to Sign Up for “Kid Governor®” Program

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 05 May 2025 19:13:24 GMT

Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® for 2024-2025 is Emma Stephens (center) of Ardmore’s Oak Hill Episcopal School. She is pictured here with her cabinet following her swearing in at the Oklahoma State Capitol. With her are (from left) Alberuto Harmon of Perry; Clayton Rohia of Roff; Shawn Farrell, Kid Lieutenant Governor, of Orlando; Koda White of Vici; Lawson Ream of Alva; Ryan Young of Chickasha; and Harper Witt of Antlers. The Kid Governor® is a program administered by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) designed to teach fifth grade students about the importance of civic engagement. Teaching materials are provided, and the annual Kid Governor® election is conducted on ballots that resemble real ballot. This year, OICA coordinated with the state’s 4-H Program. For 2025-2026, the program will return to fifth grade classrooms. (Courtesy Photo)

As Teacher Appreciation Week begins, registration is now open for Oklahoma’s fifth grade teachers to sign up for their class to participate in the award-winning Kid Governor® program.

Teachers can register at the following website: https://tinyurl.com/KG25-26Teachers and parents of children who will be entering the fifth grade are encouraged to share this information with those teachers in public, private, and charter school classrooms. Home school families are also allowed to use these materials to help educate students.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) ran its own Kid Governor for six years prior to partnering with the national Kid Governor® program in 2022. This program originated in Connecticut and has expanded to other states. The purpose of Kid Governor® is to educate students about elections and the role of elected officials.

“Every Oklahoma fifth grader in a classroom has the opportunity to learn about government through this program so long as their teachers sign up for the program,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “Oklahoma’s teachers will have access to an array of materials to help students learn the importance of democracy and our republic and the role they can play in it.”

Dorman went on to emphasize there in no indoctrination in the Kid Governor® curriculum. There are only lesson plans describing the process of elections and duties of government officials so that the students can be better prepared to be fully involved citizens as they age into adulthood and hopefully become active voters.

At the beginning of the new school year in August, OICA will contact those who have registered and make another push for teachers to sign up for the program. The Oklahoma Kid Governor® program will officially kick off in October, and the election will be during the time of the traditional November election window.

Those fifth-grade classrooms that are participating can also participate in the enhanced program which allows them to enter one student candidate into a statewide election based upon a local classroom election. Each student candidate will pick an issue on which to run, and the classroom will vote for their favorite. The winner will then make a two-minute campaign video which can be submitted into the statewide competition. A panel comprised of Oklahoma’s former governors – George Nigh, David Walters, Frank Keating, Brad Henry, and Mary Fallin - and OICA board members will narrow the finalists down to seven candidates.

“Each of these incredible leaders has given of their time to review the submissions, and they have invited people to help support this program to ensure it is free for the participating schools,” Dorman said. “Any Oklahoman who wishes to join these governors in helping fund the program can learn more at https://oica.org or by contacting our office.”

The campaign videos for the top seven selected will be shared with each participating classroom. The students will cast their vote on ballots that resemble the actual Oklahoma ballots. The candidate receiving the most votes will serve as the next Oklahoma Kid Governor®. The winner serves a one-year term promoting leadership and advocacy, working with OICA to fulfill their campaign platform while mobilizing students to take action and make a difference on youth issues. The remaining six finalists will serve as members of the Kid Cabinet, working with the Kid Governor to raise awareness on their platform issues.

Toolkits consisting of free, custom-designed lesson plans will guide classroom teachers through the program and teach students about state government in their state, the history and process of voting, and the importance of active participation in civic life. OICA is underwriting the cost of the program through donations and additionally provides an educational comic book Mighty Mia and Dyna-Bit Save Democracy for each student to have that was written by Dorman.

Because of the extra effort required of teachers, OICA is raising funds to provide a stipend to those teachers register and complete the enhanced Kid Governor® program that includes the election component.

“The Kid Governor® program inspires students to be involved in the process and hopefully become lifelong agents of change for the better, maybe even running for Governor of Oklahoma someday,” Dorman said. “If young people are given ane opportunity to learn these lessons at an early age, they will grow into the leaders that will shape our tomorrow.”

For more information about how you can help the Kid Governor® program, contact OICA at info@oica.org or call (405) 236-KIDS (5437).

Join Our Classes and Trainings to be an Effective Advocate

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:33:55 GMT

In 1983, advocates from across our state saw the need for an organization to “raise awareness, take action, and support policy for the health, safety and well-being of Oklahoma’s children” through outreach to government policymakers.

With that, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) was created. Since then, our organization has strived to mobilize citizens from across the Sooner State to learn the process of how to be effective voices in calling for better policies for our youth.

Now, more than ever, citizens need to contact lawmakers and officials at all levels of government to share their experiences. They can be personal or from those whom they might serve through employment within a social services network. These efforts ensure that those stories are used to boost support for efforts to improve the lives of those youngest Oklahomans.

As a former state lawmaker, I can assure you that, in most instances, stories from constituents can drive votes in a certain direction. Few people take the time to reach out to policymakers, so when a few calls come into their offices, it impacts how a vote might go.

When the call comes from a voter within the district served by the lawmaker, the call carries even more weight. Those are the individuals who will part of determining if a lawmaker returns to their office after the next election.

It is even more impactful when the lawmaker recognizes the name of the person calling. Developing some connection with the official in a positive situation creates influence. You should attend town halls held by the policymaker and introduce yourself.

Ask to meet over coffee, either in the lawmaker’s district or at the State Capitol. This will develop the dialogue which helps you become a trusted resource. Elected officials are not experts in every subject on which they will make decisions. They look for people they can trust to provide background on issues to help them make informed votes. You can be that person with proper planning.

Over the next month, I will be an instructor in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) program through Oklahoma State University for a course called Understanding Oklahoma’s Legislative Process. The course will be for four weeks, held May 20-June 10 on Tuesday afternoons from 2-3 p.m. at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City.

The cost is $20 for those who wish to enroll. The breakdown over the four weeks will look at understanding Oklahoma’s Legislature, the work of the other two branches of government and the different levels of government. You will learn how they interact with the Legislature, as well as how to read Oklahoma state legislation, and how to be an effective advocate with policymakers.

If you are interested in joining the class, please go to https://education.okstate.edu/outreach/osher-lifelong-learning-institute/okc.html to enroll.

OICA also has our team members and board members travel around the state to meet with civic organizations and deliver presentations on similar topics, along with holding conversations about youth issues presented through policy by lawmakers at the state and federal level. If you have a program and would like to have one of us attend and present, please reach out to our office at info@oica.org or at (405) 236-5437, ext. 1.

As the Legislature nears the end of the 2025 session, and with budget challenges ahead due to federal cuts, I strongly encourage you to go to https://www.oica.org and sign up for our Thursday newsletter. You will be able to keep up with the progress of legislation relating to Oklahoma’s children.

Together, our unified and informed voices can make a difference for the positive!

The Federal Budget Will Impact State and its Families

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:33:50 GMT

As May is upon us, it is the time of year when the state budget picture begins to clear as state legislators put the finishing touches on the budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1.

This year, however, that picture is still very blurry due to uncertainty about the federal budget being written in Washington, D.C. Now, you may wonder what the federal budget has to do with the state’s budget. The fact is that a good portion of the state’s dollars to spend come back to Oklahoma from our federal tax dollars we send to Washington.

Last year, the U.S. Census reported that Oklahoma’s state government received 43% of its 2022 revenue from federal dollars. Oklahoma generally gets more money as a percentage of its budget than most states.

Recently, with recent federal allocations under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the total actually approached two-thirds of state spending being federal funds. ARPA expenditures were mainly one-time use projects.

This has allowed state lawmakers to keep Oklahoma’s tax rates, already some of the lowest in the nation, even lower while still providing the services Oklahomans need and expect from state government.

All that may be about to change. President Trump’s budget proposal, and those working their way through Congress, would sharply cut federal government spending, including that which goes to the states. In a number of cases, congressional leaders in Washington want the states to pick up more of the tab, especially in regard to Medicaid, the federal and state-funded health coverage program for the poor.

In 2020, Oklahomans voted to expand Medicaid to adults aged 19-64 who earn at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. This expansion was placed in Oklahoma’s Constitution. It is not optional for state legislators: they must abide by the state constitution. If Washington reduces the amount of money allocated to the states for Medicaid, Oklahoma state lawmakers have no choice but to move money from other functions to meet the constitutional requirement for Medicaid coverage.

To put how important Medicaid is to Oklahoma families and children, more than a million Oklahomans are on Medicaid – a quarter of the state’s entire population, and more than half of Oklahoma Medicaid recipients are children. Federal cuts to Medicaid will hit Oklahoma kids the hardest because there is no state constitutional requirement that Medicaid for kids be covered.

So, what kind of cut is looming, just in Medicaid? The U.S. House of Representatives proposal could mean as much as $800 billion cut from Medicaid. The U.S. Senate proposal is not quite so draconian, but we can likely expect a Medicaid cut, which will hit children more severely.

Medicaid is not the only child-focused federal program on the chopping block. In 2023, more than half of all federal spending on children (57 percent) went toward Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Head Start, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit – all facing cuts under current federal budget proposals. Cuts to childcare and Head Start would mean families would have to pay more for childcare when parents work, cutting into family incomes.

State lawmakers already have less state money to spend this year than last, even without federal cuts or a proposed state income tax cut being championed by the governor. Our state legislators have an enormous task ahead of them. Now is the time to reach out to federal lawmakers and make sure they know Oklahoma’s children need to be as protected as possible from the budget storms coming from our Nation’s Capital.

To get the contact information for Oklahoma’s federal congressional delegation, go to https://tinyurl.com/OKFedLeg

Many Positive Youth Policies Continuing Forward at State Capitol

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:04:35 GMT

The 2025 Oklahoma legislative session is almost three-fourths of the way done for the year with adjournment occurring in late May, and a good number of positive bills are moving forward.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is grateful to those policymakers - individuals from both rural and urban areas, men and women, Democrats and Republicans, new and veteran lawmakers - who filed and advanced legislation improve the lives of children. As you can see, categories do not matter when it comes to good policies.

Our Capitol team, along with citizen advocates, continue to promote positive outcomes in the bills remaining in the process. Of those we are tracking, here are just a few of the ideas being considered:

• Senate Bill 139 and House Bill 1276 - Requires schools to develop policies to prohibit students from the use of cell phones and smartwatches during the school day and when present on school property.

• Senate Bill 806 - Food is Medicine Initiative. Directs Oklahoma Health Care Authority to implement a financial incentive for contracted entities who improve health outcomes of covered members through nutrition services.

• House Bill 1484 – “Rain's Law.” Requires student instruction on fentanyl use/abuse in schools.

• House Bill 1574 - Requires The Office of Juvenile System Oversight at the direction of Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth to inspect state-operated child facilities and inspect private operated child facilities on a periodic basis or as needed.

• House Bill 1848 - Grants a tax credit to employers that provides a childcare subsidy to their employees or operates a childcare facility for their employees.

• House Bill 2013 - Creates “Dylan's Law,” which provides that all individual and group health insurance policies that provide medical and surgical benefits must provide the same coverage and benefits to any individual who has been diagnosed with epilepsy as they would to an individual that has not been diagnosed with epilepsy.

• House Bill 2030 - Increases foster care maintenance payment for resources parents to be at least $22.72 per day or $681.60 per month (a $5/day increase).

• House Bill 2361 – “Successful Adulthood Act.” Provides children 16 years or older who have been released from custody due to the entry of an adoption decree or guardianship order will be eligible to receive successful adulthood services until they are 21.

• House Bill 2892 – Directs that the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth may pursue an investigation into a case where there exists reasonable belief in injurious conduct, neglect, physical or sexual abuse of a child has occurred.

That is a strong list; still, there are some ideas which will not move forward this year. One of those is placing barriers on the use of social media by those youngest of Oklahomans in their pre-teen years. Two bills were proposed - HB 1275 and SB 885 - but legislative leaders decided to pause advancement due to questions about constitutionality. There is a similar concept being considered by federal officials that may advance, and OICA encourages that debate and passage.

House Bill 1082 would have created a legal presumption that joint custody and equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child. The presumption could have been rebutted by a preponderance of evidence. This bill was held by the Senate Judiciary Committee to further study the language and remove any conflicting language currently in statute.

Over the summer, we will work to address the concerns with these concepts. In the meantime, we will advocate for advancing those remaining ideas left alive for this session. If you would like weekly updates on these and other bills, go to oica.org to sign up for our Thursday email newsletter.

Shades of Gray (and Red Dirt) Lead to Political Civility

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:55:01 GMT

Do you consider your world view as “black & white” versus “shades of gray?”

For my entire life, I can only remember a few times in my younger days that I felt so strongly about one side of an issue that it clouded me from seeing the other side of the story. In fact, the few times I took a hard line on something, I came around to see other perspectives and understood that someone somewhere would be hurt by not considering all sides of an issue.

I had the pleasure of attending “The Boys from Oklahoma” concert this past weekend in Stillwater. While there, I made some new friends who recognized me from my former service as a state representative. We had an enjoyable conversation that sparked writing this column.

After the introductions and pleasantries, light conversation about politics came up and two of them, lifelong best friends, shared their distinct political differences. What struck me was that this seems like a rarity these days as differing opinions have often divided up friends and family. I was happy to see that their friendship was strong enough to hold up against something like differing in their preferred political views.

Policymakers have that challenge, and many enter the fray feeling they need to have enemies to validate what they wish to achieve. The natural opponent in politics is a person who is a challenger in an election, be it in a party primary between those who belong to the same party or those in the other party should one make it to the General Election.

Only one wins the election, potentially leading to a grudge against the partisan opposition that can follow into political service. That is understandable as political parties often are the dividing line between views on multiple issues and can result in differing votes on issues. These differences often can become personal to policymakers who might champion an issue or stand devoutly against something.

Fortunately, there are incidents that serve as a reality check for many that there are things far more important than political divides.

One of those moments during this session was the passage of House Bill 1389, authored by Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City. This bill would guarantee coverage for low-dose mammography screenings for Oklahoma women to help detect breast cancer. Provenzano, about two months ago, underwent a mastectomy for stage one HER2-positive breast cancer.

“4,287 women were diagnosed [with breast cancer] this last year in the State of Oklahoma,” said Provenzano in her debate. “If this bill can help save a mom, I hope you’ll consider voting for it.”

The bill did pass, and it was unanimous with a 95-0 vote. One of her colleagues, Majority Floor Leader Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, summed it up best.

“Representative Provenzano, regardless of party lines, I guarantee it, I can speak for everyone, saying we all care about you,” West said.

I appreciate that sentiment more than I can convey in this column.

I am fortunate to work in a field (child advocacy) that often does not divide on party lines, albeit the pathway to solutions can have differing opinions. I have found it easy to visit with almost every lawmaker about most issues and am thankful when they think through the issues and what impact they will have on children, and with this bill, saving the lives of mothers.

Thank you to those who place good policy over party on both sides of the aisle when it comes to legislative solutions. And if you have lost a good friend over political differences, please consider a second chance.

Access to Support Services Vital for Student Success

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 17:42:01 GMT

When it comes to ideas emanating from the State Capitol, there is no perfect solution to problems faced by what a bill might address.

Such is the case with Senate Bill 105. The bill would modify the requirements for qualification for students with the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship to transfer between school districts. The bill removes the requirement for a student to have attended a public school while on an IEP in the year immediately prior to applying for the scholarship. It also removes the word “disability” and replaces it with the phrase “special need.”

The bill also would remove language stating that acceptance of a scholarship has the same effect as parental revocation of consent to services under certain provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This update brings the statute in line with federal guidelines.

Due to the Legislature passing language that was signed into law in past years which allows almost all students the ability to transfer to new schools, this legislation cleans up a loophole that impacts those students who fall into the special needs category and allows the additional weighted formula funds, funds designated under the Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship, to follow the student to the new district or school. This would ensure resources are there to help the child with support for their circumstance which allows them to qualify for this funding.

I was a lawmaker when the LNH Scholarship was originally brought to the Legislature more than a decade ago. I voted against the original language due to fear of this creating a voucher system that would allow students to transfer to another district for reasons other than to seek better support services. After working with many families who have faced issues with not receiving the best services possible in their home district, I now realize how important this policy is for families to be able to seek out different educational options for their children.

This is not about comparing one district or school to another. This is about the unique needs of individual students and families and recognizing that sometimes families can find the services for their students at different schools who may already have particular specialists hired, and specialize in serving students with those needs.

Over the past several years, Oklahoma law has become very flexible for student transfer, even providing up to a $7,500 voucher of state dollars to subsidize students to enroll in a private school depending upon their family’s income, or $1,000 for parents who home school their children.

Unfortunately, several private schools raised their tuition by the amount of the voucher, intentionally keeping the price out of reach for the families who the voucher was most designed to assist. Additionally, agency rules were established which required the payment to be sent directly to the school, allowing the administration to determine the income of the families based upon the level of the payment, a horrible invasion of privacy on these families that I hope will be rectified.

As I pointed out, there are no perfect answers to many of these issues brought forth through legislation, but we must hope they can do the best for those impacted. Such is the case with special needs children who would benefit from Senate Bill 105, and let’s hope policymakers will address the issues with how vouchers might legitimately support children who deserve better opportunities.

Oklahoma Children will Benefit from Family Foundation Investment

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:26:52 GMT

Beyond the positive legislation that survived the Legislature’s deadline last week, many with overwhelming support, there was a tremendous financial gift given to Oklahoma. This support will undoubtedly provide a positive impact for children in need of hope.

I had the pleasure of being invited to the announcement of a $10 million matching initiative provided by Arnold Ventures over the next four years for Oklahoma youth programs. The partnership will initially focus on community-driven programs that have a demonstrated record of unlocking students’ potential.

“This partnership highlights our commitment to world-class education, workforce readiness, and ensuring every young Oklahoman has the tools they need to achieve their full potential and thrive,” proclaimed Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Laura and John Arnold, the founders and co-chairs of Arnold Ventures, were present at the announcement where more than 100 Oklahomans gathered to hear the news.

“With policymakers facing increasingly complex problems and the need to balance budgets, it’s crucial to support strategies with the greatest potential to drive real, measurable outcomes for children, families, and communities,” said Laura Arnold. “We look forward to working with Governor Stitt and his team in Oklahoma on this significant partnership.”

I had the opportunity to personally visit with the Arnolds following the announcement. Their excitement about the opportunity to do good in our state was obvious, and I certainly appreciate what their donation will do for many areas of the work that the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) supports through our collaborative partners.

Potential initiatives which would bolster areas of need that were included in the release, though certainly not limited to these, are:

• Saga Tutoring – This proven educational intervention provides intensive math tutoring services to 9th and 10th graders in low-income high schools. Large, well-conducted randomized controlled trials found that Saga produced a sustained increase in students’ math achievement.

• Wendy’s Wonderful Kids – This program recruits adoptive families for children in foster care or other out-of-home placements. A large, well-conducted randomized controlled trial found Wendy’s Wonderful Kids increased adoption rates by more than one-third over a period of several years.

Both of these policy areas are points where Oklahoma has been struggling. There is legislation going through this session which could also provide improvements. House Bill 2030, authored by Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Oklahoma City, would increase foster care rates to help care for those youth.

There is also Senate Bill 215 by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R- Clinton, which would create the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act, a directive to screen students in grade school and provide interventions to help those who are struggling.

Thank you again to the Arnolds for this generous support for Oklahoma’s youth.

If you have a program you feel might qualify and benefit from financial assistance through these matching funds, which includes public school districts, contact Brian Bobek of DHS at Brian.Bobek@gov.ok.gov for more information.

Such investments with private dollars are increasingly vital for providing services to assist in areas of need. I also want to thank all those many Oklahoma family foundations and philanthropists that provide generous support for improving the quality of life for Oklahomans. OICA certainly benefits from those foundations who support our mission.

If you are in a position in life where you would like to see a mission supported beyond your own time of life, consider reaching out to one of the several foundation management organizations in Oklahoma to establish your own private family foundation with an endowment. This will ensure the work of charitable organizations that you cherish may continue to do good well into the future.

Understanding the Budget Process and How to Read Legislation

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:53:33 GMT

As we approach the end of March, this week marks the second major in-session deadline for legislation at the Oklahoma Legislature.

At the end of this week, all bills up for consideration in the house of origin must either pass and be sent to the opposite body or be held over for discussion next year. This deadline eliminates a significant portion of the ideas filed by lawmakers, but there is still the possibility that a concept could be amended into another bill. This requires a daily monitoring of filed amendments. So, for those of you who are worried about some topic, nothing is ever truly “dead” in the Legislature until they adjourn for the final time at the end of May.

The budget is still a source of concern as lawmakers have less money this year to pay for the services Oklahomans need and expect than they did last year. This is primarily because of the ending of the state’s portion of the grocery sales tax and other economic factors, such as federal matching dollars facing reduction.

Governor Stitt would still like to see a complete elimination of state income taxes, but it is not clear what revenue streams would be increased to balance the budget cuts, or if he would put forward a decrease in state services in his final two years. That would be up to the Legislature to determine ultimately.

Back on the state budget, lawmakers are considering many ideas which could cost additional revenue, so they must cautiously proceed. One way they balance the policy work with the budget at these early stages is through a procedural process called “striking the title” or “striking the enacting clause” on a bill that costs money.

The Oklahoma Constitution spells out that every piece of legislation enacted by the Legislature must have a title, which is the summary of the content at the very beginning of a bill, and an enacting clause, which is a line in every bill that says, “Be it enacted by the people of the state of Oklahoma.”

When lawmakers present a motion to strike one or the other, and it is adopted, that bill will have to be considered again before it could be sent to the governor. This allows lawmakers to calculate the total cost for all the bills considered during the current legislative session.

Understanding the language in bills can be difficult for those who have not worked regularly in the process. A program that I belonged to in my college days, the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, prepared a bill-writing guide for students who participated in the mock legislature and who wanted to write ideas in the form of legislation for consideration at their conference.

I took this guide and modified it to reflect the state legislative process, so I hope this will help you understand each of the different things that you will find in legislation better. You can find the guide at https://tinyurl.com/OkLegHandbook on the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) website under “Advocacy Resources.” This section also includes other resources which should help prepare you better for engaging in the legislative process.

I finish this week by sharing sad news of the passing of two former state senators who had an impact on my life. Marvin York, who served in both the House and the Senate from south Oklahoma City, was the Senate President Pro Tempore from 1981-1985. Billie Floyd, who represented Ada, served one term in the state Senate. Both were strong advocates, especially for equality, and they accomplished much during their time in office. OICA extends our deepest condolences to their families.

Improvements Noted for Foster Children as Pinnacle Plan Comes to an End

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:46:48 GMT

Oklahoma received good news last week: the long-running Pinnacle Plan, a settlement agreement for the class action lawsuit filed against the Department of Human Services, was finalized.

On May 5, 2009, plaintiff children sued state officials alleging policies and procedures adopted by the state subjected foster children to significant, ongoing harm and risk of harm, deprivation of the chance for safe and stable childhoods, and violation of their constitutional and statutory rights.

It was found by the courts in the class action lawsuit that “From FFY 2002 to FFY 2008, DHS's (Department of Human Services) reported abuse-in-care rate was among the five highest reporting jurisdictions in the country. For every year from federal fiscal year ("FFY") 2002 through FFY 2010, DHS's abuse in-care rate has been 1.54 to 3.97 times greater than the federal standard.”

A March 2011 DHS report showed that more than 5,300 children in out-of-home care (68% of the total number of such children) had a primary caseworker whose caseload was greater than 20 children; more than 3,000 children had a primary worker whose caseload was greater than 25 children; and more than 1,200 children had a primary caseworker whose caseload was more than 30 children.

On December 11, 2011, the court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment on the plaintiffs’ claims for violation of liberty and privacy rights and violation of their procedural due process rights.

The Commission for Human Services met on Jan. 4, 2012, and approved changes made by the Contingency Review Board (CRB) to a settlement agreement, which was first approved on Dec. 20, 2011, by the Commission and Children's Rights, a child advocacy group representing children in the state's foster care system in the lawsuit.

As part of this settlement agreement, DHS developed an improvement plan, called the Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan, which guided the agency as it worked to make improvements in the way it cares for children in foster care. As part of the settlement agreement, three out-of-state child welfare experts were named to oversee the development of the child welfare improvement plan and its implementation. Both DHS and Children's Rights participated in the selection of the panel members. The panel monitored the state's compliance with the proposed improvements.

Much thanks go to the individuals who worked so hard on this, including Dr. Deb Shropshire who oversaw Child Welfare Services at the time, and the DHS Directors who oversaw this effort. We also cannot forget the countless workers who have helped improve the way in which children receive support. Thanks also go to the lawmakers who were heavily involved then and now to ensure the Pinnacle Plan did not see setbacks, and Gov. Mary Fallin and Gov. Kevin Stitt for demanding that OKDHS budgets not be slashed during tough economic times, which would have certainly delayed this conclusion.

While the plan’s finalization is certainly good news, many of these same circumstances remain as problems. Caseworker loads have improved, but there is still much put upon these individuals to oversee cases throughout the state. Lawmakers should enhance funds to reduce loads and improve preventative resources, so children do not enter the system in the first place.

Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, has written legislation this session to increase traditional foster care daily rates from $17.72 to $22.72, a much-needed bump to address the decline in numbers of families willing to foster and bear increased familial costs. More families are desperately needed to help take in these children.

While we have much good to celebrate, we also must remain steadfast that things do not take a backslide. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will remain persistent in promoting further positive improvements with our state’s child welfare system.

Child Advocacy Leader Responds to Human Services' Release from Pinnacle Plan

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:24:59 GMT

Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) responded to a news release announcing that Oklahoma Human Services has been released from the Pinnacle Plan and is no long subject to the oversight of child welfare monitors.

“We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy welcome this news and applaud the improvement made at Oklahoma Human Services through the years under the Pinnacle Plan court order,” Dorman said. “And personally, as a lawmaker who supported the series of legislation which implemented the standards which DHS had to follow under this plan, I am extremely happy to see this come to successful culmination.”

“OICA was created to be an outside watchdog on state government in matters relating to child well-being due to an earlier court case, the Terry D. Lawsuit. We look forward to working with Oklahoma Human Services to assist with their promise to ‘continue working with community partners, legislators, and other stakeholders to maintain transparency and ensure Oklahoma families have the resources they need for lifelong success,” said Dorman.

“We never want to return to a place where another such action is needed to protect children placed in these systems. We remind officials that although progress has been made, we have a long way to go before we end the trauma experienced by Oklahoma's children. We encourage lawmakers to continue to invest in education, healthcare, and family support programs that stabilize Oklahoma's fragile families.”

Be Prepared for Oklahoma Natural Disasters

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:25:57 GMT

I want to extend my condolences to those families who were impacted by severe storms this past week.

From reports that were aired, it sounds like many Oklahomans were lucky to get away with only property damage as two Mississippians were killed by a tornado. You simply do not know when the next damaging or fatal tornado will strike and where. Our state consistently ranks in the top three for areas impacted by the variety of storms, fires, and other catastrophes.

Thankfully, the National Weather Service based in Norman provides location-based notifications about extreme weather events that are transmitted directly to your phone using a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). These alerts are issued by government authorities, including state and local safety agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Department of Homeland Security.

The service does not track individuals by their billing address; rather, these are notifications sent by cell towers to mobile devices in the affected area. Every phone capable of receiving WEA notifications should receive them if you have cell coverage and alerts are allowed in your settings. To be safe, you should check your phone’s settings to ensure that it can receive alerts.

For iPhones:

-Tap “Settings" and then “Notifications."

-Scroll to “Government Alerts” at the bottom of the screen.

-Check that “Emergency Alerts" and “Public Safety Alerts" are turned on. The green circle indicates the alerts are on and enabled.

The instructions may vary on Android phones, but here is the standard:

-In "Settings," find "Apps and Notifications."

-Tap "Notifications."

-Next, turn on "Allow alerts."

-Make sure each of the alert types are enabled.

While enabled, a loud tone will alert you whenever you receive a WEA. It is best to consult your phone carrier to ensure that you have your system set up properly.

I own a battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio with a warning alarm for my home, preparedness I learned from my father. This makes an excellent back-up for home for the hours when one is asleep. These are often very affordable and can easily be set to your home location.

Many municipalities do not provide storm shelters established for public use, so it is best to check with your local city hall to see if your community has one. Occasionally, county governments will offer grant assistance for home shelters, so watch for this support. Several rural schools have included the minimal extra cost to build shelter space for students and school employees for storms which hit during the daytime hours. Often, they will open these spaces to the community at night, but note the rules, such as most not allowing pets. Visit with your local school board to ensure that addition is included in future construction.

I also want to share how FEMA reimbursements often work. When a disaster hits, FEMA will review the damage to public spaces, including cities, counties, electric cooperatives, and tribal facilities. The reimbursement rate is as follows: 75% coverage from the federal government, 12.5% covered by the state, and 12.5% paid for by the entity receiving damage. Individuals are rarely covered by property damage as that is up to private insurance.

Following natural disasters, many young people face severe trauma, both physical and mental. I have heard stories of multiple surgeries required to heal people, often leaving families near bankruptcy. There also does not appear to be any structured support network to help with long-term mental trauma following disasters. I would encourage lawmakers and state agency leaders to explore assistance for such support services. This up-front care will provide work stability and decrease health issues long term.

Further information for preparedness can be found at the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management website at https://oklahoma.gov/oem.html and through your county emergency managers.

Child Advocacy Organization Seeks “Thought Leaders” to Help Focus Work on Children’s Behalf

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 16:36:36 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is looking for leaders who are improving the lives of children within the state of Oklahoma. The purpose, according to CEO Joe Dorman, is to develop a “deep bench” of people working to improve the lives of children by connecting them and working together to improve the conditions often faced by the youth of our state.

“We know there are countless Oklahomans working every day to improve the lives of our state’s children,” Dorman said. “What we hope to do is develop a network of those individuals and partner with them to boost all our mutual efforts to truly make Oklahoma the best place for a child to grow up.”

To that end, OICA has placed on their website at https://oica.org a survey with which Oklahomans can recommend thought leaders for this purpose. The purpose is to grow OICA’s database of advocates statewide to invite them to collaborate on child policies and find solutions to the often-negative statistics faced by our state.

OICA hosts Fall Forum, a conference where each year’s “Children’s Legislative Agenda” is developed to further policies and laws in our state which benefit children, and the Legislative Learning Lab, where advocates can learn the ins and outs of the Oklahoma Legislature and how to be a more effective voice for children.

“This effort is a perfect way to further accomplish our stated mission,” said Dorman. “Our purpose, and one at which we have been successful, is to ‘create awareness, take action, and change policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children. Even with that success, we realize there is much, much more which needs to happen.’

“And there is no more noble effort than to make the future a little bit brighter for the most vulnerable among us, our children,” said Dorman. “By assembling the brightest minds who want to work on behalf of children, together we can do that much more.”

Help Us Find Thought Leaders for Children in Oklahoma

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:38:40 GMT

PHOTO CUTLINE – State Rep. Nick Archer (left) receives the Legislator of the Year award from Oklahoma Care, , a non-profit 501(c)3 network of Oklahoma residential and foster care agencies. Archer, R-Elk City, was recognized for his work to increase the foster family reimbursement rate which has not been increased in nearly a decade. Making the presentation is Bryan Larison, CEO of Lion’s Meadows of Hope, a member organization of Oklahoma Care.

It has been an interesting first month of the legislative session at the Oklahoma State Capitol with the focus on committee work.

This year, the House of Representatives requires every bill to pass both a subcommittee and a parent committee. The Senate set extra time to consider legislation in committees. Several great ideas are moving forward.

House Bill 2030 by Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R- Edmond, would increase foster care reimbursement rates by $5, up from the current $17.72 per day. This rate has not increased in nearly a decade, making it impossible for many families to be foster families.

Representative Archer was recognized by Oklahoma Care , a non-profit 501(c)3 network of Oklahoma residential and foster care agencies , as their “Lawmaker of the Year” for his work on this issue. The bill passed the Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services and is now before the full House Appropriations Committee.

Another bill OICA is tracking is House Bill 1848 by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa. HB 1848 grants a tax credit to employers that provides a childcare subsidy to its employees or operates a childcare facility for its employees.

The credit is equal to 30 percent of the subsidy amount or operating cost, limited to $30,000 per employer. The credit is for five years and is capped at $5 million in total claims each year. The bill was passed by both committees and will hopefully soon be scheduled for a vote by the House of Representatives.

A high priority bill for OICA has already passed the Senate and has moved to the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 364 by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa and House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, prohibits government employees in schools from striking children who are special needs students under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 30-16, and we await House action.

Oklahoma has some amazing leaders working for children. OICA has worked with many who see the benefit of building better opportunities for young people. I recently attended the memorial service for Gene Rainbolt, a philanthropist who helped many through his efforts, and it made me realize that OICA needs to do a better job of sharing our message and serve as a resource for those who want help to serve children.

Recently, not only did our state lose Rainbolt, but also former U.S. Sen. David Boren and former state Rep. Bobby Frame. At the local level close to me, Steve LaForge of Chickasha and Melvin Heath of Rush Springs also passed. Steve and Melvin proved you can make a positive difference for children without holding an elective office. There must be others, and OICA needs to do a better job of working with advocates across the state.

We at OICA want to hear from you about those doing good work for young people so we can connect with them. You can help us find those who are doing significant work for children by going to https://tinyurl.com/OICAThoughtLeader and submit up to five youth-serving leaders with whom we can connect. Submit more by simply filling out the survey again.

OICA recognizes individuals and organizations for their effort when we learn of them, but I also want to start conversations on how we can work together to turn around many of the negative statistics that face the children of our state. Most importantly, we need to build up these conversations so the local leaders might elevate their own work to new levels. Please help us build a strong network of those who want to improve our state.

Government Budgets Have Real Impacts on Oklahoma Children & Families

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:08:28 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is a statewide nonprofit charged with “creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.”

An integral part of our work is to provide information to policymakers at all levels of government, from local to federal. We also share this research with those who will reach out to officials themselves, sharing their concerns regarding policy decisions under consideration. Solid data enhances life stories shared by citizens, making the stories more persuasive for policymakers.

From my days as a state lawmaker, when my office received just a few calls about an issue from the people in my legislative district, I knew something serious was happening.

The budget changes happening with the federal government will certainly have an impact on our state. OICA receives funding through a federal grant to help Oklahomans navigate the complex system of signing up for children’s health insurance through Medicaid, which the state calls SoonerCare. It is still unclear whether we will continue to receive funding due to the recent federal restrictions on many programs; the money is provided through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In Oklahoma, there are 552,090 children as of December who are signed up for SoonerCare. The grant is important because an estimated 7% of children in Oklahoma qualify for this healthcare but are not enrolled by their families. Children qualifying for SoonerCare under the federal CHIP program are under age 19 and have a family or individual income between the maximum for standard eligibility and the expanded Federal Poverty Level income guidelines. From that, you can see how many families might simply not know if they qualify.

For a family of one, which could be an independent minor, the income threshold in which to qualify is $31,632. For a family of two, the level is $42,948; for three, $54,240; and the numbers continue up based upon family size.

Our work with this grant assists those seeking help to enroll for this temporary program until their economic situation can improve. As many Oklahomans can attest, it only takes one medical emergency for a family to end up in bankruptcy, further forcing families into other assistance programs through government or charitable support.

This grant work helps get those who qualify on insurance to avoid such a catastrophe. If you would like to see if you qualify, call 1 (833) 465-7526 to visit with a navigator.

For SoonerCare, federal funding covers a significant portion with a match of nearly 90%. If this program’s federal budget is cut, this will either pass the burden back to the states or the states will be forced to reduce eligibility numbers, meaning fewer people will have healthcare.

Our state budget split has about 47% coming from federal funding. Only a fraction of state overall spending is actually allocated by the Oklahoma Legislature; most federal dollars are provided as a match based upon what the state spends, while some other dollars are predetermined spending as required by law.

Now, add on to this that the state expects to receive less revenue from state taxes for the upcoming fiscal year, primarily due to the state grocery tax cut passed last year. Some at the State Capitol are discussing further tax cuts.

We agree that budgets must be audited and some even streamlined, but blanket cuts will harm Oklahoma’s children.

If you would like to share your thoughts with our federal delegation, this link - https://oklahoma.gov/mcgirt/contact-congress.html - provides their office information. One call could make the difference on whether cuts are made, and how this will impact decisions made by our own state lawmakers.

Be a Part of the Solution on March 11 at Child Advocacy Day

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:01:03 GMT

Decisions are made by those who show up, as quoted by President Jed Bartlet from “The West Wing.” Voters who take the time to cast ballots make the decisions. Oklahoma has one of the worst voting percentages for eligible voters in the nation, so this means a few who show up are deciding elected officials for us all.

Through my time serving as a state representative, I learned the lesson that “the customer is always right” in politics, and those customers are voters. I can recall only a few times when I voted “for my district” instead of my own personal views. I often used my column to educate about policies in advance and why I chose a specific policy side.

I now feel fortunate to work in a field - child advocacy - that often does not come down to partisan dissension, but instead a values system of how children should be treated. Each issue the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) promotes is backed by data and case studies showing best practices for how to handle situations covered by the proposed legislation.

As we work with lawmakers who represent districts rather than the entire state, we must seek ways to navigate policy for the best interests of children while understanding views of those in both the majority and minority parties for their districts. Again, issues such as childhood trauma (abuse and neglect), hunger (SNAP), and access to medical care (Medicaid) are usually not partisan; sometimes, though, the pathways to solutions diverge into varying political opinions.

Public opinion weighs into the conversation; it is up to advocates to educate the “customers” and on a wider scale, the general public, who share their opinions with lawmakers. This education also involves the policymakers themselves as they cannot be an expert on every issue put before them.

In contrast, activists want to “storm the castle” and demand rapid change, which is often met by pushback from policymakers. Advocates and activists have their parts to play in the system of government by trying to win over public opinion. I have long subscribed that the solution, while slower, is through systemic change and educating about the impact of policy.

Polling, while not popular when by politicos to make decisions, gives them a picture of where the public stands on issues. For example, the website “538” shows President Donald Trump with a +3.4-approval rating currently in the United States in his first month in office. When you look at the national registration, and then correlate that to Oklahoma, this demonstrates why many of our elected officials have aligned their messaging with President Trump. In a recent Newsweek article, the President’s favorability rate in Oklahoma was reported at 63% with 34% unfavorable.

If you want to be effective in advocacy, you need to learn how to work in the political environment in which we live. Whether an official is extremely liberal or MAGA Republican, each wants better outcomes for children, and that is why the conversations can occur to find solutions, and that is why the conversations must occur.

Do you want to join the conversation? The OICA Child Advocacy Day will be on Tuesday, March 11, at the Oklahoma State Capitol. We not only provide answers for issues facing children, but we also hold a chili cook-off in the parking lot which allows child-serving programs to network with lawmakers and offer solutions.

Please join us on that day for fun, great chili, and even better advocacy for children. You can find more details at oica.org/events about how to sign up to cook or be a sponsor and be a part of the solution.

Children’s Legislation Begins Moving at State Capitol

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:26:21 GMT

As the first full week of session has ended, the lawmakers at the Oklahoma State Capitol are hard at work with shepherding their legislation through the committee process.

The Legislature has implemented a new committee deadline system which has extended the time for hearings by committees; in the House of Representatives, they have established that most bills will be heard by two separate committees. This is an attempt to front-load much of the work to go over the bills and have them in better shape when they move the full House of Representatives for discussion. This idea has a great deal of merit.

Lawmakers are also continuing the effort to improve the transparency of the budgetary process. This is something advocates, and every Oklahomans, should applaud as we see similar conversations at the federal level.

As the legislation moves forward, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) works with lawmakers to promote ideas, and to stay connected with others who are moving their own agenda items forward. In this column and in subsequent weeks, I will highlight some of the House bills I hope you will also review and encourage lawmakers to support.

Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, has filed legislation to modify the process for awarding child custody to parents going through the court process. OICA worked with him, along with other advocates, to attempt to shorten the long, drawn-out process of costly legal battles in the court system and attempt to establish a more solid opportunity for parents to have 50/50 custody of their children. This arrangement is something social science has shown will most benefit children. House Bill 1082 is currently in Civil Judiciary/Judiciary & Public Safety Oversight awaiting consideration.

Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, sat down with advocates to develop a new concept to ensure that children are safe when in custody of the state or housed in other children’s institutions which receive state or federal funding. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth would have the ability to investigate complaints, review inspection reports from other government agencies regarding the facility, and interview residents (children) within the facility to ensure that they are safe.

This is in direct response to the issues seen with the Tulsa Juvenile Detention Center and that mirrors issues from the 1980s that led to a massive overhaul of the way Oklahoma cares for justice-involved youth. House Bill 1574 is in the Children, Youth & Family Services/Health & Human Services Oversight committees.

House Bill 2921 by Rep. Ajay Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, seeks to allow dental therapists to operate in Oklahoma. With the increased need for dental care in our state and a limited number of dentists, this would create and authorize the practice of training these health care providers. They would be able to apply specific care to patients which will help in decreasing issues with dental problems before they escalate.

If the bill passes, dental therapists will have to receive university training, and the therapists could be hired under dental practices to work throughout Oklahoma. The bill is in the House Public Health/Health & Human Services Oversight Committees.

Finally, some sad news to report: two excellent lawmakers with whom I served passed away last week. Former Reps. Bill Nations, D-Norman, and Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, both did exemplary work to make our state better for all Oklahomans. Bill was Ryan’s mentor in the Legislature. Ryan had helped Bill win his first legislative election, and then a few years later, Ryan was elected and joined him. Our state is better for them having served, and I will miss them both.

OICA Works to Empower Oklahomans of All Ages

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:38:53 GMT

Photos from Legislative Learning Lab - Column Follows

Providing Legislative Learning Lab participants with insight into state government’s executive branch, former Cabinet Secretary Chip Keating (left) and former Gov. Frank Keating (right) address an array of questions during a panel discussion. Moderating is the chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy Joe Dorman (center).

Legislative leaders address participants at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy’s Legislative Learning Lab, held Jan. 29-30 at the Oklahoma Council for Nonprofits in Oklahoma City. Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt (from left), House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, Senate Education Committee Chair Adam Pugh, and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert gave participants insight into the 2025 session of the Oklahoma Legislature.

On Monday, February 3, Gov. Kevin Stitt delivered his annual “State of the State” address to the members of the Oklahoma Legislature and the entire state, which coincides with the opening of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) concluded our 2025 Legislative Learning Lab by hosting those registered attendees on a Zoom to watch the speech, followed by commentary. This dialogue was set up by OICA for those who are not normally engaged in the process so they could network and hear the thoughts of those impacted by the suggested policies.

The Legislative Learning Lab began Wednesday, January 29 and continued Thursday, January 30 with approximately 130 people attending. The conversations with experts in different areas of how state government functions provided insider insight into how the roles work together for our state, along with each offering input with how citizens can better engage. The professionals from different nonprofits and businesses actively listened, asking good questions which kept the conference lively through the two full days at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.

OICA is grateful to the Cherokee Nation and the Onward Oklahoma Foundation for their support to see this conference happen.

Each speaker emphasized how it is important to meet your own state senator and representative, and to offer yourself as a resource expert in your field which can provide that lived experience perspective. Whether it be your profession, or your experience in some role such as maybe a foster parent, each person has something which can be shared that will help lawmakers do their jobs better.

When we all engage, whether it be voting, volunteering on campaigns, or serving as a resource for an official, that is how we see better outcomes for our state overall. I do believe that most, if not all, of those who joined us for the Legislative Learning Lab left the conference feeling empowered to get more involved in policy work.

Many Oklahomans are worried about certain bills which are receiving attention, but if we mobilize and share input, many negative ideas will not proceed. It does take that first step with engaging though.

In the next few weeks, OICA will post several of the panel conversations online, both on our website at oica.org and on our YouTube channel, for people to watch again or to see for the first time.

Additionally, on Monday, OICA held the inauguration for the 2025 Kid Governor® of Oklahoma. Emma Stephens of Ardmore was selected to hold this role over the year.

Shawn Ferrell of Orlando is the new Kid Lieutenant Governor. Six other students, Lawson Ream of Alva, Clayton Rohla of Roff, Ryan Young of Chickasha, Koda White of Vici, Alburto Harmon of Perry, and Harper Witt of Antlers, will complete the cabinet for the Kid Governor this year, with each presenting issues important to youth at different civic organizations around the state.

OICA was pleased to work with Oklahoma 4-H to see this program continue and we hope this will also expand back into 5th grade classrooms in the fall months of this year. If you have a civic organization that would like to hear from one of these young leaders, please reach out to Renee Herrman with OICA at rherrman@oica.org or at (405) 236-5437. We are excited about what each of these young leaders will do to elevate youth advocacy.

As we move forward with the session, OICA will continue to update you about different policies as they are presented by lawmakers through this column and with our weekly email newsletter. Thank you for reading this column and let’s work together to see better for the children of Oklahoma in 2025.

Children’s Court System is Desperately Needed Statewide

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:24:43 GMT

As the Oklahoma Legislature begins work, there is a record number of bills presented for consideration over the next four months before the constitutionally required adjournment on the final Friday in May.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is diligently reading bills to determine which would have a direct impact on the health and well-being of children and their families.

Some of the concepts are quite innovative, while others resurrected ideas which did not pass in past Legislatures, the two-year period when lawmakers meet between elections. There likely will be several ideas not filed that will possibly be added to the bills as they work their way through the process.

One returning idea for consideration is the proposed creation of a business court system in Oklahoma. Currently, the judicial branch may create such a court, but the newly filed bill would require there be such a court in Oklahoma’s two counties with a population of more than 500,000 residents: Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.

This idea has support from Governor Stitt and many people inside and outside the Capitol. This is a good idea to have judges who are well-versed in an area of law rendering rulings for a more just system.

With that, I also encourage lawmakers, as they look at the need for this type of court, to consider another area of the law which desperately needs attention: expanded children’s courts in Oklahoma.

Children’s courts would be charged with addressing the severe backlog of thousands of family cases. These cases are critical because delays are keeping children away from their families or slowing their placement in a permanent setting that is best for the child. Currently, only four counties have designated judges specifically charged to handle such cases through a juvenile bureau, but more are needed.

The federal Court Improvement Program (CIP), created to “promote the continuous quality improvement of court processes and legal representation in child welfare proceedings through ongoing data analysis,” provides federal funding to state and tribal courts to assess their child welfare and judicial practices and develop and implement improvement plans. Other states have models which could easily be replicated in Oklahoma.

A children’s court system would reduce numbers of youth lingering in foster homes or awaiting placement with other family members until a court renders a decision. Some of these cases can last well over a year, which is traumatic for the child and impedes business productivity while employees are involved in these cases. This often costs families tens of thousands of dollars.

OICA was among the organizations supporting the Family Representation and Advocacy Program. This program, under Oklahoma’s Supreme Court, provides financial incentives for attorneys around the state to take on family law cases. This is important because these cases almost always do not pay well from families, often struggling financially, who want to find a way to bring their children home. This program levels the playing field for families by providing access to experienced family law attorneys.

It is important that lawmakers continue to expand this program to see success, but even this will not provide the overall solution needed. The ultimate answer is to have judges across Oklahoma who specialize in family law who can set manageable dockets and have resources to expedite decisions to benefit children involving greater use of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) and Guardian Ad Litems.

We encourage policymakers to consider a statewide children’s court system. Not only will this be best for families and their children, but it will also be good for business in Oklahoma.

Your "Helicopter" Moment in Life

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:57:31 GMT

When I heard the news of the death of former President Jimmy Carter, I was reminded of a statement he made 10 years ago during his announcement that he was battling brain cancer. He was asked if he would have done anything different in his life. I was surprised by his response.

“I wish I’d sent one more helicopter to get the hostages and we would have rescued them, and I would have been re-elected,” Carter said.

By the way he responded, you could tell that decision weighed heavily on his heart. I hope that this did not haunt him, but I also know with politicians, due to the nature of their decisions which sometimes impact millions of people, they often struggle with making the best choice for most people with the least harm to those they represent.

Former Gov. George Nigh often says that based upon the information that he had at the time, he felt that each decision he made was the correct one in that moment. Now, information can change and provide a different outlook in the future but knowing that you did the best you could with what you had certainly makes it easier to not dwell on those decisions.

Every person has some situation which at some degree plagues them, a “what-if” scenario that either is a whisper at the back of their mind or that completely disrupts their life. If it is the latter, let this be a suggestion for considering a conversation with a therapist to discuss how this has impacted you and a way you can move past that tribulation. It is important to seek help for something which causes you to dwell in the past and what might affect your current personal or professional well-being. I am not embarrassed to share that I sometimes visit with a therapist when I feel pressure, and this provides significant relief. I have also found that it helps to visit with people who you have “wronged” in some situation to enable that healing, hopefully on both sides.

Facing regret in a healthy way is critical to growth, healing, and hopefully prosperity.

I have thought about what my “helicopter moment” might be, and I am fortunate that I cannot point to a major one. I can certainly think of several choices I have made which I wish that I had handled differently, but nothing as significant as President Carter. Personally though, I wish that I had developed a better work/life balance in my earlier years as I am a “workaholic” and have often spent far too much time with my job instead of building a better equilibrium. With that regret, I do balance it with the opportunities to do good that I have been afforded, and, to me, that certainly helps.

I provide this bit of advice to those policymakers who are about to start making decisions for the people with their votes: before deciding on legislation, put thought into the consequences and outcomes for all those impacted.

Additionally, no vote is worth keeping your elected office. If it goes against what you believe is “right” at your core, you must be able to look at yourself in the mirror long after you leave your position. But also, do not be afraid to grow as a person, as sometimes you learn from others and your views (and vote) might change. Finally, dedicate time to friends and family as it is easy to lose touch with them while serving in an office.

Your “helicopter moment” could come at any moment, so do your best with what you have so as to hopefully avoid that regret.

2025 Session Approaches, Legislative Learning Lab Will Get You Ready

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:46:30 GMT

As the 1st Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature approaches, there is much work occurring at the State Capitol.

Congratulations to Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle. for being elected the next President Pro Tempore of that body, and to Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow for being elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

When the Legislature convenes for the regular session again on Monday, February 3 at noon, lawmakers will begin the process of debating, amending, and passing legislation. The four months of the legislative session will involve advocates from many walks of life and a myriad of interests engaging with policymakers to share ideas on multiple sides of each piece of legislation.

The advocates who understand the rules and procedures have a tremendous advantage in this pursuit as they know the deadlines and the rules which are used to operate the process. To help with that, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) created a conference which teaches those who attend the nuances of the process.

This Legislative Learning Lab is designed to not only be a deep dive into the process, but also as a way for likeminded advocates to network and build alliances. It is not necessary to be a child advocate to attend, as almost all of the instruction is solely on how the process works.

Our team has assembled a powerful slate of speakers and panelists. We will kick things off on Wednesday, January 29 with Dr. Bob Blackburn speaking about the political history of Oklahoma; essentially how we got where we are based on the circumstances which have shaped our state.

Following that, I will present a dialogue explaining the structure of and versions of bills heard by the Legislature, along with the overall framework of our current legislature. Over lunch, current legislative leaders, including Speaker Hilbert, Democratic Senate Leader Julia Kirt, Democratic House Leader Cyndi Munson, and a member of the Republican Senate leadership will speak about the 2025 session.

We will have a conversation with Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., and Chairman Rocky Barrett with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation about Oklahoma state-tribal relations. We will have a conversation with former Gov. Frank Keating and former Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Chip Keating about the structure of Oklahoma’s Executive Branch. We will finish the first day with a panel conversation with several Capitol reporters who cover state politics.

Thursday, January 30 begins with a presentation by Senate Appropriations Chair Chuck Hall; he will discuss the state budget and how the process works for allocating dollars for services. Attendees will hear from lobbyists representing A&A Advocates and the Lepard Group discussing how they work on legislation. We will end the morning by hearing about the committee structure and rules governing both legislative bodies.

Over lunch, a panel conversation will give attendees a chance to discuss effective strategies for building coalitions to support or oppose legislation. There will be a presentation on ethics rules governing campaigns and elected officials, and then Justice Noma Gurich will discuss Oklahoma’s Judicial Branch.

After this, we will hear about polling, data analytics and the impending use of artificial intelligence in government, presented by former Sen. Kyle Loveless. We will also have a conversation about how Oklahoma’s Attorney General interacts with the legislative process, along with closing remarks of how to effectively engage in citizen lobbying.

If you would like to attend, we still have space available. You can register at https://www.oica.org/events and we also will have the option to attend virtually if you are unable to attend one or both days in person. We hope you will join us and learn the strategy of being a stronger advocate.

As 2024 Passes into History, So Do Three Giants

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:33:40 GMT

Some say that deaths occur in “threes,” and for Oklahomans that was truly the case last week with a trio of remarkable individuals who each had an impact on those in their circle of life.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (100), Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Gene Rainbolt (95), and Center of Family Love case manager Sister Veronica Higgins (74) each passed, all having left a mark on those who respected them and the lives they impacted through their work.

James Earl Carter, Jr. served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Following his Presidency, Carter continued his humanitarian work with his wife Rosalyn by his side for their 77 years of marriage together. The former First Lady preceded him in death in 2023.

He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. Many consider Carter to be the nation’s greatest former President due to his philanthropic work with programs like Habitat for Humanity and efforts to bring peace to parts of the world in turmoil.

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I’m free to choose that something. That something—the something that I’ve chosen—is my faith. My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have, to try to make a difference.” – Jimmy Carter

Closer to home, many tributes have been shared about the life of Harry Eugene Rainbolt, the founder of BancFirst. Rainbolt inspired his employees and those around him to recognize the power of philanthropy in impacting the lives of those in need.

In 2024, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) created an award named the H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award to recognize a business which helps give back to children through their volunteerism, inspired by the work which Rainbolt himself championed for children through his bank.

“Change the world,” Rainbolt wrote in his own obituary. “Have some fun. Make some money. Give it away. Believing the tragedy of death has to do entirely with what was left undone, mine ended with my having done all I could do, but with so much more needed!”

Sister Veronice Higgins of the Carmelite Sisters of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus was a past administrator and principal at the former Villa Teresa School in Oklahoma City. Sister Veronica was a well-recognized presence around state politics, often seen promoting positions dear to her at the State Capitol.

Her passion though was the work with the Center of Family Love in Okarche. CFL provides lifetime quality care and empowers individuals to conquer intellectual disabilities, as taken from their Facebook page. They shared that the residents called her “mama,” an endearing name that she cherished. She said that she loved completing her career at CFL because God had called to serve the orphans, the poor, and the needy.

“Love incarnate, help us to follow your example of love by welcoming the homeless, comforting the sorrowful- being your light in our dark world.” – Veronica Higgins

Each of these remarkable individuals left an indelible mark on those they touched through their charitable work. It is now up to those of us left to continue their work and lift those around us to greater heights.

Things often can be overwhelming for those struggling, but it is people like these three who took just a bit of that load off of others and made the trek a little easier, so please pay tribute to each by taking up a cause that will uplift others.

Resolve Yourself to Stronger Advocacy in 2025

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:04:44 GMT

For the week of December 28, 2024

A new year has begun, and a new Legislature will soon convene! On January 7, the First Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature will officially hold an organizational day to prepare for the work that begins Mondary, February 3 at the State Capitol.

Lawmakers have been working diligently to file ideas as bill concepts, and we will see those all become public by 4 p.m., January 16. You can read he bills at oksenate.gov or okhouse.gov.

Many of those ideas which will be considered have been requested by organizations, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is no different. We have been working with senators and representatives, Republicans and Democrats, senior members and freshmen (those serving in their first term), to propose changes in the law which will benefit our state and its children.

As the weeks move along in 2025, I will do my best to highlight as many of these ideas as possible so you, advocates in your own right, can reach out to lawmakers to share your thoughts.

OICA presents a weekly newsletter for advocates to receive by email to learn about different issues, along with also receiving a digital copy of this column which can be shared on social media with friends. We also use this as a rapid response so as to encourage Oklahomans to reach out to lawmakers to share their thoughts prior to a vote on a bill or resolution.

As a former lawmaker, it was surprising to me how few people reach out about the different things being voted on, so when one or two people make contact, it truly does have an impact. It is even more important when the lawmaker actually knows the person (and if they are a voter in the lawmaker’s district), so I would encourage you to attend a town hall or some other event and introduce yourself and offer up your input.

One of the OICA board members, former Senator AJ Griffin, says, “It is great when you have a lawmaker’s number, but it is more important when they have yours and use it to ask for advice.” If you are looking to make a policy-related New Year’s Eve resolution, consider this as she is exactly right.

If you want to further resolve yourself to engaging with policy more this year, I will offer up some suggestions. First, the OICA Legislative Learning Lab will be held on January 29-30 in Oklahoma City, with a final virtual day on February 3 to watch Governor Stitt’s “State of the State” address. This conference exposes attendees to different panelists and presenters who share their expertise in the state governmental process and help provide the knowledge with how to be much more effecting in citizen lobbying.

Another opportunity to engage with senators, representatives and members of the court will be on March 11 when OICA will hold our advocacy day and chili cook-off at the State Capitol. We use this as a networking opportunity for child-serving organizations and other advocates to have that time to visit policymakers while competing with their best chili recipe.

This day-long event is held in the parking lot of the Capitol building and we encourage advocates to take time to go inside and watch the session and have some one-on-one time to visit.

OICA will also soon select the 2025 class of our Advocacy Boot Camp. This is our leadership program open to advocates to apply and spend a year learning about advocacy efforts throughout the state. The new class will kick off in September, so please consider applying.

You can read more about each program on our website at https://www.oica.org and consider signing up for the newsletter or one or more of our events. Happy New Year!

A Season of Giving Can Make a Difference for Children

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:28 GMT

No matter what holiday you are celebrating in December, there are usually gifts involved.

With Christmas Day and Hanukkah both falling on December 25, and Kwanzaa starting on December 26, people from all around the world will have reason to exchange gifts with friends and loved ones. I should say most people, as there are many who are without anyone in their lives other than those generous strangers who provide the means to share a bit of joy with those truly in need.

Think back over the past and remember that one special item which brought joy to you. I can think of many great things received, even with my family often struggling to make ends meet. One of my friends had a handheld video game, Donkey Kong, and I really wanted one of my own.

My parents gave me a gift to open one Christmas morning. It was a video game cartridge of the game that I wanted, but I assumed they did not realize that it was not the item that I wanted and would not work without the Atari console. To surprise me, they brought out the console it would play on following my look of dejection. I was thrilled. It was special to have something like this, a gift I never expected to receive.

I was lucky. I had parents willing to make that type of financial sacrifice to see me happy. In fact, I appreciate all they were did to provide opportunities for me, along with people in the community where I grew up who helped me have the chance to take 4-H trips, participate in activities, and be involved in programs which set me on the path to service.

With my current job, I often see the tribulations many modern-day youths face. Far too many do not have family members who provide a safe and loving home for their children. When this happens, the state must find a suitable place for children to remain until problems are resolved and reunification can happen, or adoption when no other option is left.

According to the state-run website okfosters.org, there are currently 5,824 children currently in the custody of the state as foster children, with 350 waiting to enter the system. Oklahoma Human Services estimates that there are 736 families needed to serve as foster or bridge parents for youth at this moment.

At one point, Oklahoma ranked ninth in the nation for grandparents raising their own children’s children. Much of that number is contributed to incarceration rates for single parents or sometimes even both parents. Other family members are often called upon to take in youngsters when something happens which requires the children to be taken from their mothers and fathers so as to avoid foster care. These family members often do not receive financial support similar to what foster parents receive from the state to care for children due to budget constraints.

Many of these children will be fortunate to eventually return to their biological parents, but they need a safe, loving environment until that occurs. If you are able and have the means, please consider giving that special gift to a child who is enduring the most traumatic experience of their young life: being a foster parent.

Oklahoma is in desperate need of those who could open their home to a child in need and make that difference to them. If you are moved to do so, please call 1-800-376-9729 to learn more. Please also share this thought with friends, your church, and others so together, we can ensure each of these children has the brightest of holidays possible.

Nonprofits Need You this Holiday Season

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:49:35 GMT

As we approach Christmas and the other holidays celebrated during this time of year, many will have joyous moments, while others will endure sadness.

I want to extend heartfelt appreciation to the nonprofit Camp Fire Heart of Oklahoma as their board made the difficult decision to close down. This program offered many camping adventures to thousands of young people through the years.

Our OK-LEAD program, which took older foster youth their ropes program, was an experience which our campers enjoyed thoroughly. Unfortunately, the inability to recover financially following the pandemic led to this decision. They have indicated news about their campgrounds are forthcoming.

Many areas of the nonprofit sector have endured financial stress in recent years, partially from federal tax policy that eliminated some incentives for giving, along with personal giving having faced a slowdown due to economic hardships.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has been no different in that we had to leave some positions vacant longer than we wanted this year to ensure we could complete our mission and be ready for 2025.

I have heard stories shared from counterparts regarding the need for financial support and more volunteer hours to support work. I can attest as just a few short weeks ago, we had members of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Oklahoma State University, the house in which I was a member, come to Oklahoma City to help with distributing SoonerCare information which was mailed to schools and daycares in twenty rural counties. These brochures provide information to families about how to qualify and a number to call for assistance. We appreciate their help as we would have missed our deadline if not for them.

Not all of the news this year is negative though as we just wrapped up our annual effort to help support foster youth across the state through OK Foster Wishes. Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) approached us for support to collect gift cards for foster families to be able to purchase gifts for the youth under their care.

OHS set a goal of 200 cards of $150 each this year and OICA originally committed to raise funds for 50 of them. Thanks to generous donors, we were able to surpass that and provide 82 cards for them. If you were a donor to this or another of the OHS Holiday Hope programs, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity.

We will still collect for Holiday Hope for another week as children enter foster care each and every day, including on Christmas Day and these workers are committed to their mission, even on holidays.

It is not too late to support your favorite nonprofit organization or mission. Your donation could make the difference in sustaining the work coming from nonprofits. End of year giving often raises 10 percent of the funds that these organizations use to operate. Please do not leave them off your list this year as the struggle is very real.

And, if you are so moved, we at OICA would be very grateful to be included among your end of year giving plans to support our operations. You can go to make a donation at https://tinyurl.com/OICADonate or to discuss planned giving, you can contact our development director, Dr. Myron Pope, at mpope@oica.org with questions.

Thank you in advance for your generosity to OICA and all the nonprofits that do critical work in Oklahoma. Your support is what keeps all of the state’s nonprofits able to continue improving the quality of life for Oklahomans.

Advocates Look Forward to Working with New Leadership at State Capitol

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:42:32 GMT

The deadline for submission of ideas for the upcoming legislative session was Friday, December 6, and lawmakers were turning in their concepts for bills up to the final moment.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) worked with several state senators and representatives on ideas developed during our annual Fall Forum conference. I expect a robust conversation will be held this upcoming session on those ideas, which comprised the Children’s Legislative Agenda for 2025. You can read that document on our website at https://tinyurl.com/25OICALEGAG .

I always enjoy this time of year as advocates who have suggested solutions to problems have the opportunity to work with policymakers to produce the needed answers. Of course, not all of these ideas move forward; sometimes the price tag is too much no matter how noble the solution. Of course, politics sometime comes into play, and personalities certainly can influence which ideals move forward.

People have taken notice of late regarding civility in politics. I would argue that, in Oklahoma, our lawmakers certainly take pride in their party registration, but the division is not as wide as what we see at the federal level. Of course, with 81 of 101 House members being in one party, and 39 of 48 Senators also being in the majority party, it is often more difficult for members of the minority to have their bills heard due to time constraints and natural differences in views.

The big difference in Oklahoma is the hostility between the parties is not as prevalent as what we see in federal politics. I believe that is due to many state lawmakers finding areas of consensus, sometimes with it being friends with each other’s families or sharing school loyalties, or even geographic similarities.

I deeply enjoy working with colleagues from both parties to discuss the problems seen and seek reasonable pathways to help those who are facing those issues through my years in this business. I feel there are a majority of people who are elected who also share that sentiment.

I am extremely excited about the new leadership teams in both the House of Representatives and the Senate for the upcoming session, ranging from new presiding officers and floor leaders to budget committee chairmen who have been elevated from their vice chair roles.

One of the two minority leaders will also be a new person holding that role. I have had a chance to work with each of these men and women through the years and I believe each to be in public service for the right reasons, which makes the job easier for child advocates. We can rest easier knowing lawmakers also want to see realistic solutions and are willing to look at different pathways to get to those answers.

As we begin the new session, OICA will collaborate with all lawmakers willing to work with us on new concepts this year, some involving access to insurance for children, greater access to medical and dental care statewide, and increased support for affordable childcare. We will also continue to work with allies who want to revisit the effort to end corporal punishment for special needs students. We look forward to working with budget leaders to ensure the many successful programs benefiting the youth of our state continue to be funded.

While this all might be a “glass half full” view of our state politics, I do feel optimistic that this new generation of leaders who either continue or begin their service in February will live up to that term “leader” for our state.

Child Advocacy Group Sends 2025 Children's Legislative Agenda to Lawmakers

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 23:25:53 GMT

As Oklahoma lawmakers request bills for the 2025 legislative session, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has finalized its 2025 Children’s Legislative Agenda and delivered it to them.

Approved by the OICA Board of Directors, the agenda outlines the organization’s priorities and presents lawmakers with a roadmap to improve conditions for Oklahoma’s children.

“Advocates from across the state came together in late November during our annual Fall Forum to discuss a wide range of issues relating to children,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “While this is an ambitious agenda, we believe each component of it is critical to improving the lives of our most important resource. This document represents the recommendations made by advocates and our Board of Directors.”

The entire agenda is available to the public on our website and can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/25OICALEGAG .”

From the input from child advocates, the OICA Board of Directors considered the suggestions and coalesced them into recommendations divided into four specific categories:

Support programs and services for foster families and biological parents and guardians.
Accessibility to health-related services and programs.
Learning loss and educational opportunities for children.
Addressing childcare needs.

The recommendations include a specific focus on improving services to foster and biological families in rural areas, while encouraging partnerships with private sector agencies. Increased stipends and reimbursement rates for foster care are also a foundation of the recommendations, as is mental health and trauma support. The organization also advocates for legal reforms and enhanced support for biological families, stating that reunification with biological families should be celebrated along with adoption.

The organization also suggests integrating school-based social workers would enhance access to essential services and promote student wellbeing. In addition, the increased availability of health services would address inequities in care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Both the learning loss among students in the wake of the pandemic and the annual learning loss during the summer break were addressed by advocates. Among the suggestions was to enhance school readiness among students entering school for the first time, and to prioritize funding for teacher support, smaller class sizes and paraprofessionals. Additionally, eliminating corporal punishment for students in special needs classifications and reducing the use of out-of-school suspensions was prioritized. In short, the advocates asserted, “Providing safer, more supportive environments fosters positive student outcomes.”

The continued shortage of childcare also received the advocates’ attention. “Improving access to childcare resources strengthens family stability and child development,” the agenda document asserts. In addition, a focus on ensuring “the safety of foster families, providers, and Oklahoma Human Services workers from biological familial threats is paramount to maintaining effective care systems” was included in the agenda.

The final recommendations were to strengthen oversight of childcare facilities in Oklahoma and increasing the Office of Juvenile System Oversight’s authority to conduct periodic inspections of privately operated children's facilities is essential to ensure accountability, safety, and quality care for vulnerable children.

Release of the annual Children’s Legislative Agenda is the final action the organization takes each year in preparation for the next and is a critical duty of the organization, established the organization to be an independent watchdog on state government in the aftermath of the child welfare scandal brought to light in the Gannett report, “Oklahoma Shame.” That report can be found on OICA’s website.

To kick off the new year, OICA will host its Legislative Learning Lab in late January to help advocates understand the complex procedures of the Oklahoma Legislature. That event will culminate on the opening day of the 2025 session, when Governor Stitt will present is “State of the State” address. The organization’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol will be on March 11.

To register for these events and stay up to date with the latest information on the organization’s child advocacy efforts, go to the OICA website at https://oica.org .

Heroes for Children Honored by OICA Board of Directors

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:04:32 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Board of Directors presented 10 awards during its annual Fall Awards Luncheon, held recently at the Capitol View Event Center in Oklahoma City. Here, Joe Dorman, OICA CEO, stands with award winners and their representatives following the event. Each of the award recipients has worked to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children. (Courtesy Photos).

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) recently recognized 10 champions for children in various categories with awards. Each of these individuals or organizations has done tremendous work to elevate children’s support services and make lives better for each they have touched.

The annual awards luncheon celebrates the winners during our annual Fall Forum policy conference. Fall Forum brings together advocates to suggest policies for implementation by lawmakers and agency leaders. On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for all each of you has done to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children.

Kayla Leeper won the Jasmine and Melvin Moran Kidizenship Award for excellence in youth philanthropy for her work with her program Kayla’s Kindness Project. This effort provides items to patients undergoing cancer treatments.

Kristina Egnor was presented with the Laura Choate Resilience Award, recognizing someone who has endured tremendous childhood trauma but overcome it to make the children’s lives better. Kristina leads a team of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists supporting youth in Stillwater.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department won the Jon Hansen Public Servant Award which pays tribute to a public servant or department which goes beyond their normal duties to impact the lives of children positively. Among their volunteer efforts, the department provides coats for children in need and toys for foster youth over the holidays.

Stan Clark, the founder of Eskimo Joe’s, received the Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award for a business leader providing support in their community to benefit children. Eskimo Joe’s, celebrating their 50th anniversary, gives back to many organizations with proceeds from sales of their clothing, along with offering several charitable give-back events through their restaurants in Stillwater.

BancFirst was selected for the inaugural H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award which recognizes a business which works to help children outside their business operations. Beyond the individual work of the more than 100 local branches to support their communities, BancFirst provides support for children’s theatres to perform around the state.

Dr. Dwight Sublett was picked to posthumously receive an award which will bear his name to honor medical providers who improve the health of Oklahoma’s children. Dr. Sublett was President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter and was a calming voice for children’s health during the pandemic.

Debbie Hogue Downing was selected by our office staff to receive the OICA Volunteer of the Year Award for helping with our events and operations. Debbie has repeatedly given many hours multiple times this year to help our mission.

The Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award was presented posthumously to the Rev. Dr. John A. Reed, Jr. Dr. Reed was a pastor for 67 years, all but six at Fairview Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and worked tirelessly in his community to elevate children’s causes.

Tahlequah Public Schools Superintendent Tanya Jones received the Sandey Garrett Educator Award for exceptional work benefiting the well-being of students. Superintendent Jones led a team to embed state social workers in the school system, providing support services to help families their keep children out of foster care.

Alana Hughes, another posthumous winner, received the Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award celebrating the work of an unsung hero in child advocacy. Alana, an OICA board member at the time of her death, worked for years with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. She was a driving force for legislation that reduces the backlog of family cases in the courts, keeping children with families rather than going into foster care.

OICA is grateful to all these award recipients, and the many Oklahomans working with us to improve the lives of children.

OICA Assists Human Services’ “Holiday Hope” Program

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 19:14:47 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is once again assisting Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) with their Holiday Hope program to provide support for foster youth in the state, according to Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

Seven years ago, OICA took over the nonprofit OK Foster Wishes, which provided fulfillment of wish lists submitted by foster children for the gifts they would like to receive, similar to children sending a letter to Santa Claus.

As the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the program for collecting toys and distributing them through county OHS offices was shifted to collecting gift cards for the foster families and bridge parents to purchase the gifts themselves for the children.

This program assists not only the children in foster care, but also those families who have taken children into their homes until reunification can happen with the biological parents. There are nearly 6,000 children in foster care across the state, with those families receiving various levels of support to care for the youth in their homes.

The need is great because as of 2024, the OHS foster care reimbursement rates for the costs associated with the care of a child in their home have not changed in several years. The reimbursement is to be used for food, clothing, shelter, school supplies, personal incidentals, and reasonable travel.

As you can see, this amount does not leave much left for also providing gifts over the holiday season.

The rates are as follows:

Age 0–5: $17.72 per day.

Age 6–12: $20.42 per day.

Age 13+: $22.62 per day.

These rates are per day and are subject to change. OHS pays the foster care rates directly to the family. Other rates include that can be applied above the basic daily rate include Therapeutic Foster Care at $19.76 per day

Therapeutic Foster Care serves children aged 3-18 with special psychological, social, behavioral, and emotional needs who thrive in a family setting, but who require intensive or therapeutic services than those found in traditional foster care.

“OICA has created a link for individuals to directly donate to the program,” Dorman said. “This allows us to partner with local banks to fill gift cards which OHS will then deliver to the families.”

Go to https://tinyurl.com/OICAHH to donate to this program.

If you would like to directly support a child through a program offering fulfillment of gifts, we suggest reaching partners of the Holiday Hope program, such as Fostering Connections in northeast Oklahoma. Their site is https://www.fosteringconnectionsok.org/fostering-joy and you can choose a variety of options to help.

Children's Legislative Agenda Begins Taking Shape at OICA's Fall Forum

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 17:52:12 GMT

PHOTO CUTLINE: STATE AGENCY HEADS join Joe Dorman (far right), CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) at the organization’s Fall Forum held last week at The Ellison OKC hotel. The group discussed efforts to improve the quality of life in front of more than 100 child advocates from across the state. Joining Dorman were (from left) Timothy Tardibono, Office of Juvenile Affairs; Annette Jacobi, Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth; Kelly Perry, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Christina Foss, Oklahoma Health Care Authority; and, Mendy Spohn, of the Oklahoma Department of Health.

The 2024 Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Fall Forum wrapped up last week with more than 100 conference attendees spending part of four days helping shape a legislative agenda for the upcoming session.

The conference focused on four primary policy items:

• Access to health support programs.

• School learning loss issues.

• Childcare/paid family leave policies.

• Support programs for foster families, bridge parents and biological mothers and fathers.

I will touch on one point from each of the dialogues in this column, and we should have the full agenda ready for distribution next week.

Under the category of access to health support programs, the gathering delved into access for children’s health insurance and ways to increase enrollment numbers. Currently, it is estimated that about 7% of Oklahoma children (about 70,000 children) are not enrolled in any program; about half of those would qualify for SoonerCare, the state’s Medicaid program.

Despite expanding Medicaid a few years ago, we are still facing a significant problem in Oklahoma with enrolling those under eighteen. OICA is partnering with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma to distribute information in twenty rural counties to students in schools and children in daycare. If you would like to see if you or someone you know qualifies, go to myokplan.org or call (833) 465-7526 to check.

In the school learning loss conversation, the group discussed behavioral issues tied in with forms of punishment. OICA will renew our efforts to seek a law forbidding corporal punishment in schools as a punishment for students with special educational needs. This bill made it through the Oklahoma Senate but was held up in the final days of the 2024 session. We are working with lawmakers to renew this for 2025, and we will certainly keep you updated.

On top of that, we will also be prepared for any effort to implement out-of-school suspensions for Pre-K through fifth grade students; instead, we will encourage schools to not send children home, which forces parents to take time off from work or pay for costly services to watch the children while they are work. Additionally, this type of suspension often leads to worse behavior by teaching the children they are “bad,” and data shows this leads to increased percentages of juvenile misbehavior and eventually incarceration.

With the topic of childcare and paid family leave, OICA will work with lawmakers to expand upon their work from two years ago to provide paid leave time for state employees and educators who are mothers.

We would like to see this also include time off for fathers. We also encourage examining leave policies for those who adopt children and for those who become foster parents to allow them time to acclimate to their situation, hopefully reducing down the number of placements foster children receive if there is time for all to adjust to the new situation.

Additionally, with support programs for those with children in the state system, we would like to see an increase in payment for services to foster families, along with providing funding for those grandparents raising grandchildren. Many of these Oklahomans are living on fixed incomes as they have often reached retirement and Social Security age. By providing some type of financial assistance, this will improve the odds that the youth do not end up in a foster care setting.

As we finalize the document, we are also in conversation with several lawmakers to address key points from the agenda. The request deadline is December 6 for lawmakers to submit legislation ideas, so we hope that many of these points will make it past this first hurdle.

Thank you to our sponsors and those who helped make this a very successful Fall Forum!

Lawmakers Take Office, OICA Begins Developing Children’s Legislative Agenda

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 18:19:59 GMT

On Wednesday, November 20, the new class of Oklahoma lawmakers will take office.

In total, 31 new Oklahoma lawmakers – 17 in the House and 14 in the Senate – will join 117 veteran lawmakers for the first session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature. There is one remaining seat to be filled in the state Senate for District 8, formerly held by Sen. Roger Thompson. That Special Primary Election will be held March 4, 2025, and if necessary, the Runoff Primary will be on Tuesday, April 1. The Special General Election will be May 13, 2025.

The House Republican Caucus has 81 of the 101 members in the House of Representatives. In the Senate, the GOP controls 39 of the 48 seats, with expectation that the Thompson seat will remain in Republican hands. There are 20 Democrats in the House and eight in the Senate.

While I am looking forward to working with many of the newly elected officials who will serve during the next two years, I also want to thank those leaving state service. Personally, many of these individuals have been great allies as we work for better policies to benefit Oklahoma’s youth. While we might not have seen eye to eye every single time, I knew that each was doing what they felt was best.

Civility appears to be a dying sentiment at all levels of government. In the past, most elected officials could agree to disagree on issues and still find common ground on policies which had a little from each side’s position included. Now, it feels like an official is demonized if they dare seek a solution that is not ideologically pure.

Even friendships across party lines seem to be out of fashion, which is really disappointing. When I served in the House of Representatives, I was proud to have friendships with lawmakers from both parties – friendships that endure to this day. The reason these have lasted is because we cared about the future of Oklahoma, even if we disagreed on how to get there.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) works to improve the lives of children, seeking out policymakers who will sit down and discuss the variety of issues impacting children. Developing the Children’s Legislative Agenda begins with our annual Fall Forum policy conference being held this week. We will discuss different ideas presented by advocates for legislative or agency solutions. The issue areas we will discuss, among others, at Fall Forum are:

1) Support Programs and Services for Foster Families and Biological Parents/Guardians,

2) Accessibility to Health-Related Services and Programs,

3) Learning Loss and Educational Opportunities for Children, and

4) Childcare and Family Leave Programs.

Once done, our team will seek out authors of legislation for those concepts. The bill drafting request deadline is Friday, December 6; that’s when lawmakers must submit ideas to the legislative staff for bills. Staff then will begin the arduous process of drafting these ideas into a bill format for where it will best fit into the Oklahoma Statutes.

There will roughly be one month for the staff to complete bill drafting; to put into perspective what a heavy lift this is, in 2023, lawmakers filed more than 3,000 bills. I expect that we will see similar numbers this year. State senators can file as many bills as they want, while state representatives are capped at eight bills each. Of course, members of House leadership are allowed more.

If you or an organization you work with is considering a state law change, now is the time to reach out to your lawmakers, or those who work in support of the area which is of interest.

Following Elections, Fall Forum Needs Your Voice to Shape Children’s Policy

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:43:21 GMT

Elections are often exciting, inspiring, and even traumatic. For those who win, they begin a new chapter of their lives, working to make a difference for the people they serve. For those on the short end of the final total, there is a sense of frustration of what more could have been done to effectively communicate the message to win votes.

This year’s election was one in which there were strong feelings on both sides, with enthusiastic Oklahomans truly believing their direction was the right pathway for a better tomorrow. On either side, no matter how you feel in the aftermath of Tuesday's elections, the work of advocates continues far beyond just that one day. In fact, it is arguably an effort that happens 365 days a year; and that is why we want to hear your thoughts for what will help Oklahoma’s children.

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) assembles advocates from across the state at this conference to discuss the needs of Oklahoma’s children. At Fall Forum, advocates begin the promise of better outcomes for Oklahoma's children through policy. It is here that we develop recommendations in the form of the “Children’s Legislative Agenda” which will be presented to the new Legislature and the governor before the 2025 session.

We expect to have a robust conversation about many issues, and we know the networking through this conference will help advocates build stronger alliances as we work together to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s youth.

This year’s Fall Forum is slated for an online session on Thursday, November 14 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and then meeting together on Tuesday, November 19 through Thursday, November 21 at The Ellison Hotel in Oklahoma City. You can go to our website at oica.org to see the jam-packed agenda with agency directors speaking, programs promoting their work, and a health dialogue held for policy.

During the online session, participants will lay out the framework of the agenda through a conversation which will be discussed during the in-person meeting the next week. Once registered, participants will be sent the link to use. While it is good to participate in the online session, it is not necessary to attend the remainder of Fall Forum.

Most pundits are expecting that the next Legislature will take place during a challenging two years for children’s policy, with deeper tax cuts, frozen spending, and restructuring of state programs already being discussed. There will also be many new lawmakers and an entire turnover in the legislative leadership, along with Governor Kevin Stitt’s final two years coming up. We need your input, experience, and wisdom as we craft this agenda and move it forward to help policymakers shape ideas into law.

It is important to remember that lawmakers are our servant leaders coming from many backgrounds, so we have a responsibility to help them better understand the importance of children’s issues. Children rarely have a voice regarding policy, which is why OICA was created and the reason we continue our mission. Children also have passionate Oklahomans who care deeply about our children’s collective futures, and OICA attempts to bring them together. That is why it is so important for us to gather at Fall Forum to discuss which issues should be the focus of policymaking.

To register for Fall Forum, the cost is a very reasonable $100 to attend. Please go to https://www.oica.org/events to register and there are room reservations still available at the Ellison should you want to stay overnight. If you or your organization is already an OICA member, a complimentary conference registration is included in your annual dues.

Please join together and add your voice to the conversation!

OK Kid Governor® Rides Again!

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:54:44 GMT

On Saturday, Oct. 26, 59 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from across Oklahoma gathered at the Oklahoma County OSU Extension on office as the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy and Oklahoma 4-H hosted the 2024 Kid Governor® Conference, in cooperation with the Connecticut Democracy Project. The students learned about Oklahoma government and conducted a campaign for the next Kid Governor® of Oklahoma. The 2025 Oklahoma Kid Governor will be Emma Stephens, and she will take office in the new year.

On Saturday, October 26, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) partnered with Oklahoma 4-H to present our OK Kid Governor® program to 59 students in 4th-6th grade from across the state.

Of those in attendance, we had about one-third of those students run for the position to serve as a voice for their peers in policy conversations through our organization. While three grades of students were present for the lessons, only 5th graders are allowed to run for Kid Governor® pursuant to the rules provided by the parent organization, the Connecticut Democracy Project.

Each of the speeches given by the students were thoughtful, addressed valid concerns facing our state, and were impressive with how each presented a problem and a potential solution to that issue.

Congratulations to our new officer team: 2025 Kid Governor Emma Stephens, Lt. Governor Shawn Ferrell, and Secretary of State Lawson Ream, along with Cabinet Members Alburto Harmon, Clayton Rohla, Harper Witt, Koda White and Ryan Young. Together, these 5th graders will meet online to shape an agenda for the upcoming year and seek to implement those ideas with lawmakers and agency leaders.

All Oklahoma should be immensely proud of the effort each put into their elections. This program continually inspires me and gives me hope for the future that we will be in good hands once these young leaders become adults.

We at OICA thank Kimberly Blodgett, an Oklahoma educator and OICA supporter, for teaching lessons about the three branches of government, the importance of voting, and how campaigns work to seek votes from those who can cast ballots. The students were attentive with the information provided and each responded that they learned a lot from the workshop, hosted by the Oklahoma County OSU Extension Office.

We appreciate the team of leaders from 4-H and our own staff from OICA for overseeing the conference and staffing the polling place where the students voted, which replicated the process adults use during voting. Finally, we certainly want to thank the many parents and guardians who also stayed at the conference and who joined in on the questioning period to help elevate the conversation.

OICA is incredibly grateful to our current Kid Governor, Mila O’Brien, for her work over the past two years in the role. Mila had to step up and serve two terms with the postponement of the program last year due to each of the classes enrolled in the curriculum withdrawing due to various issues faced by Oklahoma teachers.

A reception will be held in Mila’s honor on November 19 during our annual Fall Forum conference, to be held in Oklahoma City. We appreciate sponsors for this program and the many Oklahomans who help encourage stronger civics learning through Kid Governor® and the many other youth-serving experiences used to promote this type of experience.

We hope that in 2025, Kid Governor® will be back in Oklahoma’s 5th grade classrooms across the state and we hope to continue the partnership with Oklahoma 4-H.

If you want to learn more about how to support the Oklahoma Kid Governor® program, go to oica.org to find out how you can get more involved. You can also join us at the Fall Forum as delegates will help OICA shape our legislative agenda for 2025.

We expect to have a robust conversation about issues, and we know the networking through this conference will help advocates build stronger alliances as we work together to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s youth. Please join us and add your voice to the conversation!

Tips for a Safe and Happy Halloween!

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:04:08 GMT

We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy want to help parents avoid those who would want to pull Halloween “tricks” on you and your children. Here are some safety tips to help keep your children safe.

Did you know that child pedestrian injuries are more likely on Halloween than any other night of the year? Research shows that evening from 6 to 9 p.m. is the riskiest time of day for child pedestrians. Ensure the children know the rules of the road and how to avoid being hit by a vehicle. It is best to always accompany younger children as the excitement often gets to them as they move from house to house. They will oftentimes not look both ways before crossing a street, and then their costumes often block part of their vision. If trick-or-treating does not start until after dark where you live, consider checking with your local community bulletin boards or organizations for Halloween activities offered earlier in the day.

Encourage your older children who are going out to travel with at least one other child who is as old or older than they are, and better yet, travel in a group. Ensure their mobile phone is fully charged with the tracking app turned on. If your older children are trick-or-treating alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home and get flashlights with batteries for everyone.

It is also best to discuss “stranger danger” prior to going out for trick-or-treating. Caution kids to never enter a home or car for a treat. Notify law enforcement authorities immediately about any suspicious or unlawful activity. Review with your child how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they ever have an emergency, get lost, or are prone to wander. You can also check the database of registered sex offenders in your area so you can avoid those houses altogether. You can get the database at https://sors.doc.ok.gov/ , put in your address, and get the addresses of those you might prefer to avoid.

While you want children to have their mobile phones with them for emergencies, talk with them about the risks of distracted walking. This includes text messaging, talking on or looking at their cell phone, and listening to music. This can also lead to falls, or worse, being hit by a vehicle.

You should also encourage children to cross the street as a group in established crosswalks. Most (62%) child pedestrian traffic fatalities occur mid-block, rather than at intersections. Make sure kids know not to cross the street safely between parked cars or out of driveways or alleys.

When planning costumes, try to ensure they are bright and reflective. A brightly colored treat bag or glow-in-the-dark elements can be a fun way to incorporate safety into a scary costume. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to darker costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.

Remind children that it is best to stay on well-lit streets and always use sidewalks. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Encourage them to only go to homes with porch lights on and, ideally, well-lit pathways, and preferably where they know the person or where an organized neighborhood Halloween gathering is occurring.

I hope this does not increase fears about the holiday as this is truly an enjoyable time for both children seeking candy and those adults who love to see the joy of kids in costume. If you are passing out treats at your house or at an organized gathering, I hope you, too, have a happy Halloween!

Information You Need on Ballot Measures and Judicial Retention

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:36:04 GMT

On November 5, the General Election will occur for Americans to decide on the candidates who are seeking office that they would want to represent them for the next term of office.

Ranging from President to municipal elections, each office is charged with certain responsibilities. Campaigns are being waged to win your votes. There will also be two state questions on the Oklahoma ballot this year.

I recommend going to https://www.kosu.org/politics/2024-10-10/here-are-the-state-questions-youll-see-on-oklahoma-ballots and read brief descriptions of the questions; you can also go to a site to read the full language of what is to be enacted if approved.

You also will decide several judicial retention votes. Ranging from lower courts to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, voters get to decide whether a judge or justice remains in office.

These court members were vetted by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and then appointed by the sitting governor from the qualified applicants from the list. The JNC was established to eliminate political corruption through appointments and has 15 commissioners who serve without compensation. Nine of the 15 commissioners are non-lawyers.

Governor Stitt will appoint six of the non-lawyer commissioners, one from each of the six congressional districts as they existed in 1967, to serve staggered six-year terms. Of the six non-lawyer commissioners named by the governor, no more than three can belong to any one political party.

The three remaining non-lawyer commissioners serve two-year terms as members-at-large. One is appointed by the Senate President Pro Tempore and one is appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (both Republicans). The JNC itself selects the third non-lawyer commissioner. No more than two of the three members-at-large can be from the same political party.

I encourage you to learn more about those judges and justices up for retention, and this information is provided purely so you can be more informed before voting.

Of the three state Supreme Court justices on the ballot, one is the only military veteran on the Supreme Court, having served in the U.S. Navy.

Another was appointed by two Republican governors to lower courts, and this justice also created the Parent and Children Representation Task Force under the courts. This task force seeks to reduce the backlog of court cases with families who have cases involving their children (a major issue which OICA assisted in helping pass legislation to assist families in their court battles to keep their children).

The third Justice, raised in rural Oklahoma, was instrumental in establishing the Sovereignty Symposium, a conference reviewing tribal law, which has helped Oklahoma navigate the complicated rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a recent decision, all nine justices, appointed by both Republicans and Democrats, agreed that a school district’s local school board, not a state agency nor the Oklahoma State Board of Education, has the power to decide which books to include in school libraries. This local control given to local boards and parents is a perfect example of thoughtful decision making and finding the correct path.

In another decision, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a scholarship program for special needs students was constitutional and specifically noted this program does not directly benefit private schools or churches, but individual students. This thoughtful deliberation allowed parents to access programs which would benefit their children due to the needs faced, not if the school is public or private, which also includes religious private schools.

So, please do your research when it comes to these votes and do not rely on the millions spent on inflammatory commercials. We need good people to serve, not those who the most money can buy.

“The Effectiveness of Properly Administered Corporal Punishment” to be Studied by Oklahoma House of Representatives

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 15:26:02 GMT

The season for legislative interim studies is quickly coming to an end. I would like to thank those lawmakers who have dedicated time and effort to ensuring that the studies which the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) requested were handled superbly. Each of the studies which we followed involving children were enlightening and others we were an active part in, I felt, were useful for policymakers.

OICA is deeply concerned though about one upcoming study, and we want to encourage Oklahomans to pay close attention to the conversation. Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, was granted a study entitled “The Effectiveness of Properly Administered Corporal Punishment.” This study will be heard before the House Rules Committee on Monday, Oct 21.

The study is in no doubt a response to the efforts over the past two sessions to end the practice of corporal punishment on disabled students in Oklahoma schools, a measure OICA strongly supported. Olsen was one of the most outspoken opponents of this effort to prevent government employees from hitting disabled children, some of whom might not even understanding for what they are being punished. Our OETA conversation on this topic can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=EIHt1rr4wl0 on YouTube.

Olsen is clearly on the opposite side of this issue from OICA and many other child advocates. His study description outlines that he will have the testimonies of two or three superintendents, two child psychologists, one opposing view, testimony of a homeschooling father, and a brief look at the Scriptures. Despite one opposing view on the agenda, the title of the study presents its forgone conclusion: inflicting violence upon children is an encouraged means of discipline.

Under Oklahoma law, "Corporal punishment" means, as defined in 70 O.S. § 13-116, the deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping, or any other physical force used as a means of discipline.

It is estimated that about 130 rural schools across the state still administer corporal punishment to students, usually, but not always, with the permission of a parent or guardian, with just over 60 of those districts still using corporal punishment on children classified in some special needs category, including severe cases.

I know one aspect, the belief that this is allowed under scripture, will likely be frustrating for me to hear. Representative Olsen and I strongly disagree about whether the Bible condones the topic, as was highlighted in our OETA conversation.

Bishop James Nunn, recently retired from the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference, sums up my views of this topic here: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/05/03/opinion-united-methodists-do-not-condone-corporal-punishment-bishop-says/73517371007/ . The bottom line: using violence to discipline children is not Biblical.

I would encourage you to either attend or listen to the study and reach out to your own state senator and representative with your views on the topic. All interim studies are open to the public to attend, along with members of the press who wish to cover the topic. The meeting will be streamed over the internet at https://former.okhouse.gov/Video/Default.aspx should you want to watch but are unable to attend. Select the study by the Rules Committee.

For those wishing to attend in person, the study will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in room 206 of the Oklahoma State Capitol at 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. Public parking is in the large lot south of the Capitol building.

If this topic is submitted as legislation again next year, OICA will keep you informed, and will again support any measure to end the practice of corporal punishment on disabled students in school.

Most Homeschooled Children Thrive, But Some Use the Law to Hide Abuse

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:34:51 GMT

As a longtime advocate for children’s success, I have grown accustomed to conversations from multiple perspectives which shed light on aspects of policy.

I have also been the target of frustration from many individuals and organizations who are either adamantly opposed to any change in a policy, or those who are unwilling to consider points of view when it limits their own personal freedoms, even for the greater good. This has increased with the advent of social media. Through time, I have gotten used to it; it is just part of the job when one wants to find solutions to legitimate problems.

This was the case when I participated in a legislative interim study examining issues with children “falling through the cracks” of society when they are isolated. Far too many families choose to withdraw their children from public, private, charter, or virtual schools to hide abuse under the guise of home schooling them. While this association is not fair for the home school community to be linked to that, the trauma for these abused children is real.

In many circumstances, these children do not receive any type of education and far too often are the victims of abuse, neglect, prostitution, and sometimes even death. Once discovered, those who live will undergo years of therapy and medical services to help them overcome the trauma they have endured.

As reported by the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a 2014 study of child abuse so severe it could be termed child torture found that 47% of victims had been removed from school to be “homeschooled”. In many of these instances, removal from school was typically initiated following the closure of a previously open child welfare investigation.

Statistically, the vast majority who choose home school are doing a fine job educating their children, oftentimes in ways that public schools cannot. With a specific focus on a few children, these individuals or cooperatives of parents can accelerate learning and provide unique opportunities for their children to learn.

But home schooling is not for everyone. Most families do not have the time or the resources for a parent to dedicate the time needed to do the job properly under the Compulsory Education Act, which dictates that all children must be educated at an appropriate grade level.

But what about those children who have no one to watch out for them, to ensure they are not being subjected to the worst that humanity could imagine? One case is that of Athena Brownfield, a child found dead when a child welfare case was opened regarding her sister who was found roaming streets unsupervised. Unfortunately, it is typical for dozens of children to die each year under similar circumstances, and thousands more to fall into the abuse category.

When I offered that a dialogue be established to look at concerns and produce solutions, the reaction online was that “rights would be removed” for their own families and that “government is bad.” If not done correctly, I agree policies can be too intrusive, but that usually happens when the conversations I just mentioned do not happen.

As an advocacy organization, it is the job of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to shed light on policies impacting children, all children, not just those under the supervision of the state. We can protect proper home schooling, but also find ways to protect children who are being harmed under those laws.

I hope as the conversations continue with rational voices, that more will join civilly and agree to formulate solutions. If not, I am sure that I will read all about it on social media.

OICA Partners with 4-H for Kid Governor®, Deadline to Register is Oct. 15

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:00:54 GMT

Inspiring youth to engage in policy is an important facet of the mission undertaken by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA).

Through our more than four decades of work in creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children, we have worked to elevate issues impacting young people from birth until they reach adulthood and potential solutions to those problems.

One of our favorite endeavors offered toward this is our Kid Governor® program. We serve as the state affiliate for this initiative developed by the Connecticut Democracy Project. Kid Governor® works with local educators in public, charter, and private schools to provide lesson plans to 5th graders about civics, the importance of voting when they are old enough, and how candidates use campaigns to promote issues.

The curriculum is approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to ensure it is age-appropriate and within lesson plan standards. The program’s goal is to not only educate about civic engagement, but to also conduct an election in which one 5th grader becomes Kid Governor®, elevating awareness in a policy area dear to them.

Kid Governor® is designed to be presented in classrooms, but several issues prevented this from happening last year. OICA had almost 30 classrooms registered, but by the time the program was set to kick off in October 2023, each classroom had declined the invitation.

Teachers shared with us three main reasons:

• Some teachers needed that additional time to make up for learning loss and help the youth pass grade-level standardized tests.

• The next issue was classroom overcrowding in that this had created such a nightmare for teachers due to teachers leaving the profession that other teachers were covering double the number of students normally taught.

• The final and most troubling reason was fear that his program might somehow alienate some and somehow put the teacher at risk with their job for teaching a program that upset parents, administrators, or other officials due to misunderstanding. This was despite the fact the state Department of Education had approved the curriculum.

With that, OICA worked with partners to try a new model for a year as an after-school program so as to not lose another year of providing this material. We have joined Oklahoma 4-H to present this for 4-H members in 4th through 6th grades. We decided to invite students from all three grade levels this year so they can learn and expand the reach for the program, cover those students who missed the opportunity to learn last year, and recruit interest for those who will be 5th graders next year.

If you know of a child who is in this grade level, this is an opportunity to get a first-hand look at government, voting and civic participation. During the event to be held on October 26th, 4-H members will also have the opportunity to campaign and elect a 5th grade-level Kid Governor for a year-long term of office. Parents or guardians can register now at okla.st/4h-kidgovernor if their child is already in 4-H. The deadline is October 15

While any Oklahoma student may attend and participate, they must be enrolled in 4-H as a member of a club. If a child wants to sign up for 4-H, please contact your county OSU Extension Office to learn more. For a listing of offices, go to https://extension.okstate.edu/ and learn how to get involved in this youth program.

We hope this program will be beneficial, especially as students in this age range certainly are paying attention to politics and issues in the world.

Let Our U.S. Senators Know You Support the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 17:54:06 GMT

While the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) primarily works with state policies, there are often federal issues which we try to engage our advocates in calling for better opportunities.

One of these policies is support for the bipartisan “Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act,” which would invest critical new resources in Title IV-B and provide needed policy improvements. We have joined the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics in calling for congressional support for the enhanced efforts described below.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives, by an overwhelming 405-10 vote approved the bipartisan Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076), with all five of Oklahoma’s members of Congress voting “Yea.” The measure now moves across the Capitol to the United States Senate, and our U.S. senators need to hear your support.

There are two parts to Title IV-B in federal law. The first, Title IV-B Part 1, Child Welfare Services (CWS) of the Social Security Act, was first established as part of the 1935 Social Security law. Title IV-B part 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families, started in 1993 as part of a federal budget agreement. It began as Family Preservation and Family Support but was amended to the current name and charged with delivering family preservation programs that sought to prevent foster care placement through intensive focused and limited efforts to help families at a crisis stage.

Over the past year, bipartisan leadership in Congress has brought critical attention to the need to reauthorize Title IV-B and better support strong families. The Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act responds to priority areas outlined in consensus recommendations for reauthorizing Title IV-B of the Social Security Act.

Family support is the main emphasis of the bill. By boosting federal backing for keeping children with their families in family-based foster care placements as much as possible, the legislation would create a clear commitment in federal law that poverty is not neglect.

This underscores the role of family preservation services for families experiencing a crisis related to a lack of resources and focuses on the vital role of strong families in supporting thriving children. The Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act would further bolster support for kinship caregivers.

The bill would also authorize discretionary funding for competitive grants for each of the next four years to support programs that sustain meaningful relationships between covered foster children and their incarcerated parents. Further, the legislation would enact policy improvements that complement mental health efforts and support trauma-responsive child welfare systems that promote healing.

This bill would expand by $10 million annually the Court Improvement Program, which is the only direct child welfare-related federal funding that state and tribal courts receive to manage children’s cases in court across the nation each year. The bill would put another $10 million annually for Regional Partnership Grants which address the intersection of parental substance use and child welfare involvement. The bill goes further by allocating more funding for tribal sovereign nations, reduces barriers to tribal participation in IV-B, and supports oversight of implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

We at OICA support the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act as an important step toward a modernized child welfare system that better supports children and families. Please reach out to Oklahoma’s two U.S. Senators – Sen. James Lankford and Sen. Markwayne Mullin – to ask them to support this legislation

Centennial of Indigenous Americans' Voting Rights

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:06:46 GMT

With National Voter Registration Day occurring on September 17, which is also Constitution Day, there has been much excitement geared around ensuring people are able to cast a vote, not only in the upcoming General Election on November 5, but also for every subsequent election held.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma’s voter turnout has been dismal the past several elections, ranking anywhere from 48th to 50th among states for percentage of voters submitting a ballot.

Some might ask, “What does this have to do with child advocacy?” When advocates work through the different levels of government, the officials who have been selected by this minority of registered voters are the ones who are deciding the policies.

I have been very fortunate to work with some great elected officials, often surprising me with just how solidly they have supported youth issues. One of the parts of my job at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) that I most enjoy is getting to work with officials to shape solutions to benefit Oklahoma’s children. Many officials have truly stepped up in times of need to provide better opportunities for youth.

Voting has not always been accessible to all Americans. White, property-owning males were the first legal voters in our newly formed nation. Then, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed by Congress on February 26, 1869, and ratified by the states on February 3, 1870, granted Black American men the right to vote.

It took nearly 50 years, but Congress passed on June 4, 1919, and the states ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Then, on June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to all Indigenous Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law. Until 1957, some states barred Indigenous Americans from voting.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, abolished all remaining deterrents to exercising the right to vote and authorized federal supervision of voter registration where necessary. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the act involving federal oversight of voting rules in nine states with histories of discrimination.

As 2024 is the 100th anniversary of federal voting rights for Indigenous Americans, OICA is working on a voter awareness project which will impact young Oklahomans. With permission from the Ben Harjo estate, we are using his “Warriors of Fire” print as the basis for a poster for each high school in Oklahoma, including the link for registering to vote online.

Ben was a personal friend and an avid voter, so his wife Barbara loved the idea of using this to encourage people to register. Thanks to generous support from the Cherokee Nation, we have the initial funding raised for the printing. If you would like to assist with this effort, you can go to oica.org to make a donation; for each $100 donated, the donor will receive a copy of the poster.

Additionally, OICA this week will kick off our “Chalk the Vote” efforts for educators in the upcoming General Election. We have gotten off to a late start with some staff changes in our office, so I am looking forward to announcing our new team members in a column soon.

I also want to note that on Monday, I celebrated my eighth anniversary working for OICA, and I was honored to attend the 94th birthday celebration of Melvin Moran on Saturday. We share September 18th as a birthday, but I am a few years behind him. Happy birthday, Melvin!

Advocacy Often Begins with Voting!

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:31:16 GMT

We are just about one week away from National Voter Registration Day, which is celebrated on September 17.

Voting is regarded as one of our Constitutional rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. It is the process which cumulatively allows us to select those who will represent us in elective office and to determine certain policies put before us on the ballot.

In Oklahoma, many organizations have chosen to promote nonpartisan voter awareness and registration. The Oklahoma Libraries Association (OLA) and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL), along with the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma (LVW), have put together tool kits to help groups promote the need to register and the right to vote. You can get the OLA/ODL toolkit at https://www.oklibs.org/news/681453/ODL-and-OLA-Partner-to-Equip-OK-Libraries-for-Voter-Registration-Drives.htm . The LVW link is https://my.lwv.org/league-women-voters-oklahoma .

Additionally, the Oklahoma Academy is dedicating their upcoming Town Hall to increasing voter turnout, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) operates Chalk the Vote, an effort to increase teacher turnout in voting. This can be found on OICA’s social media.

If you are not already registered, applications can be accepted at any time but must be received at least 25 days prior to an election to cast your vote. You can go to https://vote.gov/register/oklahoma to confirm your registration, but note, it is a felony to alter voter information to prevent someone from voting. One opportunity presented to those who are allowed to register to vote is to sign up online. Go to https://oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html to register .

All Voter Registration Applications – including those submitted online – are reviewed and manually processed by the County Election Board prior to approval. Once an application has been approved, the voter will receive by mail a Voter ID card confirming the registration, which is an allowable identification for use at polls. If an application is unable to be approved, the County Election Board will notify the applicant by mail.

Additionally, I want to highlight some voting rights extended to Oklahomans.

Pre-registration – Persons who are at least 17½ years old may pre-register to vote in Oklahoma if they meet all eligibility requirements but cannot vote until they turn 18 years old. This ensures that the Constitutional right to vote is allowed to those who will turn 18 on or right before Election Day.

Provisional voting – Any voter whose name does not appear in the precinct registry, does not show a valid ID, believes an error has been made regarding his or her party affiliation (for a primary election or subsequent runoff), or for other reasons allowed by law, may cast a provisional ballot. This is often the case with a person changing their name on a driver’s license but not updating the voter registration to reflect the new name. Once the verification occurs on the ability of the person to legally vote in the precinct where the ballot was cast, the vote will be added to each race total. In Oklahoma, provisional ballots are not counted if the voter casts a ballot in an incorrect precinct.

Felony conviction – A person convicted of a felony may register to vote when he or she has fully served his or her sentence of court-mandated calendar days, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court. A convicted felon who has been pardoned may register once a pardon has become official.

Questions regarding voter registration should be directed to your County Election Board, or the State Election Board at (405) 521-2391. I hope these tips will assist you with ensuring that you are registered and have the right to cast your vote on November 5 and every election following.

Reading is Fundamental to Academic, Career Success

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 13:06:01 GMT

It is back to school time for children of all ages across the United States. As children prepare for their academic year, one critical aspect is reading literacy. Reading is the fundamental key to academic and career success.

In studies delivered by the National Literacy Institute, on average, 79 percent of U.S. adults nationwide are literate, while 21 percent of adults in the US are considered illiterate. 54 percent of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20 percent are below 5th-grade level). Low levels of literacy cost the US up to $2.2 trillion per year in reduced productivity.

Different factors contribute to this metric, but certainly one gauge is our graduation rate. According to US News and World Report, in 2023 the average state graduation rate across 49 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (with Oklahoma being the only state to not submit data that year) was 79 percent in reviewing the 2021-2022 academic year, up two percentage points from the year prior.

Additionally, in 2022, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” showed that only 33% of

fourth graders and 31% of eighth graders scored at or above grade level in reading, with much of that learning loss coming from pandemic era school lessons taught virtually.

When do children usually learn to read? There is no single answer to this question, as reading skills can vary from child-to-child. However, according to the National Reading Panel (NRP), most children start reading at around 6 to 7 years old, while some children learn as early as 4 to 5 years old. Children as early as two years old have incredible brains that allow them to learn more and learn faster than they can when they are older, so reading to them begins this process at that earlier age.

I was thrilled to hear a Rotary program presented by an OKC Metro school superintendent highlighting her experiences and expectations for the school year with the issues facing children on the northeast side of the city, including early childhood literacy.

She shared a sign-chart from several years ago showing how few of her three-year-old students were able to write their names at the beginning of school compared to the end gains based on the support from the teachers.

Now, imagine the jumpstart to learning if these students came to school knowing simply how to properly write their own names, and it is not isolated with just this school. We expect much from students in school, but a great deal of their success depends on how much they learn at home. Parents who read to their children and provide learning opportunities are increasing the odds of preparing them for success in life.

Beyond that, we as a society also have grown to expect so much more out of our schools above educational attainment. A successful program offered by the state is placing social workers into school sites to assist with helping children and their families attain success through connecting access to programs which provide support systems, such as SNAP (food), help in filling out applications for driver’s licenses and other needed government documents, and even assisting with locating jobs.

If parents must spend less time trying to find ways to survive, they have more time to spend with their children, including reading to them. This helps break the cycle of illiteracy and provides a foundation for future success for graduation rates and educational attainment for children, and a better foundation of success for our entire nation.

Thank You, Dr. Shropshire, for Your Service

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:00:40 GMT

There are few constants in life, but change is one of those. Transformation can bring about levels of anxiety and hope, but we have to adapt to keep going or improve upon the situation.

When I received word that Dr. Deb Shropshire, the current Director for Oklahoma Human Services, will be leaving her role, I was saddened to learn of this impending change. I feel that she has done a tremendous job with the resources which have been provided and directives given to her by elected officials while balancing her administrative duties over the agency.

Deb and I first became acquainted when I began work at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy nearly eight years ago. In her role of leading Human Services’ Child Welfare Division, much of the work we both undertook often overlapped. I found her always willing to visit about policy, share ideas for improvements, and never dismissing anyone even when things did not fall under her scope of work.

When Governor Stitt appointed her as the new director of Human Services almost two years ago, I said it was “one of his best decisions as governor.” I stand by that today as she has navigated a very difficult job and brought forth many policies which have improved difficult systems of care, even when many policymakers, including the governor, have called for flat budgets and no increases.

Human Services has struggled with many tough cases in recent years, including child deaths. I firmly believe many of these problems could have been averted with the right resources provided by policymakers, including increased salaries and benefits for employees. If state agencies could hire enough workers and provide enhanced training for their staff, along with a smaller amount of caseloads, in turn having the ability to give more attention to these critical issues, we would see far fewer problems.

In addition, if Oklahomans would be vigilant and willing to “get involved” by reporting when they suspect a child is the victim of abuse or neglect, far fewer traumatic cases would rise to that level upon investigation by the state. Oklahoma has anonymous reporting for suspected abuse and neglect situations for the very reason as it is too difficult even to get people to “get involved,” like what we saw with the child death in Midwest City a few weeks ago. Yes, it might be a hassle if an investigation occurs and nothing is found to be wrong, but I, and I hope most others, believe it is better “to be safe than sorry” with concerns regarding children.

Over the past few weeks, Dr. Shropshire has been the focus of negative attention with a few lawmakers and other individuals tied to elected officials. Much of what has been called into question is outside the scope of her job, so I do not blame her if she finally had enough as her reason to leave. However, if she was forced out because someone had a politician’s ear, then it is a tragedy which will set a horrific precedent for the agency.

As we move forward, and a new individual will take over this role, I am trying to have hope that things will improve. I also know that I must do my part to help make this situation for a new director positive and ensure the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy contributes when help is needed for improvement for foster youth and the others served by this agency.

Solutions for the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice Catastrophe

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:36:02 GMT

In Tulsa, much attention over the past several months has been focused on the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice. More than 20 people have accused employees of sexually assaulting and harassing them while they were detained.

The allegations range from adults having sex with minors in detention to drugs being provided to these children. This would have continued if not for one whistleblower raising awareness of the crimes.

This tale rings far too familiar to similar circumstances that happened in the 1980s with the criminal activity that led to the “Terry D. Lawsuit” filed against the state of Oklahoma; the lawsuit which led to the creation of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA).

By all appearances, multiple failures occurred in procedures and policies designed to protect these youth. Instead of helping them on their way to overcoming issues that led them to allegedly becoming a risk to their community and themselves – the entire concept behind the term “juvenile justice” – most faced worse circumstances.

Oversight and the abilities of the employees have been a critical failure. Policies to ensure that these workers from the center performed their jobs and did not stray into illegal activity were easily ignored.

A solution which would have helped prevent this catastrophe would be to have a law in place to allow for easier monitoring by watchdog organizations from the state. Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, and Sen. John Haste, R-Tulsa, wisely authored HB 2313 in 2021. That measure would have modified the duties of the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO). The measure, had it been signed into law, required the OJSO to conduct inspections of privately operated children’s facilities not less than annually or as needed. OJSO needs access to all children and youth facilities to conduct site visits and speak with residents, not just those under the state.

OICA encourages lawmakers to take this legislation up again next session, and this time pass it into law to help prevent the tragedy in Tulsa or anywhere else in Oklahoma from ever happening again.

Other problems cited are the ability to pay workers adequately to attract a pool from which to select the most qualified staff, along with inadequate mental health programming provided for the youth. Resources must be sufficient from the city, county, and the state to alleviate these failures.

Additionally, the educational programs offered through Tulsa Public Schools need to be restructured. The Office of Juvenile Affairs operates a charter school for youth housed at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh to specifically focus on needs and a similar model should be considered for Tulsa. This would allow for specialized programs for addressing the many students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and keeping them up to speed for when they return to the classroom upon release.

To be even more proactive, efforts must be made to help prevent youth from even being led into harmful situations. The school-based social worker program operated by Oklahoma Human Services helps provide support for young people in public schools which provides helpful resources to survive. OICA would like to see at least one of these workers in every school building to help ensure children are receiving support services which will only enhance their learning and keep them out of trouble.

Additionally, finding ways to alleviate issues such as childhood hunger goes a long way to preventing negative outcomes.

People want to point at one specific person or policy, but by all appearances, this is more a collapse of the overall system on many fronts. I hope the ideas presented here will provide a roadmap to overcome the failure of this system.

Nominations Open for Child Advocacy Fall Awards

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:36:01 GMT

Nominate Someone Deserving at

https://www.oica.org/fall-award-nominations

During its annual donor appreciation luncheon slated for Nov. 21, 2024, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will announce winners of nine awards recognizing excellence in advocacy, public service, healthcare, education, and philanthropy for children, six of which will be in the first year for presentation.

Nominations from members of the public are now being accepted for these awards, which can be submitted on the organization’s website at http://oica.org . The nine awards are:

• The Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award,

• The Laura Choate Resilience Award,

• The Jasmine and Melvin Moran “Kidizenship” Award,

• The H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award,

• The Pat Potts Community Leader Award,

• The Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award,

• The Sandy Garrett Educator Award,

• The Jon Hansen Public Servant Award, and

• The Dr. Dwight Sublett Healthcare Award.

Prior to this year, OICA presented three awards to honorees during their Fall Forum conference. These awards recognized child advocates who worked behind the scenes, overcame a childhood of trauma to help others, and to honor young Oklahomans who either built up an exceptional program to help their peers or created their own mission. These awards are named after individuals close to the OICA mission.

To read more about each person for whom all the awards are named and see previous winners for past awards or to see information about other awards presented, please visit the OICA website under the awards section.

The Board of Directors for OICA expanded the number of awards to be given to represent different areas of the community in fields which they felt did not already have recognition for child advocacy.

“The six additional 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 the organization. “By expanding the number of awards, we hope to bring attention to the wonderful advocates who are selected, and hopefully provide further encouragement for Oklahomans to do good acts which benefit our children.”

H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt is 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 has 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.

Pat Potts, along with her late husband Ray, co-founded the Potts Family Foundation and she also co-founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits where she served as president and CEO for 20 years. Pat’s focus has always been 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 outside of their profession who has done something exceptional to benefit children.

Dr. Dwight Sublett was the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter for a number of 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.

Dorman stated 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 Monday, Sept. 30. Award winners will be announced at the luncheon following OICA’s annual Fall Forum, a conference where advocates and state officials come together to learn how to 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.

Fighting Childhood Hunger Should Be a Top Priority for All Levels of Government

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 18:50:50 GMT

UPDATE - ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, OICA AND SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED WORD THAT GOVERNOR STITT WOULD AGAIN DECLINE TO ENROLL OKLAHOMA IN THE PROGRAM FOR SUMMER 2025. THAT MEANS OKLAHOMA FAMILIES WILL BE DENIED $48 MILLION IN FUNDS THAT WOULD HAVE GONE DIRECTLY TO THEM FOR CHILD NUTRITION. OUR CEO'S COLUMN BELOW OUTLINES HOW DEVASTATING THAT DECISION WILL BE. YOU CAN READ THE LETTER THAT OICA CEO JOE DORMAN SENT TO THE GOVERNOR BY CLICKING THE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

As a number of school districts move to make meals free for students, now is a perfect time to address the larger issue of childhood hunger.

The facts show childhood hunger is a real problem across Oklahoma, and we at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) applaud the school districts stepping up to fight it with free meals for all students.

This positive move by some districts puts into specific relief the issue of summertime child hunger when most schools do not offer meals. One answer is Summer EBT, which Oklahoma turned down for this last summer.

The deadline for Oklahoma to sign up for Summer 2025 EBT funding is this very Thursday, August 15. This would bring back from Washington about $48 million of our federal tax dollars direct to families to help feed hungry children. Hunger Free Oklahoma reports Oklahoma has about 403,000 children eligible to receive the Summer EBT benefit.

Now, some school districts and nonprofits are able to provide summer lunches. However, only 4.3 out of every 100 eligible children in Oklahoma participated in Summer Meals programs in 2023. This is because most schools do not operate their cafeterias during those months and the nonprofit sector is simply not able to reach these children, especially in the rural areas.

That is why the Summer EBT benefit is so important. Our neighboring state of Arkansas accepted the money for this year. Alabama, who – like Oklahoma – turned down the money in 2024 has already accepted the funding for 2025.

We encourage Oklahoma leaders to follow suit and join in with this program to help feed hungry children in our state.

Another feeding program, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), is an alternative to household applications for free and reduced-price meals in local educational agencies and schools in high-poverty areas. A new guideline implemented last September expanded the number of districts that can apply for funds to provide free meals.

Unfortunately, not all Oklahoma school districts that qualify will seek this support for their students. You can go to https://tinyurl.com/CEPSpreadSheet to see if your school district qualifies and if they currently operate this program. While it is too late for this current school year, the deadline to apply for next year is April 1, so school boards and administrators should start reviewing this now.

CEP – and all models for providing healthy school meals for all at no cost – is often a win-win for schools, kids, families, and communities, providing many benefits, including:

Lowering food costs for families.
Increasing food and nutrition security.
Eliminating school meal debt.
Increasing student participation in school breakfast and lunch programs.
Saving time by simplifying program operations for hardworking school nutrition staff.

Eligible schools and local education agencies must consider their ability to provide meals at no cost and cover their operating costs with this federal assistance and any other available funds, including state and/or local funds, if available.

Additionally, the federal Agriculture Department (USDA) supports expanded access to healthy school meals by offering extensive financial support for schools

Even so, it is not enough. The Summer EBT, pumping $48 million dollars into families’ pockets and local economies across the state, is the best step to ensure many of Oklahoma’s children do not needlessly suffer from the pain of hunger.

We at OICA implore the state leaders to accept the return of our tax dollars for children’s meals and ask each of you to reach out to school leaders in your communities and state policymakers to ensure we do everything possible to ease childhood hunger.

Many Good Legislative Studies, but a Few are Concerning

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:43:29 GMT

The legislative interim studies have been approved by both chambers, so the meetings are now being scheduled for hearings. Interim studies are hearings requested by lawmakers and approved by the leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate.

Committees to which studies are assigned may conduct hearings before November to review topics which might become legislation or further examine issues that have been considered in the past and may be again. Due to the number of studies, we have only listed a few which we will follow or play a part in the conversation.

In the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Greg Treat approved 39 studies. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is very happy with most which were requested.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is looking at cell phones being allowed in schools. Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, wants to study youth vaping, pregnancy care, and school voucher programs. Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, is looking at social media regulations for protecting children, and Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, is looking at policies to help decrease poverty in Oklahoma.

OICA will also be monitoring a study requested by Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Lawton, which seeks to study “Harm related to increasingly expansive school-based health care” and report back on the findings of the study. While health care should primarily be a parental responsibility, far too many children in Oklahoma are facing health disparities. We are interested to see what suggestions this study will encourage.

To look at the entire list of Senate studies, go to https://oksenate.gov/publications/senate-interim-studies?Interim-Study-Year=2024 and you can also read the presentation and report filed following the study at this link.

In the House of Representatives, Speaker Charles McCall approved all 114 studies requested by members, something which does not usually happen.

Reps. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton and Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, will study school safety and bullying prevention. Reps. Pae and Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, will look at increasing school-based Medicaid reimbursements for children experiencing health disparities in Oklahoma schools.

Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, will study the lack of childcare in our state and if it is an impediment to economic growth and sustainability. Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, will study the impact and implementation of inclusive education and parental participations, along with improving family outcomes through school-based social work in Oklahoma, a request from OICA to look at a successful Oklahoma Human Services program.

Representative Pae also wants to review findings from grant work being done by The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) in relation to ways to reduce the number of youths entering foster care and ways to increase home-based placement over placing children in certain group settings. OICA has been working with TEEM on this project and we certainly appreciate Representative Pae’s willingness to review the work being done.

While a few filed studies are questionable for positive benefits for youth, there is truly only one House interim study which gravely concerns OICA. That is the study Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, filed in response to the debate on whether corporal punishment should be used on special needs children in schools. He has filed a study to review “the effectiveness of properly administered corporal punishment.”

OICA will certainly follow this study and what is promoted by Representative Olsen. I personally have fears this will turn into yet another national embarrassment for our state.

For a full list of House studies, you can go to https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx .

If you are interested in a specific study, please contact the lawmaker who requested the issue and ask them to alert you when the study will be conducted.

Registration Closes Wednesday for Inaugural Advocacy Boot Camp

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 20:19:44 GMT

Registration for the inaugural Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Advocacy Boot Camp will close on Wed., July 31 at 5 p.m. CDT.

The year-long program will focus on making those interested in being a voice for children even more effective, said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

“Oklahoma’s children need for adults to be their collective voice when it comes to both advocating and leading,” he said. “The Advocacy Boot Camp, or ‘ABC,’ is a great way for today’s child advocates to learn to be more effective and make a difference immediately.”

The Advocacy Boot Camp is a spin-off of a program operated by OICA from 1995 to 2010 called the Kids Count Leadership Program. Several inaugural sponsors participated in this original program and have generously made it possible for the cost to attend ABC to be reduced for participants. Among those sponsors are Potts Family Foundation, Sarkeys Foundation, Paycom, AT&T, Centene Corporation, and EdChoice.

“We are incredibly grateful to the initial sponsors for their investment in a brighter future for Oklahoma’s children,” Dorman concluded. “We certainly would welcome assistance from other organizations and businesses to sponsor and have employees attend, and we anticipate some will cover the tuition for their own employees to be in the inaugural class.”

According to Renee Herrman, OICA’s program director, the seven-session program will provide coursework on how participants can be stronger advocates on key issues relating to children, and possibly be candidates for office someday. “This will be the primary goal of the ABC,” she said.

The sessions will be held in several state locations, including Sequoyah State Park in September, Lawton in October, Oklahoma City in November and January 2025, Stillwater in April, and Tulsa in May. The final session will overlap with the incoming class for the next year.

Among the topics which participants will study will be the dangers of toxic trauma and how to protect children, support services for youth and families, the legislative process including how to communicate effectively with policymakers, overcoming the digital divide in our state through technology, and how to better utilize the resources already in place to improve children’s lives. Various aspects of Oklahoma will also be covered, such as rural versus urban issues, the impact of sovereign nations on their regions of Oklahoma, how the military connects with communities for youth, and what many local nonprofits are doing to support better opportunities for children.

“This inaugural class will be the next generation of policy leaders,” Dorman said. “Trained advocates will leave with 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 possibly even run for an elective office.”

The cost to apply for the program is $50, and for those accepted that money goes towards your registration fee of $500. These events will be multi-day events with hotels and food included for the entirety of the event over multiple months. There are limited spaces available. To register for OICA’s inaugural Advocacy Boot Camp, go to https://www.oica.org/abc .

Heroes Ball: "...and a Good Time Was Had by All"

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:18:56 GMT

Matt Sandmann (center) of Sandmann Auction Group poses with his team and several cosplayers at OICA’s Heroes Ball held Saturday, July 27 at the First American’s Museum in Oklahoma City. Sandmann was the evening’s auctioneer, his third time to help raise money for OICA. (Courtesy Photo)

Last Saturday, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our eighth annual Heroes Ball. This event recognizes champions for children as selected by our board of directors. We were so thankful to have the opportunity to honor the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Barry Switzer, OU gymnast Maggie Nichols, and former speakers of the House Steve Lewis and Kris Steele.

We were also pleased to announce our Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Child Advocacy winners. The individual award winner was Mary Beth Talley, an early childhood educator from Stillwater who was nominated as a representative of all teachers in our state. The organizational award winner was The Anna’s House Foundation, an Edmond-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide immediate, stable, and loving homes for Oklahoma's children in state custody.

At the event, we also paid tribute to nine child advocates who passed over the last year:

Daniel Billingsley – Dan was a stalwart employee of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits who then opened his own consulting firm to assist the sector. Dan also served on the OICA Advocacy Committee.
Cathy Cummings – An Oklahoma City restaurateur who joined the political world by running for Oklahoma’s Lieutenant Governor, and then serving as the Mayor of the Village. Cathy donated time and resources to many worthy organizations.
Alana Hughes – A Tulsa-based advocate, Alana worked for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and was a champion for passage of High Quality Legal Representation in Oklahoma to assist families struggling for rights in the legal system. Alana was an OICA board member.
Toby Keith – A world-renowned musician from Moore, Oklahoma. Toby created the Toby Keith Foundation, which spearheaded the Kids Korral, a place for families to live during the time their children are battling cancer while at the Stephenson Cancer Center.
Lou Kerr – An Oklahoma City philanthropist who not only distributed necessary contributions to wonderful causes, but Lou also served on numerous boards and commissions to improve conditions for all Oklahomans. Lou was also a very active Rotarian and worked to improve Oklahoma’s opportunities with the state film commission.
George Krumme – Living to the age of 101, Mr. Krumme passed recently and will leave a tremendous void with his work. Anyone who watches OETA will likely have seen the Krumme Oil sponsorship attached to much of their program. George made sure Tulsa and the rest of the state had resources to encourage young people to register to vote and was a major sponsor of OICA’s Kid Governor® program.
Barbara Loring – The loving wife of our former board member Ben Loring, Barbara was a tremendous childhood advocate for youth in Miami, Oklahoma and beyond. Serving as a special education teacher and being selected as the local teacher of the year in 2010, Barbara dedicated countless hours to local youth nonprofits serving children with special needs.
Ray Potts – Ray and his wife Pat will certainly be recognized as the duo who created the Potts Family Foundation, but this Oklahoma City-based oil and gas leader also served for eight years as a member of the Oklahoma State Board of Education and State Board of Vocational-Technical Education.
Dr. Dwight Sublett – This doctor from Blanchard made a tremendous mark on youth access to health through his career. Dwight served as the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter for a number of years. He also was a vocal advocate for health issues during the pandemic and was part of an OICA effort championing youth access to health insurance.

Thank you to the more than 430 advocates who attended our banquet, the youth who were a part of our Sidekicks Ball, and the honorees for their work. Oklahoma owes each of you a debt of gratitude.

Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Your Hands

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:16:35 GMT

The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Award celebrates an individual and an organization serving youth in our state. It is named for the longest serving executive director for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). Please go to our website https://www.oica.org and vote for your favorites until Saturday afternoon!

Here are the nominees:

Sarah Herrian – As the director for the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma, Sarah’s passion for her work helping foster children and their foster families is lifechanging.
A Jaye Johnson – A Jaye is the VP at the Boys and Girls of Oklahoma County and acts as a mentor for children that have no father figure in their life.
Te’Ata Loper - As the founding executive director of the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association, Te’Ata has over 20 years of experience shaping impactful programs and policies.
Shelby Lynch - Shelby Lynch has been the Director of Education at The CARE Center and has spearheaded the nonprofit’s vision to end child abuse in Oklahoma County through prevention education.
Pamela Neeley -Pam works with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc., providing civil legal assistance to low-income persons throughout Oklahoma, works in Kid Space, and represents and helps many families across Oklahoma with pro bono services.
Mary Beth Talley - Mary Beth has taught for 18 years and is but one of the many early childhood educators in OK who deserve recognition, and her award would be symbolic for all educators in our state.
Angels Foster Family Network has been fighting for better policies, procedures, and outcomes for children in foster care since 2008. Their model of care is unique in that we only place one child or sibling group per family so that we can help create strong trust, bonding and healing for children and families.
Anna’s House Foundation is a faith-based organization whose mission is to provide immediate, stable, and loving homes for Oklahoma's children in state custody, offering a future of hope and faith to foster children and foster families by providing housing, support, training, and resources in a Christian community setting.
The Comeback Kid Society is a nonprofit that teaches young people of all ages that are at high risk for incarceration. The organization meets kids in every component of where they are at: Juvenile Detention centers, treatment centers, schools, foster home, and group home facilities.
The Demand Project fights child trafficking in Oklahoma. From rescuing children from trafficking situations to working with legislators to tighten child pornography laws, they are making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.
Parent Promise has helped more than 7,500 Oklahoma families develop loving and nurturing homes where children can flourish into healthy adults since its inception in 1988. They collaborate one-on-one with parents to provide resources and guidance through free, voluntary programs administered by child development professionals.
Peaceful Family Oklahoma has provided care to children living with addiction in their homes, usually one or both parents, and sometimes a sibling for 10 years. Based on the same therapeutic model used for children at the Betty Ford clinics, PFO provides a free program that helps children understand the addiction is not their fault, that their job is to be a kid, and that it is OK to love the person but not the addiction.
The Toby Keith Foundation encourages the health and happiness of pediatric cancer patients and to support OK Kids Korral, a home for children battling cancer. The Toby Keith Foundation has been helping children with cancer since 2006 and has streamlined its efforts around no-cost housing for children with cancer.

These individuals and organizations are wonderful Oklahomans doing very important work. OICA is proud to celebrate each!

Preventing Shootings Takes More than "Thoughts and Prayers"

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:27:03 GMT

On Saturday, the world stopped as we saw the images of an assassination attempt on the life of a former President who is running for that office once again.

Former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped serious injury or even death by mere millimeters when a bullet went by his head, leaving a nick in his right ear, leading to a bloody image captured by media as Secret Service agents took him to safety.

Two spectators at the rally in Pennsylvania were critically injured, while a former fire chief from the area, Corey Comperatore, was killed as he shielded his family from the attack. I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to each who was impacted by this terroristic act.

There are certain memories which spark a “where were you then” moment, no matter what age you are. On March 30, 1981, I was sitting in a classroom when news traveled around the school that newly elected President Reagan had been shot. As he was leaving a meeting, John Hinckley, Jr. fired at the President and his security team. Reagan was wounded, along with Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy, and policeman Thomas Delahanty.

The would-be assassin got off six shots in 1.7 seconds. It was discovered that Hinckley was suffering from severe mental illness, compounded by a lack of sleep and the effects of medication, on the day he shot President Reagan. To this day, I still remember my shock and sadness as a 10-year-old that this could happen.

We still do not know much about the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, or why he did this. Reports say he was a high school graduate, a registered Republican who had donated $15 to a liberal group during his high school years and was an enthusiast of shooting sports. In strange irony, he had tried out for the school’s rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shooter. In an interview with another student at the time, Jason Kohler, he said that Crooks was bullied in school. He sat alone at lunch time and other students mocked him for the clothes he wore, which included hunting outfits.

I do not say any of this to build any sympathy for him, but facts need to be known to find ways to prevent future such attacks. Unfortunately, his tale sounds too familiar when compared to other shooters over the past two decades who had similar stories – bullying, mental health concerns, and isolation.

Following this, I fear for our nation and what might lie ahead. Just like every other similar situation, people will point to a variety of responses, such as mental health program expansion, improved school counseling services, changes in gun laws, increased security standards and many other points. The problem is that nothing substantial ever seems to happen.

“Lone wolf” shootings have become so commonplace in our society, that now it seems most officials respond with a statement for “thoughts and prayers” for the victims, and then nothing else.

It is time for that to change. I hope that following this, voters will demand that politicians at all levels call for real and substantial support services to help lessen the risk of emotional issues escalating with young Americans, and this time officials deliver on it. Prevention standards need to be seriously reviewed and resources adequately delivered to schools and families in need.

Many other actions obviously also need to happen, but this is a starting place. I hope in November, whoever wins in whatever office, that this shooting serves as more than just a footnote in history, but instead a rallying cry for preventive support services for all ages.

OICA CEO Statement on Shooting at Trump Rally

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 01:51:58 GMT

Joe Dorman, chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA, released the following statement following the shooting at the rally for former President Donald Trump:

“We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy are horrified at the shooting at the rally for former President Trump. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the former president, and to the family of the spectator whose life was lost as well as those who were injured during this ghastly attack.

“There is no place for political violence in this nation, and condemnation of this heinous act should be universal.

“Finally, we are deeply grateful the former president is safe, and his injuries appear minor. We are thankful for the Secret Service and law enforcement who neutralized the shooter and secured the scene. We wish to extend heartfelt condolences to the family of the spectator who passed, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. No person in this nation should fear a terroristic act at a peaceful assembly.”

OICA CEO Statement on Latest Accidental Shooting in Oklahoma

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 13:18:51 GMT

Joe Dorman, chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), released the following statement following yet another accidental shooting of an Oklahoma child by another child who found a gun:

“First, we are incredibly grateful the injuries in this instance were not life-threatening. Sadly, however, we continue to see stories like this, where one child accidentally shoots another. Far too often are the results not as positive.

“The real tragedy is that these are wholly preventable incidents. A gun lock would have prevented a child from discharging a weapon they find.

“A few years ago, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy sought and received a grant from the National Shooting Sports Federation to provide free gun locks. We still have a supply and are happy to share these gun locks with Oklahoma families who want to safeguard their firearms.

“We will continue to advocate the use of gun locks when children are in the home so that tragedies like this can be avoided

We Can Stop Child Maltreatment, It Just Takes Vigilance

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:13:32 GMT

Child abuse and neglect – otherwise known as maltreatment – should not just be a grave concern; it should be a call to action for every person to do what they can to help those youngest among us.

Child abuse and neglect are associated with physical injuries, psychological issues, and in the most extreme cases, death. Statistics from the federal Administration for Children & Families, Child Trends, and the last annual Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) report are telling.

Nationwide, the federal Administration for Children & Families reports an estimated 1,990 children died from abuse and neglect in FY 2022. Incidents increased across the 50 states over a five-year period.

Looking at Oklahoma cases, there were 42 child fatalities in 2020 attributed to maltreatment, with 15 counted the following year. Oklahoma had a rate of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 children, with the national average listed at 2.4. Some might say that comparison is positive; however, we all should agree that any child death due to maltreatment is horrific.

Child maltreatment was perpetrated 80 percent of the time by parents and 20 percent by non-parents. Non-parents are often not strangers; they are often people dating a parent, someone in the family, or even a trusted adult through some connection.

According to OHS, there are five types of findings with investigations.

Substantiated findings would show the investigation determined there was abuse or neglect.
Unsubstantiated findings show a lack of evidence of abuse and neglect.
A finding ruled out has determined that no abuse or neglect has occurred.
A finding of failure to cooperate means the person responsible for the child’s health, safety and well-being does not cooperate in an assessment or investigation.
Finally, a finding of reasonable parental discipline means the person being assessed or investigated used ordinary force and age-appropriate discipline. This results in an expungement of the records.

In their most recent annual report, OHS had 33,603 investigations into maltreatment assigned, with 58,972 child victims involved; the difference in numbers is due to multiple children being many of the homes. Of those, 14,273 were substantiated; 36,542 were unsubstantiated; 2,237 were ruled out; 4,237 listed as failure to cooperate; 1,678 recorded as unable to locate; and the five remaining were not listed in any of the categories.

Over the FY 2021 data reviewed by Child Trends, the number of child victims who received post response treatment in Oklahoma was 12,669, or 88 percent. The number of non-victims receiving services was 34,203, or 71 percent. It should be noted that the numbers for victims and non-victims can be duplicate counts; a child is counted each time that a Child Protective Services (CPS) response is completed, and services are provided.

This data includes 26 types of services, including but not limited to adoption, foster care, family preservation, mental health, and substance abuse. For these Oklahoma children entering foster care, 3,151, or 22 percent, were substantiated victims of child maltreatment and 1,290 (3 percent) were not victims of maltreatment. Current rates for state support of traditional foster care are:

Age 0 to 5: $17.72.
Age 6 to 12: $20.42.
Age 13+: $22.62.

Rates go up for support with therapeutic foster care (TFC) for children 3-18 with specific needs. That amount is $19.76 per day due to intensive therapy needs.

If you suspect a child is being abused, or if you are a victim and reading this, please call the statewide abuse and neglect hotline at 1-800-522-3511. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent for a child, please go to https://okfosters.org/foster-care/apply-now/ to learn more. We need more good people who can help these children in need.

Heroes Ball Set for July 27

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:11:56 GMT

Choctaw Nation, Coach Switzer Among Announced Honorees

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will hold its annual Heroes Ball on July 27 beginning at 6 p.m. at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.

The event honors the state’s “Heroes for Children,” including advocates, activists, public servants, and organizations.

"Our Heroes Ball has become an important summer ritual for Oklahoma’s child advocates,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “It is not only our chance to honor the state’s top heroes for children while giving us all a chance to gather in a gala event, but it also is OICA’s most important fundraiser.”

Among the awards presented are the Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement Award; the Jay Scott Brown Individual Advocate of the Year; the Henry Bellmon and Laura Boyd Public Servant awards; as well as the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Child Advocacy for both an individual and organization.

The Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Barry Switzer. I am certain each of you will recognize him as the former football coach for the University of Oklahoma and the Dallas Cowboys. What you might not know is that he has been the honorary coach for Special Olympics Oklahoma for more than four decades and continues to do many good works that benefit young people. For this, our board felt he was very deserving of this recognition.

For the OICA Organizational Child Advocate of the Year, we selected the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. From their deep roots in southeastern Oklahoma, this sovereign nation has had a tremendous impact on providing support for not only the young citizens of their nation, but also to all children who fall within their lands. This year, with the release of “Echo,” a Marvel Comics television series, increased recognition for recognizing the culture of their people and of all sovereign nations has been enhanced.

With the Jay Scott Brown Individual Advocate of the Year, former OU and Olympic gymnast Maggie Nichols was chosen. As an Olympian, Maggie faced sexual assault by the organizations team doctor, Larry Nassar, and showed great courage in reporting him. Her book “Unstoppable!: My Journey from World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond” showcases the need for raising awareness and helping others to have the courage to come forward and report crimes against young people.

The Henry Bellmon Public Servant Award, given to a formerly elected Republican official who has continued to do good work for children, and the Laura Boyd Public Servant Award, which recognizes a Democrat with the same criteria. Those awards will be given to former House Speaker Kris Steele and former House Speaker Steven Lewis.

OICA also takes nominations from the public for our people’s choice award for individuals and advocates. Named after our longest serving executive director, Anne Roberts has continued working to increase opportunities for young people. Our board of directors takes the nominees and narrows them down to finalists. Those are then put out for a public vote, with attendees to our Heroes Ball receiving paper ballots to cast one last round of votes. Each year, the selection has come down to that final vote in at least one category. Voting is now open at https://www.oica.org under “Awards.”

The finalists for the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Child Advocacy for 2024 are, in the individual category: Sarah Herrian, A Jaye Johnson, Te’Ata Loper, Shelby Lynch, Pamela Neeley, and Mary Beth Talley. The finalists in the organization category are Angels Foster Family Network, Anna’s House Foundation, the Comeback Kid Society, the Demand Project, Parent Promise, Peaceful Family Oklahoma, and the Toby Keith Foundation.

Dorman concluded by saying tickets are going fast for the event, with fewer than 100 remaining. “We encourage everyone to get their tickets quickly before they are gone,” he said. “To get tickets, a full table, or even a sponsorship for the event, simply go to https://www.oica.org and click on ‘Events’ to see the options available.

“We hope to see you there!”

It's Heroes Ball Month! Join Us to Honor Heroes for Children

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:53:48 GMT

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds a gala to celebrate our state’s champions for children. At this event, we recognize those whose good works have provided a significant benefit for the youth of Oklahoma. This year, our award winners will be celebrated in several categories.

With the Jay Scott Brown Individual Advocate of the Year, former OU and Olympic gymnast Maggie Nichols was chosen. This award is named after our former board president who dedicated his life to helping at-risk youth. As an Olympian, Maggie faced sexual assault by the organizations team doctor, Larry Nassar. For Maggie’s courage to report him and help those many others to find their voice who were also assaulted by Nassar, she is certainly deserving of this honor. Her book “Unstoppable!: My Journey from World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond” showcases the need for raising awareness and helping others to have the courage to come forward and report crimes against young people.

We also present two other awards, the Henry Bellmon Public Servant Award, given to a formerly elected Republican official who has continued to do good work for children, and the Laura Boyd Public Servant Award, which recognizes a Democrat with the same criteria. Those awards will be given to former House Speaker Kris Steele and former House Speaker Steven Lewis.

OICA also takes nominations from the public for our people’s choice award for individuals and advocates. Named after our longest serving executive director, Anne Roberts has continued working to increase opportunities for young people. Our board of directors takes the nominees and narrows them down to finalists. Those are then put out for a public vote, with attendees to our Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 27 receiving a paper ballot to cast one last round of votes. Each year, the selection has come down to that final vote in at least one category.

Here are finalists for the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Child Advocacy for 2024:

Individual: Sarah Herrian, Ajaye Johnson, Te’Ata Loper, Shelby Lynch, Pamela Neeley, and Mary Beth Talley.

Organizational: Angels Foster Family Network, Anna’s House Foundation, the Comeback Kid Society, the Demand Project, Parent Promise, Peaceful Family Oklahoma, and the Toby Keith Foundation.

You can go to our website at https://www.oica.org/ and choose “Awards” to vote for your choices daily for each category. In the coming two weeks, I will highlight the work of each of these individuals and organizations. Their information will also be published on each of our social media channels to raise awareness about the excellent work done by each. We hope you will be able to join us for the Heroes Ball to help recognize each of these champions for children.

Registration Open for OICA’s Highly Anticipated Advocacy Boot Camp

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:46:51 GMT

In the works for a year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has announced that registration is now open for its inaugural Advocacy Boot Camp.

The year-long program will focus on making those interested in being a voice for children even more effective, said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.

“Oklahoma’s children need for adults to be their collective voice, both when it comes to advocating and voting,” he said. “The Advocacy Boot Camp, or ‘ABC,’ is a great way for today’s child advocates to learn to be more effective and make a difference immediately.”

The Advocacy Boot Camp is a spin-off of a program operated by OICA from 1995 to 2010 called the Kids Count Leadership Program. Several inaugural sponsors participated in this original program and have made it possible for the cost to attend ABC to be reduced for participants. Among those sponsors are Potts Family Foundation, Sarkeys Foundation, Paycom, AT&T, Centene Corporation, and EdChoice.

According to Renee Herrman, OICA’s program director, the seven-session program will provide coursework on how participants can be stronger advocates on key issues relating to children. “This will be the primary goal of the ABC,” she said.

The sessions will be held in several state locations, including Sequoyah State Park in September, Lawton in October, Oklahoma City in November and January 2025, Stillwater in April, and Tulsa in May.

Among the topics which participants will study will be the dangers of toxic trauma and how to protect children, support services for youth and families, the legislative process including how to communicate effectively with policymakers, and how to better utilize the resources already in place to improve children’s lives.

Similar to the Leadership Oklahoma program, members of this inaugural class will learn leadership skills and then put that knowledge to work by mentoring the subsequent class of the Advocacy Boot Camp.

“The connections developed statewide will allow participants to learn a myriad of advocacy tips, and how to effectively work for better laws,” Dorman said, himself a former state legislator. “The most important lesson they will learn though is that one does not have to be an elected official to be an effective advocate for Oklahoma’s children.”

OICA is partnering with the Potts Family Foundation to have Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest-serving executive director, lead much of the advocacy training for the program.

“Anne is a legend in child advocacy in Oklahoma,” Dorman said. “Her knowledge and experience will give the inaugural class unmatched insight into the litany of challenges Oklahoma’s children face.

In addition to their mentor role, each class member will be tasked with returning to their community to serve in a leadership role with a youth nonprofit organization to help in elevating that organization’s work. “A saying that I have tried to set as a standard is that in public service, one goal should be to ‘leave the woodpile just a little bit higher than you found it’ during your life,” said Dorman. “I know each of these people who are interested in this program also live by that, but we want to give them the tools through ABC they will need to do the job even better.”

“Jumping the Shark” as Bad in Politics as on TV

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:20:40 GMT

Growing up as a child in the 1970s, I enjoyed my fair share of television shows. One of my favorites was “Happy Days,” celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

“Happy Days” starred Ron Howard, a Duncan native, who played Richie Cunningham. The show followed the Cunningham family and friends, one of whom was Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli. Fonzie epitomized coolness for his teenage neighbor, and a lot of kids like me.

In Season 5, a three-part episode included a plot where Fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis. The term “jumping the shark” came to mean any creative work that is out of ideas and relies on extreme exaggeration.

Oklahomans saw many candidates “jump the shark” with their campaign literature and promises this year. People running for office made extreme overstatements on how bad their opponents are, or they promised policies that simply cannot happen without drastic changes. The side effect of this type of campaigning discourages many middle-of-the-road, or moderate, Americans – frustrated with the extremist rhetoric – from even voting.

As evidence, only 20 to 25 percent of registered Republican voters bothered to vote, with the only statewide race garnering just over 237,000 total votes. Democrats had no statewide elections, so turnout was even more sparse with just local races occurring. Expect the turnout percentage to be even less in the August 27 runoff elections.

What is dangerous about the campaign rhetoric is that the candidates want to appeal to the few they know will show up, moving policies farther to the extreme positions. Case in point, you will hear much about rejecting federal funds for operating government services, and you will also hear candidates want to cut taxes.

Our state government runs on a finite amount of money based upon our state tax collections. Some of those programs receive matching funds from federal taxes collected, including education/schools, children’s support services, road building, and health care programs, with the latter sometimes getting a seven-to-one match from federal appropriations.

If federal funds are rejected, the state must either drastically cut services or raise state taxes to pay for those programs. Here is the kicker, those federal funds many candidates say they do not want…that is our money, taxes we have paid to the federal government. If we do not accept them, you can bet some other state will.

One example is the rejection by the state of funds to provide food support in the summer for children who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. The nonprofit sector is simply cannot meet the demand of hungry children, so the Legislature allocated more than $8 million of state money to assist with needs this year, a much-needed boost, and thank you to the state lawmakers who did that.

That $8 million of state dollars is only a fraction of the $42 million in federal matching dollars that was turned away. That difference of $36 million was taken from Oklahoma families who would have spent it in local grocery stores, making it an even bigger boost to our economy. Instead, it went to other states’ children.

Be wary of the rhetoric when it starts back up in August and again for November 5, the General Election; do not fall for exaggerations, and certainly do not sit out by not voting.

Voters need to elect reasonable, rational candidates who will vote on policies for the best interest of Oklahomans, and especially for children who cannot vote for themselves. If a candidate is going to “jump the shark” with their campaign promises, do you really want them to make decisions all Oklahomans?

Child Advocacy Group Rates Lawmakers’ Performance

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 22:44:51 GMT

2024 Valedictorians and Salutatorian Named

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) examines the voting records of members of the Oklahoma Legislature to determine how child-friendly each lawmaker’s record is.

“Our hope with this annual report is to help Oklahomans be aware of how their lawmakers are voting at the State Capitol,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO and himself a former state representative. “The Children’s Legislative Scorecard goes back over two decades and is the premier means by which lawmakers are evaluated on children’s issues, and it is our honor to make it available to Oklahomans and the news media.”

Valedictorians with a perfect score of 105 from the state Senate are Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City; Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa; Grant Green, R-Wellston; Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City; Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond; and Darrell Weaver, R-Moore.

Valedictorians with the same score from the state House of Representatives are Bob Ed Culver, R-Tahlequah; Collin Duel, R-Guthrie; Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin; Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City; Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa; Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh; Preston Stinson, R- Edmond; John Talley, R-Stillwater; and Danny Williams, R-Seminole.

Senator Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City is the lone salutatorian with a score of 104.

In total, with the five bonus points given for authoring a positive child-related policy, 37 lawmakers received a score of 100 or better. Additional points were also provided to members of the Senate and House presiding officers, minority leaders, majority floor leaders, and appropriations chairs and vice-chairs.

Absences were forgiven for two lawmakers due to extenuating circumstances involving their children. Representative Stinson was caring for a sick child during many votes, and Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton missed some votes due to the birth of his child. OICA has supported parental leave legislation for Oklahomans and in that circumstance, the organization felt it was only just to apply that for these understandable absences. Members of leadership got credit for missed votes when they were out of the chambers due to their responsibilities.

The full scorecard, with lawmakers’ ranks, can be found at https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources . Also available is a color-coded chart showing lawmakers’ votes on the bills that were scored, giving voters a chance to see how the scores were developed.

Dorman concluded by noting that even though the 2024 session just adjourned, OICA is already working with lawmakers for next year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature, requesting interim studies on critical children’s issues, and providing voters with the results of a candidate survey to gauge where those seeking seat the Legislature stand on children’s issues. That survey is also available on OICA’s website.

“Our work never ends,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and from all areas of the state to improve the lives of our state’s children. Working together, we will continue to make progress for our state’s most valuable resource, our children.”

Honoring Retiring Lawmakers and Scoring Them All

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:30:11 GMT

Last week, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) announced our 2024 Children’s Legislators of the Year. The work of Sens. Brenda Stanley, Jo Anna Dossett, and Dave Rader, along with Reps. Forrest Bennett, Jeff Boatman, and John Talley did not go unnoticed, and we certainly appreciate their work.

OICA also recognizes retiring lawmakers who have been champions for children. Our 2024 Senate recognitions are Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-OKC; Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-OKC; and Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa. Each has reached their constitutional limit of service in the Legislature, and each has done tremendous work with youth issues.

House retirees leaving due to term limits or by choice we selected for honors are Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon; Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore; and Rep. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan. Each has improved opportunities for children through their lawmaking efforts, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for these public servants.

We would also like to send well-wishes to Speaker Charles McCall and House Floor Leader Jon Echols as they term out, each setting records for length of service in those leadership positions. On a personal note, I also want to send Sen. George Young best wishes; he is not only a lawmaker and my Leadership Oklahoma classmate, but he, as a pastor, has been a friend who I can call when needing an uplifting conversation.

Finally, a very special thanks goes to Sen. Roger Thompson for an exemplary career. Senator Thompson just announced his early retirement from the Senate, effective Nov. 1. As the former chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he helped countless families across the state with support of the Double Up Oklahoma program, a program allowing struggling families to better afford fresh fruits and vegetables purchased at farmers markets and grocers. He also spearheaded significant funds for youth mental health treatment. These are but two of the many initiatives Senator Thompson helped to make reality, and we wish him well.

In addition, OICA has compiled a “report card” for the work done by lawmakers this past session. We annually score each state senator and representative for their votes on legislation. This year, our board of directors chose to deduct points for negative votes and give no credit for absences. In the past, we simply did not give points to those who voted in a way we felt was negative, and we also did not penalize lawmakers for missing votes. Our board decided to change that policy due to the many votes which were missed.

We did provide “extra credit” for lawmakers who file child-friendly bills, even if the legislation was not considered. For members in leadership positions, we also estimated the time in which they would be called away for their work and added extra points due to their inability to cast votes.

In one instance, Rep. Preston Stinson was caring for his child who is facing a severe health issue. As such, we chose not to deduct points for his absences based upon that understandable time away. OICA has promoted increased parental leave time as a policy, so we felt this was within that scope. We wish his son a very speedy recovery.

We want to thank each lawmaker for their work this session, but especially those who ranked highly on our report card. The Children’s Legislative Scorecard will be available by Wednesday (June 19) on our website at https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources. Be sure to see who the top-scoring lawmakers are and if your representative or senator is one.

29 Legislative Candidates Answer Survey on Children’s Issues

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:58:15 GMT

Goal is to Educate Voters on Candidates' Positions

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) sent a survey on children’s issues to every candidate running for seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate to gauge their understanding of and positions on a variety of children’s issues, as well as to raise awareness with them about critical children’s policies.

The results of that survey, where 29 candidates representing both parties and seeking both House and Senate seats, are now available on OICA’s website. To access the survey and learn what these candidates said about children’s issues, voters need only go to https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources .

“Knowledge is power,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO and himself a former lawmaker. “When candidates offer themselves for public service, they have a responsibility to let voters know where they stand, both so voters can make decisions based on their beliefs and to hold those elected accountable.

“Our survey gives voters the power they need.”

The series of questions includes queries for the candidates to help them understand not only the history of child advocacy in Oklahoma but the role of lawmakers in developing policies relating to children.

“There were no ‘gotcha’ questions,” Dorman said. “Those serve no purpose in the thoughtful consideration of critical issues. The candidates’ answers will stand on their own, and we will provide the responses for Oklahomans to see where the candidates stand on issues.”

The survey had 14 questions, including a final open-ended question for candidates to express their “views of child advocacy” on any issue not covered in the previous questions. Among the topics mentioned are:

• Engagement by candidates with child advocacy organizations in their districts.

• Children in low-income families.

• Pre-school.

• Corporal punishment for children with cognitive disabilities.

• Adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACEs.

• Justice reform.

• The results of Governor Stitt’s Child Welfare Task Force.

• Childhood hunger.

• Maternal and infant mortality.

• Drug addiction problems among youth populations.

The candidates are allowed two hundred words to answer each question, so the responses from those who responded clearly outline their stance on each policy. In addition, the survey remains open for those candidates who choose to fill it following tomorrow’s primary (Tuesday, June 18) elections.

Nonprofit organizations by law cannot engage in endorsing candidates but are allowed to provide information about policy positions related to views by candidates. OICA in no way will endorse or recommend that Oklahomans vote for a specific candidate based upon their responses. The organization encourages local editorial writers to take note of answers, or those who refuse to respond to the survey.

“Children’s Legislators of the Year” Exemplify Service to Oklahoma’s Youngest Residents

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:11:03 GMT

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) works with lawmakers to pursue policies which will benefit youth. Following every session, we select “Children’s Legislators of the Year” who did tremendous work for youth, along with retiring lawmakers who have had a distinguished career in working on youth issues. I will recognize those retirees in my column next week to honor space allowed for my weekly column.

In the Senate, our board chose Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City; and Sen. JoAnna Dossett, D-Tulsa as the Children’s Senators of the Year.

OICA’s honorees as Children’s Representatives of the Year are Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater; Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-OKC; and Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, for their work on legislative issues.

Senator Rader and Representative Talley worked to advance legislation which would have prevented school employees from the deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or any other physical force used as a means of discipline for certain categories of special needs students, a practice still allowed in dozens of school districts around the state. The legislation in no way impacts parental actions, but simply prevents a government employee from striking children who often are not capable of understanding why they are being hit.

Representative Bennett and Senator Stanley authored The Hope Shaffer Act, a new law which will require parents of students in commercial driver’s education vehicles to sign a waiver of understanding that a student driver will be operating a vehicle with their child in the backseat while in operation. Hope was a young Oklahoman who died in a car crash while in the back seat of such a vehicle. We appreciate these two lawmakers for their work, as do the parents of Hope who worked tirelessly at the State Capitol to see this pass.

Senator Dossett has been working to improve access to maternity and parental leave for Oklahoma parents of newborns, along with championing many public education efforts. Senator Dossett also worked with Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, to pass a law which adjusts the membership of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee and directs birthing centers report certain information related to maternal deaths, critical information needed when conducting investigations.

Representative Boatman has been the most solid leader working on mental health issues in the state Legislature. He is a true “compassionate conservative” in balancing budgets while providing much needed resources for Oklahomans struggling with mental health issues which lead often to homelessness, suicide, and incarceration. By addressing this epidemic through his legislative work, Representative Boatman has helped improve conditions which will soon see better results thanks to his work.

In a few days, we should have our annual legislative report card finalized for review on our website. You can go to https://www.oica.org to see how your senator and representatives rated in the bills which OICA graded. While OICA cannot endorse candidates in elections due to our nonprofit status, this scorecard is not for election purposes, but simply informative so you will know which positive and negative actions were taken in the 2024 legislative session by policymakers as determined by our Advocacy Committee.

In closing, I want to remind Oklahomans that the Primary Election Day is on Tuesday, June 18th and it is important to exercise this most important of rights given to Americans. You can vote at your county election board this weekend or at your polling place on Tuesday.

Please vote in an informed manner and elect leaders who will serve in the best interest of Oklahoma’s children

OICA Sending Candidates Survey on Children's Issues

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 20:39:41 GMT

Goal is to Educate Voters on Candidates' Position

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is sending every candidate running for seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate a survey to gauge their understanding of and positions on a variety of children’s issues, as well as to raise awareness with them about critical children’s policies.

“Our goal with this is quite simple,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO and himself a former lawmaker. “We want to help voters understand the candidates’ positions on issues relating to children, as well as help the candidates get the word out on where they stand on children’s policies.”

“There are no ‘gotcha’ questions here,” Dorman said. “That serves no purpose in the thoughtful consideration of critical issues. The candidates’ answers will stand on their own, and we will provide the responses for Oklahomans to see where the candidates stand on issues.”

The survey will include 14 questions, including a final open-ended question for candidates to express their “views of child advocacy” on any issue not covered in the previous questions. Among the topics mentioned are:

• Engagement by candidates with child advocacy organizations in their districts.

• Children in low-income families.

• Pre-school.

• Corporal punishment for children with cognitive disabilities.

• Adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACEs.

• Justice reform.

• The results of Governor Stitt’s Child Welfare Task Force.

• Childhood hunger.

• Maternal and infant mortality.

• Drug addiction problems among youth populations.

“As great a state as Oklahoma is, there are still many challenges children face that they should not have to endure, and the Legislature is the place where many of those challenges can be addressed,” Dorman said. “This year’s legislative session is proof that we need policymakers who will prioritize children’s policies if we want to see a brighter future for Oklahoma.

“Outcomes based upon our questions are why voters deserve to know where candidates stand on the issues, and this survey is a way for voters to read the exact words legislative candidates use to express their positions. It also helps OICA know which candidates who are elected will be allies in working on solutions to many of these issues.”

The candidates are allowed two hundred words to answer each question, so the responses can clearly outline their stance on each policy.

Results will be posted on the OICA website, located at https://www.oica.org . If Oklahomans have any questions relating to child advocacy, they are invited to reach out on the website or by emailing at info@oica.org . Candidates who have questions on the survey or children’s issues are also invited to reach out to OICA for more information.

We've Got Good News and Bad News...

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:44:34 GMT

The Second Session of the 59th Oklahoma Legislature officially adjourned for 2024. At best, it was a mixed bag for children; despite that, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) saw some great wins for children.

Still, there were far too many issues about which child advocates care that lawmakers refused to pass. In fact, some child advocates referred to this session as “an absolute dumpster fire” for children’s issues.

An important win was House Bill 2102, known as The Hope Shaffer Act by Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-OKC, and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, requires driver education classes to get waivers from parents of students if a youth learning to drive will be operating the vehicle with other children as passengers. The measure is named for a young lady who lost her life in a driver education car driven by a student driver.

Senate Bill 1324 by Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, requires the state Education Department create an optional electronic universal application for free or reduced-price meals, making it far easier and less costly for the state to process benefits for Oklahoma families.

This is important, especially since the governor refused to accept $40 million of federal summer food funding for Oklahoma families. To partially address that loss, Senate Bill 1192 by Senator Chuck Hall, R-Perry, and Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, moved $8,085,454 from the state Commerce Department to Oklahoma Human Services to increase funds for the grant program supporting affordable and nutritious lunches for children.

It was not all good news for Oklahoma’s children. House Bill 1028 would have banned corporal punishment for many special needs students in 10 percent of state public school districts still allowing teachers to hit special needs students. This was not brough to the floor for a vote despite having a majority of state representatives committing support, truly making this a national embarrassment. We are working with attorneys to develop a solution outside the legislative process.

House Bill 4147 by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would have created a modest childcare tax credit for businesses that help employees struggling to pay the prohibitive cost of childcare. The Legislature did allocate $2 million more for childcare support services, but significantly more is needed to meet the skyrocketing statewide demand for childcare services.

Senate Bill 1278 by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, and Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, would have provided for paid maternity leave for higher education employees; they were unintentionally left out of last year’s bill which saw a tremendous move forward to provide for maternity leave to state and public-school employees. Senate Bill 1315 by Senator Pugh and Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, would have created an adoption leave program similar to maternity leave.

Other issues lawmakers chose to not support were the Dolly Parton Imagination Book project, at-home therapeutic care services, and many of the concepts offered by Governor Stitt’s 2023 Child Welfare Task Force for improving foster care services.

OICA will continue to work on those issues which were not passed; please join us in calling on lawmakers to address these issues in 2025. Interim studies, the formal review of concepts by lawmakers, will be limited as this is an election year, but we will still seek studies on these and many other good bills which were not passed.

Please reach out to OICA at https://www.oica.org if you have suggestions for a good study which we can pass along to lawmakers. And, of course, you can be involved by taking part in this year’s elections by asking questions to candidates. Primary Elections are held on Tuesday, June 18, so please exercise your civic duty and vote!

OICA Helping with Final Push on #CathysLunchLegacy, Focus is to Retire Lunch Debt in Tornado Ravaged Sulphur

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Fri, 31 May 2024 20:24:23 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is joining with community leaders in tornado ravaged Sulphur and restaurateur Sean Cummings to encourage a final push to reduce lunch debt in that devastated community.

“The students of Sulphur have more than enough to deal with,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The last thing they need to worry about is school lunch debt. We at OICA ask our friends across the state to donate to #CathysLunchLegacy, the effort by Sean Cummings to honor his late wife by ending student lunch debt in schools across the state.”

Cathy Cummings was the mayor of The Village in Oklahoma County and a restaurateur, owning and operating Vito’s Italian Ristorante. She recently lost her life to cancer. Since her passing, her husband has honored her memory by raising money to reduce student lunch debt.

Local Sulphur leader and former state Rep. Wes Hilliard reached out to Dorman, his former colleague, to see about getting some help with the lunch debt. Cummings quickly agreed to make this the final push for #CathysLunchLegacy.

To donate to help reduce student lunch debt in Sulphur, go to the GoFundMe page set up for this effort at https://tinyurl.com/cathyslunchlegacy . The goal is to raise another $3,500 to help eliminate the lunch debt for students in Sulphur

“This is a fitting final push to honor Cathy,” said Cummings. “Helping the people of Sulphur is the right choice to finish this historic effort to honor Cathy’s memory.”

Plan Unveiled to Use Legal Pressure to End Corporal Punishment in Schools Amid Stoppage of HB 1028

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:19:04 GMT

As the 2024 session of the Oklahoma Legislature draws to a close, one of the measures left on the table is House Bill 1028 by Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa. That measure would have ended the use of corporal punishment on children with certain disabilities.

“We gave the Legislature, specifically the Oklahoma House of Representatives, every opportunity to do the right thing,” said Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute of Child Advocacy, which had been pushing the bill. “By even the most conservative count, there are enough bipartisan votes in the House to have passed the bill.

“Sadly, the leadership team of the House refused to bring the bill up, killing it in the proverbial ‘smoke-filled room’.”

The version of HB 1028 representatives would have considered had already passed the Oklahoma Senate by a healthy margin. All that was left was two separate votes, one to accept the Senate amendments to the bill and then a vote on final passage, to send the bill to Governor Stitt’s desk. Failure of the House leadership to allow the votes has again made Oklahoma “a national embarrassment,” advocates assert.

The diverse group of organizations and advocates who had worked tirelessly to pass the bill are not letting the issue die there. At a State Capitol news conference, the group unveiled a plan to use legal pressure to end the practice of allowing government employees to administer the “deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or any other physical force used as a means of discipline” altogether.

The advocates noted that the measure had no impact on the ability of parents to use corporal punishment on their children. HB 1028 simply would have prevented a government employee of a school district form using violence against children with specific disabilities, some of whom might not even have known for what they were being harmed.

The group noted that it would be seeking legal representation for any family of any student who is subjected to corporal punishment in an Oklahoma school, regardless of whether the student is disabled. Several attorneys have indicated their willingness to help ensure judicial oversight of a punishment that is unfairly inflicted and that can be damaging to children.

“Oklahoma should not be arguing over whether it is right to hit children,” said A.J. Griffin, a former Republican member of the Oklahoma Senate who now is CEO of the Potts Family Foundation. “Yes, we are disappointed in Speaker McCall and the House GOP leadership for not allowing HB 1028 to be considered.

“Still, as you hear at the Capitol, there is more than one way to get things done. Corporal punishment in school contributes to the trauma many Oklahoma children face. It’s time for all professional educators to end the harmful practice everywhere.”

Oklahoma pediatrician Amanda Page, M.D., spoke to the effectiveness of corporal punishment as a means of discipline.

“As a pediatrician, I care for children with disabilities every day,” she said. “The evidence is incontrovertible: These children are disproportionately subjected to corporal punishment in schools. Not only is it applied unfairly, but this form of punishment has also been proven to be ineffective and harmful for all children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends banning corporal punishment in schools, and it is more than time for Oklahoma to follow suit.”

Dr. Kyle Reynolds said, “It’s a shame that a commonsense state like ours cannot seem to grasp the commonsense approach of putting a stop to allowing school personnel to hit kids. The research is clear, and we know better: hitting kids is the wrong approach to discipline. Our schools should be a safe place for every child, not an institution that condones physical violence and trauma.”

Most school districts in Oklahoma have already abandoned the practice of corporal punishment altogether; still a troubling number of districts still let government employees employ the “deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or other physical force” on students regardless of whether they have disabilities.

“Those who believe that government should be allowed to beat children, special needs or not, may think they have won a battle by stopping HB 1028,” Dorman concluded. “I assure you, despite the backslapping and self-congratulating, they have lost the war. Corporal punishment in Oklahoma will end, and – like on so many issues – lawmakers are behind the experts and the people they claim to represent.

“We who care about Oklahoma’s children are no longer willing to wait on them to do the right thing.”

OICA, Partner Groups to Hold State Capitol News Conference

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 30 May 2024 15:49:35 GMT

MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

Contact: Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

Advocates Lament Stoppage of HB 1028, Reveal Effort to End Corporal Punishment

BACKGROUND: The Oklahoma House of Representatives will fail to consider the Senate Amendments to House Bill 1028, by Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa. The measure would have made illegal the practice of corporal punishment upon children with certain disabilities. About 60 school districts, which is more than 10 percent in the state, still employ the practice of allowing government employees to administer the “deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or any other physical force used as a means of discipline” on disabled children. This failure to schedule the measure for a vote effectively kills the bill for the 59th Oklahoma Legislature, which comes to an end by Friday by 5 p.m.

WHO: Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and various other organization leaders and experts on the subject of child trauma.

WHEN: TODAY (Thursday), at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Fifth floor hallway in the north wing of the Oklahoma State Capitol under the “Flight of Spirit” painting of the five Native ballerinas.

WHY: To announce plans in the wake of the House of Representatives’ failure to follow the Senate’s lead by passing the final version of HB 1028.

VISUALS: Presenters making the case for the bill and explaining the next course of action both within the confines of the Oklahoma Legislature and in the grassroots to bring to an end the practice of allowing government employees to administer corporal punishment on children in an educational setting.

What Makes You Want to Protest?

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 28 May 2024 14:54:08 GMT

Over the course of human history, people have had the tendency to revolt against authoritarianism. Whether you are reading certain scriptures in the Bible, studying history in school, or even catching up with the news, demanding change in policies with the government has been a constant.

In trying to change policy directly with government officials, that action is called lobbying. Most people think of individuals who are hired by a client to encourage policymakers to take a specific direction through making a law. These professional lobbyists register with the government and represent clients who want a policy change. They bring a knowledge of the issue and why the lawmaker should vote for the concept. These individuals often engage in the elections of candidates who will support the mission of their clients.

Citizen lobbyists can be individuals who visit the Capitol to promote an issue which would solve a problem. We often see associations such as health programs visit on specifically organized days at the Capitol to raise awareness. There is no registration for these individuals as they are not being paid to represent the interest.

You can also see other types of people engage in changing policy. Activists are the folks you see on television carrying protest signs at rallies or, of late, forming encampments to promote a policy direction. While these individuals are not effective at directly instigating change in a political stance, they hope their work will raise awareness and build support for that change.

Advocacy is another form of promoting change in government, and advocates often are methodical with how to promote their work. They do their best to educate policymakers about problems and offer solutions. They spend time and effort to collect data and break it down into understandable language in the hope this will bring about policy changes for the mission they are undertaking.

Through my thirty-plus years in and around government, I have seen each of these types of promotion be successful. We had a teachers’ rally at the State Capitol eight years ago that saw thousands of Oklahomans spend days promoting different positions. With that effort, you had activists who marched, advocates who sat with policymakers to share data, and lobbyists who worked to get certain lawmakers to vote for the changes desired. Ultimately, most did not get all that they wanted, but many did see desired changes occur.

As we close the Second Session of the Fifty-Ninth Oklahoma Legislature on May 31, I can say it was not nearly as fiery as previous years, but there were some interesting moments. Last week, Gov. Kevin Stitt, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, and House Speaker Charles McCall reached an agreement on the 2025 Fiscal Year Budget. It will be voted on this week in the Legislature and sent to the governor for signature.

In this final week, I have hope there will be a scramble to pass legislation which has been lingering and awaiting a compromise on the budget. Still at hand are bills which would end corporal punishment for some special needs students in public schools, a tax policy which would incentivize businesses to provide or assist with childcare for their employees, and dozens of other good concepts.

If these bills are not heard, there is always next year. It is sad that this attitude is recurring, but that is how the slow process of change in government happens. If there is something you desire to see changed, in government, it is time for you to reach out to your own lawmakers and ask for those policies to be adopted. Become the lobbyists, activist or advocate that is needed to see Oklahoma become a better home for children.

Ensuring History Does Not Repeat Itself for Children

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Mon, 20 May 2024 17:51:57 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) recently held our annual Tulsa event, and it was a ringing success. Our team organized a viewing of a trailer for a new documentary being produced called “Broken” which examines the state child welfare system in Massachusetts.

Through the reporting of Brooke Lewitas, and the production work of Bill Lichtenstein, this deep dive into concerns impacting children in the system and with what is happening to their families, both biological and foster; it is a shocking reminder of the need for improved services for young people.

Oklahoma had a similar history with this going back to statehood, with the change eventually brought about by a lawsuit against the state in the early 1980s. The “Terry D Lawsuit” was named for the first teenage plaintiff of seven to sign on to the suit brought by Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma and the lead attorney, Steven Novick.

The legal action, along with the coverage of the conditions faced by children, motivated advocates to demand changes to better take care of these youth. Mr. Lichtenstein was one of the producers from the ABC Television news magazine “20/20” who worked on the nearly year-long investigation into Lloyd Rader, the Department of Human Services Director of that time. The coverage showed what Rader’s agency was doing, often harming children far worse than the conditions they faced before being taken into custody. We watched this segment, the first time it has been shown in 40 years.

Mr. Lichtenstein collaborated with local reporters from KOCO-TV in the Oklahoma City media market that delivered continuous local coverage, and the newspaper, The Muskogee Phoenix, which ran multiple investigative stories into the system.

Through the lawsuit, the media attention and the advocates working for change, political pressure was finally enough to see change occur. Over that time, the conditions which children face have dramatically improved, to the point that the number of children entering foster care has been cut in half, and the youth who in the care of the Office of Juvenile Affairs are now receiving true rehabilitation and educational services. Oklahoma is practicing hope-centered and trauma-informed work which provides wraparound services for the children and their families. We heard as much from the panel of experts who discussed the positive work happening, including the work done by the Ending the Need for Group Placement (ENGP) effort which is seeking improvements in services offered.

During the event, OICA honored several Oklahomans who have contributed to the improvements we see. Our Jari Askins Justice for Children award was presented to Judge Michael Flanagan for chairing the Supreme Court program reviewing needed changes to the system. Our Burnes/Lichtenstein Award for Excellence in Journalism was presented to Terri Watkins, Bill Gallagher, Carlton Sherwood, and John Hanchette for their work in covering the “Terry D” lawsuit. Our CEO’s Service Award was given to George Krumme for support of our educational programs offered to students. Each of these individuals has played a significant role in seeing better for Oklahomans.

Much is still needed though. The Oklahoma Legislature must step up in the final days of the regular session, which must end by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, and fund state services and pass the programs which will create better opportunities for children.

At the top of that list is providing better childcare services for Oklahomans. There is legislation which will provide incentives for employers to assist with support, and the funding is needed to kickstart daycares into reopening across the state. Please call your lawmakers and ask them to provide these necessary funds and policy change.

Now is the Time to Call Lawmakers to Support Childcare

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 14 May 2024 16:02:00 GMT

The Oklahoma Legislature is approaching the constitutionally binding end of the annual session which must occur by 5 p.m. on the final Friday of May.

Each year, lawmakers come to the State Capitol in Oklahoma City to debate policy ideas for improving conditions for certain Oklahomans, and to pass an annual budget to keep state government operating.

In the work done by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), much of our mission is driven to provide greater opportunities for young people often receiving delivery of services by the state. That can be for children in foster care, those who are in the care of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, or the hundreds of thousands of children who receive subsidized health insurance or delivery of meal services, or care for those who are facing long term care needs for the developmentally disabled.

Another category is the accessibility of services for childcare support for working families. Our state poverty rates show that more than one-fifth of Oklahoma’s children, about 200,000 kids, come from families who suffer intense poverty. Those guardians struggle with decisions on whether to feed their family, pay monthly bills, or cover medical costs. Some families must even decide if they can keep their low-wage job and pay for childcare, or if they must make the tough decision to quit their job to stay home with the children as childcare costs more than most low-wage jobs pay.

As reported last month by the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR), the average price for infant care for one year at a childcare center in Oklahoma County is $11,080. That is a steep price considering the median household income in the county is $58,239. While the price drops slightly for services in the rural areas, unfortunately so does the income ratio for Oklahomans, making it more difficult to afford childcare.

Additionally, there is a critical shortage of available childcare services. In their 2023 childcare summary, OPSR found that 55% of Oklahomans live in a “childcare desert,” with either no providers within their zip code or too few available slots. The problem is even worse in rural areas, where 68% of Oklahomans have no access to childcare.

There are some ideas being considered which will hopefully make it across the finish line before the Legislature adjourns for the year.

One of the best options is House Bill 4147 by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa and Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond. A wide array of organizations, ranging from us at OICA to The State Chamber, have been working to raise awareness about the needs addressed by this legislation.

The bill would incentivize businesses to share in the cost of childcare for their employees by providing a tax credit to businesses which provide employees with money to help pay for and find childcare or operate their own childcare service for employees.

This concept also helps businesses with employee retention so they can keep qualified, trained employees who they have already spent time and money on for training.

This is the week for you to contact lawmakers to help push this and other good ideas across the finish line. Please go to https://oica.org under “Advocacy” to find your state senator and representative. Then call and ask them to support childcare services and to adequately fund the services in this budget cycle.

Finally, a sad note this week. We at OICA just learned of the passing of Ray Potts. The Potts family was our lifetime achievement in child advocacy award recipient last year. Join us in expressing our deepest sympathy to Pat Potts and their entire family.

Nominations Open for Anne Roberts People's Choice Awards for Child Advocacy

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Tue, 14 May 2024 16:01:59 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY – Each summer, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds its annual Heroes Ball to celebrate champions for children.

The process begins with nominations, which are open to the public. Following the nomination period, which runs from now through May 31, the OICA Board of Directors narrows the list a select few to put forward for an online public vote by Oklahomans.

To nominate either an individual or an organization, go to https://oica.org and click on “Awards” and choose “Nominate for Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards.” You can also go directly to https://qrco.de/ARPCA .

Previous winners of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Organizational Award are:

2017 – Whiz Kids Oklahoma
2018 – Peppers Ranch
2019 – Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care
2020 – Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma
2021 – SoonerStart
2022 – Fostering Connections
2023 – Sara’s Project

Those individuals who have won the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Individual Award are:

2017 – Brenda Lene’
2018 – Cody Inman
2019 – Judy Payne
2020 – Ryan Abernathy
2021 – Melissa Ahlgrim
2022 – Amber Cuyler
2023 - Alethea Satterwhite

After the nominations close at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, finalists will be announced in early June and online voting will begin on OICA’s website. Those in attendance at OICA’s Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 27 will receive a final paper ballot to help finish off the voting. Winners will be announced at the Heroes Ball, held this year at the First Americans Museum.

Tickets to the Heroes Ball are on sale and can be purchased at https://event.gives/heroesball2024 .

Will Corporal Punishment on Special Needs Students be Banned by Oklahoma Lawmakers?

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 07 May 2024 18:39:19 GMT

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has been working on the issue of preventing the use of corporal punishment on special needs children in our state’s schools.

When last surveyed a few years ago, about 10 percent, or roughly 60, Oklahoma public schools still admit to using corporal punishment, even on those students with the most severe of disabilities.

Oklahoma law allows “hitting, slapping, paddling, or any other means of inflicting physical pain” as the definition of corporal punishment by school employees and waivers are often provided to parents to sign prior to each school year to allow the school to use this as a means of discipline.

The language as presented two weeks ago and adopted by the Oklahoma Senate through their amendments has narrowed the scope of the students who would fall under the exemptions for corporal punishment.

Originally, the language would have included more children, but the language has been narrowed beyond the original Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program definitions. The newer version will remove the broader Section 504 Plan students who would have qualified before, a much broader and easer to attain classification.

Some have asked why this should be narrowed, and the simple answer is to get enough legislative votes to see the bill pass and help as many students as possible. Many lawmakers are still opposed to the bill and feel that parents should be able to delegate this form of punishment to government employees.

Research shows that children with disabilities are more than 50 percent more likely to receive corporal punishment than their nondisabled peers in many southern states. Above that, many schools do not have established standards for implementation of corporal punishment, i.e., how many swats may be given, the strength used to administer the punishment, and the type of instrument used to deliver the paddling. Sometimes, the parents or another witness are not present when this is administered.

Under the current legislation being presented, nothing will prevent the parent or guardian from coming to the school and doing this themselves; it simply prevents a school employee from doing so. Therefore, the argument of “parents’ rights” is not taken from those who still feel this is justifiable discipline, even for those with the most severe of cognitive disabilities.

I know with some the scriptural debate will occur regarding this bill, but I wish to provide context to the conversation regarding “the rod and the staff” when it comes to theology. Shepherds used these instruments to guide sheep, not to strike them. This is a lazy misconception used by some to somehow justify inflicting physical pain. Further, Ephesians 6:4 NLT says “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

OICA certainly supports appropriate discipline, but this certainly should not be the deliberate infliction of physical pain or any other physical force on these children, some of whom might not be able to comprehend why they are being hurt.

Alternatives include setting limits, such as setting limits with positive outcomes for good behavior; consequences, such as losing privileged time at recess to spend with someone who shares why the behavior was inappropriate; or timeouts to reflect on the unsuitable conduct. All of these are proven to be more effective.

Thank you to those of you who are already supporting this measure, and please reach out to state representatives about your thoughts regarding this legislation. You can read the current version and a fact sheet explaining in detail why this bill is needed at https://www.oica.org under the “Advocacy” tab.

Tornadoes Bring Tragedy, Rekindle Memories

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:36:35 GMT

This past weekend had moments of somber reflection for many Oklahomans as our state once again endured tornadoes impacting thousands.

My deepest condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones over the weekend, to the persons injured, and to the communities and individuals who sustained horrific levels of destruction. Among those who died was a family member of a friend, a 4-month-old due to injuries sustained, and a truck driver who was on Interstate 35 perished.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management shared that of the 100 injuries reported to hospitals across the state due to the storms, 25 people were cut or pierced, 30 were falls, 16 were either struck by debris or fell against it, 17 were transportation-related injuries, and 12 other injuries were not specified.

Each time a tornado strikes Oklahoma, memories of the efforts exerted to improve access to shelters statewide come to my mind. In 2011, a tornado struck part of my legislative district in Chickasha, killing Laron Short as a mobile home crushed her. In 2013, the devastation which struck the community of Moore killed 25 Oklahomans, including seven grade school-aged children when their school was hit.

As a lawmaker, I worked with individuals to expedite the state funding to help with immediate repairs as we were close to the end of the legislative session and those funds would need to be allocated officially by the Legislature. Otherwise, it would have been the following February before resources were provided for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) matching dollars. Fortunately, all involved, Republicans and Democrats, agreed this was essential.

My friend Mark Nestlen and I met with the families of the seven children and others affected to look for solutions. We developed a plan to take a bill previously filed by a Republican lawmaker and modify it to provide a $500 million bond issue to allocate to school districts to provide state matching funds to add storm shelter space and provide for school resource officers for schools to help provide protection from both storms and active shooter situations.

That bill did not receive a hearing, while another bill was moved forward that would have allowed school districts to go beyond their local bonding limits to build shelters, but anti-tax advocates worked against that measure, stopping it in the process.

Not much progress has been made in the decade since to provide state-supported shelter space for individuals or communities. Thanks goes to Rep. Kevin Wallace for funding safety construction to protect from shooters last session which may include space to protect from tornadoes, and I encourage schools to pursue this for shelter purposes.

Many school districts did include shelters in newer construction, including my hometown of Rush Springs, in which people sought safety on Saturday night as a tornado touched down close to our community. I certainly encourage all communities to include this.

While it is again late in the session, I encourage lawmakers and Governor Stitt to expedite the funds this session to help communities rebuild. It is vital to provide money to match federal dollars so that there is no delay. Otherwise, the devastated communities will solely bear the costs until 2025 or later.

I also ask that lawmakers look to options which might help individuals, schools, and communities construct shelter space through either a tax rebate or other options, and that the state look to provide shelter space at official visitor centers and other locations along highways so those on the roads can find safety. Otherwise, we will repeat this tragic tale each time a deadly tornado strikes Oklahoma.

An Estimated 35,000 Oklahoma Children Qualify for SoonerCare, But Not Enrolled

jdorman@oica.org (Joe Dorman) — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:35:25 GMT

As of March 2024, 502,221 Oklahoma children were enrolled in SoonerCare, just over half the estimated number of children living in the state. Additionally, the state estimates that about seven percent, or 70,000 Oklahoma children, are not enrolled in insurance, and more than half of those, or about 35,000, would likely qualify for SoonerCare coverage.

To improve delivery of services, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) on April 1 unveiled a new service program for those on SoonerCare on April 1 called SoonerSelect, 2024. SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program, provides health care for many Oklahomans, including children under the age of 19, pregnant women, and others in special categories.

Under SoonerSelect, most SoonerCare members will receive their health care coverage in a new way – through health and dental plans. A “health or dental plan” is an organization selected by the state which provides health care services through a network (group) of doctors, dentists, pharmacists, mental health professionals and other service providers. Some plans even provide extra services like programs to help you quit smoking or building a health plan.

Under this new model, health and dental plans have a provider network. In most cases, eligible families must receive care from a provider in their plan’s provider network, such as a primary care provider or a primary care dentist. Those who are eligible can choose from three health plans: Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma, Humana Healthy Horizons of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma Complete Health.

Eligible Oklahomans can pick between two dental plans: DentaQuest or LIBERTY Dental. Both provide medically necessary cleanings, preventive and restorative care, and provide medically necessary orthodontic services for Oklahomans under 21.

If you are a federally recognized tribal member or qualify for services through Indian Health Service, you may decide to join a plan or remain on your current SoonerCare plan. There is also a Children’s Specialty Program that serves children involved in the juvenile justice system, which includes children in foster care and children receiving adoption assistance. Oklahoma Complete Health serves these members.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is proud to be working with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO) to raise awareness about access to children’s health insurance in Oklahoma, and OICA is excited about these new opportunities.

Our collaborative work encourages families who qualify to sign their children up for SoonerCare. This grant-funded program provides resources for us to promote this initiative directly in 20 rural counties across our state: Alfalfa, Blaine, Bryan, Carter, Garfield, Garvin, Grant, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, LeFlore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Seminole, Sequoyah, and Wagoner.

We have distributed brochures to each public school and day care in those counties, totaling more than 110,000 pamphlets to provide enrollment information to families.

The effort to get the word out is working. Information provided by OHCA shows that 81,788 children were newly enrolled statewide from February 2023 to February 2024. OICA is pleased to be a part of this campaign to see more children receive health coverage.

Parameters to qualify are based on size of household and monthly income/annual income. Further information is at https://oklahoma.gov/ohca/individuals/mysoonercare/apply-for-soonercare-online/eligibility/income-guidelines.html

If you are interested in learning more, or if you think you might qualify, please go to myOKplan.org or call 1 (833) 465-7526 to visit with a navigator who will assist you with verifying information and help with filling out the application.

Please recommend this program to families with children who you know as they might not be aware of this benefit. Together, we can help these young people get insurance and lead them to healthier lives.

2024 Children’s Legislative Agenda Ready for Lawmakers’ Consideration

jpgumm@oica.org (Jay Paul Gumm) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 19:18:16 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

Jay Paul Gumm, Director of Policy & Communications

Telephone: (405) 600-0290

Email: jpgumm@oica.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has finalized its 2024 Children’s Legislative Agenda for consideration by the state’s lawmakers. Approved by the OICA Board of Directors this week, the agenda outlines the organization’s goals and presents lawmakers with a roadmap to make Oklahoma an even better state for its children.

“Advocates from across the state came together during our annual Fall Forum to discuss a wide range of issues relating to children,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “While this is an ambitious agenda, we believe each component of it is critical to improving the lives of our most important resource.”

From the input from child advocates, the OICA Board of Directors considered the suggestions and coalesced them into recommendations divided into four specific categories: Child Abuse Prevention & Child Safety Measures; Access to Children’s Support Programs; Child Trafficking, Counseling, Mental Health, and Learning Loss; and, Deprived and Justice Involved Youth.

A focus of the Children’s Legislative Agenda this year is implementation of the recommendations made by Governor Stitt’s Child Welfare Task Force (CWTF), especially as the recommendations relate “directly to the improvement of quality of life for those children burdened by poverty, family substance abuse, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).”

OICA encourages lawmakers to continue funding of one of the organization’s legislative victories last year, the “Double Up Oklahoma” program, which matches the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dollars spent at participating farmers markets and grocery stores to promote healthy food choices among lower-income households and families.

The organization reiterated its support for passage and funding of the Family Representation and Advocacy Act. That measure would help ensure that “children and indigent parents, legal guardians and, Indian custodians in deprived child actions brought by the state” have access to high quality legal representation.

The “Handle with Care” concept to “boost trauma-informed training for those who might come in contact with children who have or are enduring adverse childhood events (ACEs), to ensure those children who have endured trauma are, indeed, handled with care” also was supported by advocates in the Children’s Legislative Agenda.

Advocates expressed support for social media safety education, to help reduce the incidents of human trafficking, increasing the number of school counselors and mental health professionals across the state, and opposition to weaking the state’s child labor laws.

In addition, advocates asserted that the legal system is the entity in which children in the most dire situations should be able to find the protection they deserve. For those who are deprived, abused, or justice-involved, the judiciary is where critical decisions are made; as such, lawmakers and advocates have special responsibilities to ensure the regulatory and statutory structure is such that children’s best interests are paramount in the decisions being made.

“This represents only a portion of the recommendations made by advocates and our Board of Directors,” Dorman related. “The entire agenda is available to the public on our website, located at https://oica.org/ . Also, the agenda will be shared with lawmakers in hopes many of these proposals are included in bills for 2024, and that those already under consideration are passed into law.”

Release of the annual Children’s Legislative Agenda is the final action the organization takes each year in preparation for the next. This year’s agenda is special as it is the last event of OICA during its 40th Anniversary year. OICA celebrated four decades since child advocates established the organization to be an independent watchdog on state government in the aftermath of the child welfare scandal brought to light in the Gannett report, “Oklahoma Shame.” That report can also be found on OICA’s website.

To kick off the new year, OICA will host its Legislative Learning Lab on Jan. 31, Feb 1, 2, and 5. The organization’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol will be March 12. For the latest information on these events, refer to the OICA website.

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Incarceration Panel Highlights Impact on Children

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 10:34:09 GMT

FOR THE CHILDREN by Joe Dorman, OICA CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – I attended a nonprofit conference Monday hosted by the Sarkeys Foundation. While there, I served on a panel which delved into the issues dealing with incarceration.

Some might ask why a child advocate would be invited to such a conversation, but the truth is that there are far more hurt by locking people up – justly or otherwise – when it comes to a sentence behind bars.

Republicans and Democrats in Oklahoma have joined forces to reduce the levels of incarceration and shift to alternative forms of punishment, saving the state significant dollars and improving opportunities for Oklahoma families to remain together.

Oklahoma at one point had an incarceration rate of 993 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that we locked up a higher percentage of our people than any democracy on Earth.

In 2018, Oklahoma instituted a new parole policy that streamlined the process and made inmates who met certain criteria – like serving specified portions of their sentences – eligible for parole without board hearings. A 2017 legislative report projected the new policy would reduce the number of incarcerated people by 3,750. State Question 780 also reduced the prison population by reducing the number of people sent to prison in the first place. Further sentencing reforms passed by lawmakers and signed into law by the governor also helped reduce the numbers even further.

Here is where a child advocate comes in on this topic. A study on long-term trauma experienced by young people called Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, showed that Oklahoma is the worst state in the nation for children who have endured four or more childhood ACEs. Among the ACEs is having a family member who is in prison. Others include:

Physical, sexual, or verbal abuse.
Physical or emotional neglect.
Separation or divorce.
A family member with mental illness.
A family member addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Witnessing a parent being abused.
According to the Prison Policy Initiative, nearly half (47%) of the approximately 1.25 million people in state prison across America are parents of minor children, and about 1-in-5 (19%) of those children are age 4 or younger. Incarceration not only punishes offenders, but their children will also suffer.

When the child experiences such trauma, the natural reaction is often to become more emotional, therefore leading to issues at school or home. A study from Florida State University concluded that even if parental incarceration does not itself cause harm to children, they may be at substantial risk of poor outcomes across multiple points during adolescence and into adulthood.

Among the poor outcomes are the potential for offending, addiction and mental illness, poor academic performance, and difficulty securing and retaining gainful employment. The study found parental incarceration increases the expected number of different crimes that a young adult commits by 26 percent, setting up a repeating of the cycle.

Early interventions help. Wraparound services significantly reduce ACEs and help lower incarceration rates. Prevention includes ensuring Oklahomans receive a high school diploma and have access to jobs which can support families. It also involves ensuring access to health care is available and affordable, along with counseling services to help reduce stress so it does not transfer to the family.

I appreciate Sarkeys Foundation for shedding light on this topic. Together, we can work to invest in helping our neighbors and reduce this trauma.

“Kindness 101” Good for the Soul and the World Around Us

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 10:55:52 GMT

FOR THE CHILDREN by Joe Dorman, OICA CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – I usually start each weekday morning by flipping channels on the four main networks to catch up on local and state news, then continue that during the time I have before work.

One of my favorite segments to catch is “Kindness 101” on CBS. In these times when there is too much negativity, this recurring conversation with Steve Hartman and his young children, Meryl, and Emmett, takes a different positive word and shares a story tied around it.

It certainly does me a world of good to start a Monday watching this before diving into the world of child advocacy, which can certainly wear a person down if not careful. The website to watch these segments can be found at: https://www.cbsnews.com/feature/kindness-101-steve-hartman / and I certainly encourage you to take the time to go watch one or two if you are having a rough day.

On the first segment shown on the website, Mr. Hartman indicates that he wants kindness to go viral, a “global wave of kindness.” Whether it be a person offering free haircuts to the homeless and showing that someone sees them, a bus driver who becomes a role model for the students on his route who often do not have a father, or someone who spends his early mornings before work sitting on a park bench simply listening to stories people want to share, the tales Hartman shares demonstrate the good that is being performed across this nation.

One story even has ties to Oklahoma. The segment discussed self-improvement and told the story about Ed, a World War II veteran from Cookson who learned to read at 90 years old. He was not even able to read the words on the medals he received for his service. Through the years, co-workers and his wife helped him through his tasks.

Eventually, a professor at Northeastern State University was the latest in a line of people who tried to help Ed learn to read. She assisted him accomplish his goal of reading a complete book; his first was a story about George Washington.

We all need stories of good in our lives to help overcome the things which would tear us down. Over the past few months, I have seen three good people in Oklahoma pass who each did much for the world around them. Here is a little about each.

Dr. Dwight Sublett was a pediatrician who worked to educate policymakers and citizens alike about health-related issues in our state. Brian Zalewski wore many hats – fire chief, firefighter, paramedic, nurse, reserve deputy – and worked to improve policies to support those public servants who he called brothers and sisters in service.

Raymond Rust was a businessman from my hometown who started his life of adventures as an FFA instructor, and then banker, Realtor, and businessman who grew his company to employ dozens from our hometown. Along the way, Raymond assisted those around him, including me as I grew up, as he knew a strong community of people built a strong community in which to live. One of his last acts was to buy a newspaper subscription for each student in our local high school so they could know about our community.

All you have to do is look around and you will see the good in the world. If you are not finding those acts of kindness, maybe it is time to assess what you can do to fill that void. Thank you to Steve Hartman and his children for making it a little easier for us to start each week, and as they say at the end of each, “Stay kind.”

Senators Examine Human Trafficking at State Capitol Study

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:59:05 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

Brenda Jones Barwick, APR, Chair

Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women

Telephone: (405) 516-9686

Email: brenda@jones.pr

OKLAHOMA CITY – Members of the Oklahoma Senate’s Committee on Education spent Tuesday morning hearing from a series of subject-matter experts as lawmakers examine ways to end human trafficking in the state.

The study on “School Human Trafficking Education and Awareness,” proposed by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), was requested by Sen. Darrell Weaver, a Republican from Moore.

In addition, Brenda Jones Barwick, APR, state chair of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women; Kristin Weis, CEO of The Demand Project in Jenks; and Whitney Anderson, executive director of The Dragonfly Home in Oklahoma City presented at the lawmakers’ study. Among the recommendations made to lawmakers by the presenters included:

Expansion of a stop human trafficking education initiative to high schools and middles schools.
Coordination with the state Education Department to incorporate a curriculum to allow students to recognize human trafficking.
Train educators annually to recognize signs of human trafficking.
Provide the free Human Trafficking Response Guide for School Resource Officers by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Allocate more dollars into recovery organizations to help victims of human trafficking escape the clutches of those who are selling them.
Senator Weaver is uniquely qualified to take on the issue as the former director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBN). While in that position, he asked the Legislature for authority to include human trafficking in the agency’s mission.

“We found that we had the resources that allowed OBN to be particularly effective in the fight,” he said. “We knew the challenges with dealing with human victims was different than confiscating drugs and locking it up. Any effective enforcement of human trafficking requires a focus on recovery for those who have been victimized such horrors.”

Weaver told his colleagues about a fact-finding trip he and his team made to join the Las Vegas, Nevada police in their efforts to stop trafficking. The Las Vegas Police Department, Weaver related, handles more human trafficking cases than any local law enforcement agency in the nation.

“After only a couple days, I had seen enough tragedy and returned committed to everything possible to end this modern-day slavery,” Weaver said.

Barwick noted the commission is working with several state entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like OICA to find both policy solutions for the human trafficking and help those victimized by the crime.

“Education at an early age is the key to stopping human trafficking,” she said, describing five “Community Conversation” programs presented around the state on how to recognize trafficking, with four more set for the fall and spring school semesters.

She also detailed the vulnerabilities that attract traffickers to potential victims. Those include runaways, those struggling with mental health and isolation issues, and young people who use social media. Indicators that someone has fallen prey to a trafficker include those who have disconnected from families, friends, or organizations; those who have stopped attending school; and those with a sudden change in friends, behaviors, attitudes, and groups.

Whitney Anderson of The Dragonfly Home said that many victims of human trafficking often have legal charges against them. “They will need quality legal representation to ensure law enforcement and the courts realize that they are victims, not the perpetrators who are controlling them.”

During his presentation, OICA CEO Joe Dorman shared statistics on the incidence of reported human trafficking in the state of Oklahoma. “There are 2,059 victims identified in 887 cases reported to the Human Trafficking Hotline,” he said. It was pointed out that several hotlines operated by different organizations also receive calls not included in those numbers.

“We know there are so many more cases that have either gone unreported or reported though other means,” Dorman said. “We know who those are most at risk, we know how they are being coerced and what they are being forced to do, and we know it will take collaboration between government and organizations like ours to be successful in the fight against human trafficking.”

Noting that trafficking exists because it is lucrative for the trafficker, Dorman asserted that policymakers should look for ways to make it unprofitable. “Human trafficking is just a pretty name for an ancient evil: slavery. We must strengthen the social safety net for those suffering from poverty, drug abuse, unstable living conditions, and sexual or domestic abuse. That will reduce the supply of potential victims to be exploited by traffickers.”

“I am so grateful for the experts who came before the study,” Weaver said.

“They laid out a clear and convincing vision of what it will take to effectively continue the fight against human trafficking. Further, I appreciate my colleagues for their thoughtful consideration of the presentations. Working together, I have great confidence we in Oklahoma can take the lead in the worldwide battle against this modern-day slavery.”

OICA CEO Joe Dorman Statement on ICWA Supreme Court Ruling

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 11:10:49 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Joe Dorman, CEO – Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

Telephone: (405) 833-1117

Email: jdorman@oica.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling on the Indian Child Welfare Act, keeping the federal law in place. Joe Dorman, the chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, issued this statement on the Court’s ruling:

“Today’s ruling by the United States Supreme Court validates what data shows for preserving stability for children undergoing adoption or within foster care. Keeping children who are enduring the most traumatic experience of their young lives in as stable a situation as possible is critical to help with their healing.

“It has been shown that placing children with family members and preserving positive cultural experiences helps lessen their anxiety. The fact that conservatives and liberals alike on the Supreme Court recognized the importance of preserving cultural identity helps place the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) on solid ground.”