Child Welfare Outcomes 2000:
Annual Report
Chapter IV - State Data
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State
Comment | Federal Comment
Return to Table of Contents
Oklahoma [ Context Data ]
A. Key Context Statistics
|
General Population |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Total children under 18 years |
879,367 |
882,062 |
892,360 |
|
Race/ethnicity (%)1 |
|||
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
10.1 |
9.7 |
10.6 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.4 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
|
Black |
9.6 |
9.5 |
9.3 |
|
Hispanic |
6.0 |
6.2 |
7.9 |
|
White |
72.9 |
73.1 |
64.6 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
6.2 |
|
Other |
N/A |
N/A |
0.1 |
|
% Child population in poverty |
19.8 |
16.7 |
24.1 |
|
% Child population living in metropolitan areas |
61.5 |
61.7 |
61.5 |
|
Child Welfare |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Child maltreatment victims |
16,584 |
16,210 |
13,861 |
|
Children in foster care on 9/30 |
7,233 |
8,173 |
8,406 |
|
Children adopted |
505 |
825 |
1,062 |
1) The 2000 Census of the United States includes two new race catagories: (1) Persons of two or more races and (2) Other. Back
B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS)
|
|
Number |
Rate |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Maltreatment Information Overview |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1998 |
2000 |
|||||
|
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
60,340 |
60,955 |
59,955 |
68.6 per 1,000 |
69.1 per 1,000 |
67.2 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child maltreatment victims2 |
16,584 |
16,210 |
13,861 |
18.9 per 1,000 |
18.4 per 1,000 |
15.5 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child fatalities |
45 |
47 |
45 |
5.1 per 100,000 |
5.3 per 100,000 |
5.0 per 100,000 |
|||||
|
Age of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
8.9 |
9.3 |
11.2 |
|
1-5 years |
31.3 |
31.4 |
32.6 |
|
6-10 years |
30.2 |
30.5 |
28.7 |
|
11-15 years |
23.0 |
23.0 |
21.7 |
|
16+ years |
4.9 |
4.4 |
4.5 |
|
Unknown |
1.8 |
1.4 |
1.2 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
16,584 |
16,210 |
13,861 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
13.6 |
14.4 |
12.7 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Black |
14.3 |
13.5 |
12.9 |
|
Hispanic |
4.7 |
5.2 |
6.2 |
|
White |
68.7 |
69.1 |
63.0 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
3.5 |
|
Other/Unknown |
3.1 |
2.6 |
1.2 |
|
Total %3 |
104.7 |
105.2 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
16,584 |
16,210 |
13,861 |
|
Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Emotional abuse |
10.9 |
11.4 |
11.2 |
|
Medical neglect |
3.3 |
3.1 |
3.3 |
|
Neglect |
93.7 |
98.0 |
80.0 |
|
Physical abuse |
24.9 |
24.9 |
19.9 |
|
Sexual abuse |
8.5 |
8.0 |
7.8 |
|
Other |
10.6 |
13.2 |
- |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
1.4 |
|
Total %4 |
151.9 |
158.6 |
123.6 |
|
Number |
16,584 |
16,210 |
13,861 |
2) Children with more than one
report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted
more than once. Back
3) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic
ethnicity and by race. Back
4) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because children could have been victims of more than
one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Number of Children |
In Care on 10/1 |
Entered Care |
Exited Care |
In Care on 9/30 |
Total Served |
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
6,214 |
6,346 |
5,337 |
7,233 |
12,560 |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
6,432 |
6,484 |
4,746 |
8,173 |
12,916 |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
7,204 |
6,558 |
5,364 |
8,406 |
13,762 |
|
Median Length of Stay (Months) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
13.2 |
N/A |
4.2 |
12.9 |
N/A |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
14.5 |
N/A |
6.4 |
11.6 |
N/A |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
13.4 |
N/A |
7.6 |
11.9 |
N/A |
|
Age of Children in Foster Care (%) |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Under 1 year |
4.0 |
4.4 |
4.2 |
11.3 |
11.1 |
11.5 |
5.9 |
5.3 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
|
1-5 years |
27.0 |
27.7 |
25.8 |
27.7 |
27.1 |
26.7 |
27.6 |
28.7 |
26.5 |
26.9 |
26.7 |
26.4 |
|
6-10 years |
26.7 |
27.4 |
26.3 |
23.2 |
21.1 |
21.6 |
23.7 |
23.7 |
23.0 |
26.2 |
25.0 |
24.5 |
|
11-15 years |
27.5 |
27.0 |
27.5 |
25.2 |
25.2 |
24.7 |
23.1 |
21.1 |
22.7 |
26.0 |
27.0 |
26.3 |
|
16-18 years |
14.5 |
13.3 |
16.0 |
12.6 |
15.4 |
15.4 |
18.9 |
20.9 |
23.0 |
16.3 |
16.5 |
17.4 |
|
19+ years |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
- |
0.0 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
|
Unknown |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
6,214 |
6,432 |
7,204 |
6,346 |
6,484 |
6,558 |
5,337 |
4,746 |
5,364 |
7,233 |
8,173 |
8,406 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%)5 |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
14.5 |
14.7 |
12.0 |
15.3 |
14.3 |
18.4 |
14.2 |
14.0 |
12.8 |
15.4 |
14.8 |
16.4 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.8 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.5 |
|
Black |
25.7 |
24.8 |
21.6 |
20.0 |
19.5 |
17.3 |
20.6 |
20.7 |
19.7 |
24.5 |
23.0 |
19.5 |
|
Hispanic |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
5.6 |
6.0 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
6.6 |
4.4 |
4.8 |
4.5 |
|
White |
55.0 |
55.3 |
51.0 |
58.4 |
58.7 |
50.0 |
58.9 |
58.6 |
52.5 |
55.1 |
56.1 |
49.3 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
0.1 |
10.2 |
- |
1.0 |
6.9 |
- |
0.3 |
7.7 |
- |
0.7 |
9.2 |
|
Unknown |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
6,214 |
6,432 |
7,204 |
6,346 |
6,484 |
6,558 |
5,337 |
4,746 |
5,364 |
7,233 |
8,173 |
8,406 |
5) In this and subsequent race/ethnicity tables, data for two or more races may be provided for 1998 and 1999 because of States' resubmissions. However, data for 1998 and 1999 may not capture all children of two or more races and therefore may not be comparable to the 2000 data pertaining to two or more races. Back
D. Children Waiting to Be Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)6
|
Overview |
9/30/98 |
9/30/99 |
9/30/00 |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
1,422 |
1,832 |
1,767 |
|
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
11 |
25 |
18 |
|
Age of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
3.1 |
2.6 |
2.5 |
|
1-5 years |
32.9 |
29.9 |
29.3 |
|
6-10 years |
36.1 |
33.1 |
33.1 |
|
11-15 years |
24.8 |
30.2 |
31.2 |
|
16+ years |
2.8 |
3.8 |
3.5 |
|
Unknown |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,422 |
1,832 |
1,767 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
13.6 |
13.9 |
11.4 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
- |
0.3 |
- |
|
Black |
35.0 |
31.1 |
25.4 |
|
Hispanic |
4.5 |
5.0 |
3.7 |
|
White |
46.5 |
49.3 |
47.2 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
0.2 |
11.8 |
|
Unknown |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,422 |
1,832 |
1,767 |
6) Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parentsÂ’ rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation, have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations. Back
E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Age of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
2.0 |
2.1 |
1.4 |
|
1-5 years |
45.1 |
39.4 |
40.9 |
|
6-10 years |
34.1 |
37.0 |
35.4 |
|
11-15 years |
16.4 |
19.0 |
18.6 |
|
16+ years |
2.4 |
2.5 |
3.7 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
505 |
825 |
1,062 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
11.7 |
9.6 |
11.7 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
|
Black |
24.4 |
22.5 |
24.9 |
|
Hispanic |
3.2 |
4.2 |
6.5 |
|
White |
56.2 |
56.6 |
51.1 |
|
Two or more races |
3.6 |
6.3 |
4.6 |
|
Unknown |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
505 |
825 |
1,062 |
Oklahoma [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS)
|
1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children without a recurrence |
87.3 |
88.2 |
88.3 |
|
Children with one or more recurrences |
12.7 |
11.8 |
11.7 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
7,667 |
7,108 |
6,287 |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster
Care
(NCANDS, AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database Jan —Sept)
|
2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children maltreated while in foster care |
1.3 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
|
Children not maltreated while in foster care |
98.7 |
99.0 |
98.7 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
11,483 |
11,868 |
12,478 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
8.0 |
17.6 |
19.7 |
|
Guardianship |
0.9 |
2.2 |
2.3 |
|
Reunification |
57.0 |
73.8 |
71.0 |
|
Other |
5.1 |
6.4 |
6.9 |
|
Missing data |
28.9 |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
5,337 |
4,746 |
5,364 |
|
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
20.4 |
39.6 |
42.0 |
|
Guardianship |
0.7 |
2.2 |
2.4 |
|
Reunification |
35.5 |
45.7 |
43.4 |
|
Other |
9.2 |
12.6 |
12.2 |
|
Missing data |
34.2 |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
991 |
692 |
655 |
|
3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
|
Guardianship |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
|
Reunification |
46.5 |
83.4 |
82.2 |
|
Other |
11.1 |
15.1 |
15.7 |
|
Missing data |
41.2 |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,599 |
1,448 |
1,794 |
|
3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
31.5 |
36.4 |
27.8 |
|
Children older than 12 at entry |
68.5 |
63.6 |
68.5 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
3.7 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
92 |
88 |
54 |
|
3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/P.I. |
Black |
Hispanic |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
7.0 |
15.0 |
10.0 |
9.1 |
- |
- |
8.5 |
17.7 |
22.3 |
7.1 |
17.8 |
21.5 |
|
|
Guardianship |
0.9 |
2.7 |
1.5 |
- |
- |
- |
0.3 |
0.6 |
1.8 |
- |
3.1 |
2.5 |
|
|
Reunification |
60.1 |
75.3 |
79.7 |
63.6 |
100.0 |
82.4 |
56.3 |
74.9 |
69.3 |
63.6 |
73.0 |
70.1 |
|
|
Other |
6.5 |
6.9 |
8.9 |
- |
- |
17.6 |
4.6 |
6.7 |
6.6 |
3.7 |
6.2 |
5.9 |
|
|
Missing data |
25.6 |
- |
- |
27.3 |
- |
- |
30.4 |
- |
- |
25.5 |
- |
- |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
|
Number |
759 |
665 |
688 |
11 |
14 |
17 |
1,097 |
981 |
1,055 |
294 |
259 |
354 |
|
|
|
White |
Unable to Determine |
Two or More Races |
Missing Data |
|||||||||
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
8.3 |
18.2 |
19.4 |
- |
9.4 |
24.0 |
- |
33.3 |
30.2 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Guardianship |
1.2 |
2.6 |
2.7 |
2.9 |
3.1 |
4.0 |
- |
- |
2.2 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Reunification |
56.0 |
73.0 |
70.9 |
40.0 |
81.2 |
68.0 |
- |
60.0 |
62.8 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Other |
5.2 |
6.2 |
7.0 |
2.9 |
6.2 |
4.0 |
- |
6.7 |
4.9 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Missing data |
29.3 |
- |
- |
54.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Number |
3,141 |
2,780 |
2,814 |
35 |
32 |
25 |
- |
15 |
411 |
- |
- |
- |
|
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing
Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
4.1 Time to Reunification (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
81.6 |
81.5 |
80.2 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
11.5 |
12.0 |
13.5 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
3.7 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
1.4 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
|
48 or more mos. |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
|
Missing data |
0.8 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
3,042 |
3,504 |
3,811 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
82.1 |
74.8 |
76.0 |
|
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode |
11.9 |
17.3 |
15.3 |
|
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode |
4.4 |
5.2 |
6.9 |
|
Missing data |
1.7 |
2.7 |
1.8 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
6,346 |
6,484 |
6,558 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
5.1 Time to Adoption (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
10.5 |
7.7 |
6.7 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
21.7 |
19.9 |
24.6 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
20.3 |
26.4 |
26.1 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
21.3 |
21.5 |
16.4 |
|
48 or more mos. |
25.7 |
24.5 |
25.9 |
|
Missing data |
0.5 |
- |
0.3 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
428 |
833 |
1,056 |
6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) |
Year |
Children With 2 or Fewer Placements |
Children With 3 or More Placements |
Missing Data |
Total % |
Number |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
1998 |
75.3 |
24.7 |
- |
100.0 |
7,192 |
|
At least 12 mos., but <24 mos. |
1998 |
47.8 |
52.2 |
- |
100.0 |
2,282 |
|
At least 24 mos., but <36 mos. |
1998 |
40.6 |
59.4 |
- |
100.0 |
1,211 |
|
At least 36 mos., but <48 mos. |
1998 |
44.9 |
55.1 |
- |
100.0 |
709 |
|
48 or more mos. |
1998 |
55.2 |
44.8 |
- |
100.0 |
1,124 |
|
Missing data |
1998 |
97.6 |
2.4 |
- |
100.0 |
42 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group
Homes or Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Group homes |
18.0 |
13.4 |
13.2 |
|
Institutions |
1.3 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
|
Other settings |
80.7 |
85.2 |
85.4 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,225 |
4,081 |
4,182 |
Oklahoma [ State Comment ]
Linda Smith, Director
Children and Family Services Division
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
405-521-3646
Oklahoma?s comments regarding State data for Child Welfare Outcomes 2000: Annual Report are the following:
Child Welfare Context Data, Section A, Child Maltreatment
Victims
An alternative response system was implemented in April 1999.
Changes in overall and individual findings were made in May 2000.
Effective December 2000, children assessed under the alternative
response system were no longer reported to NCANDS as victims. These
changes affected the number of child maltreatment victims and the
victimization rate for Oklahoma.
Child Welfare Context Data, Section B, Child
Fatalities
Oklahoma investigates all child fatalities, including those with
no surviving siblings, and those not reported directly to the
agency. Child fatalities due to failure to protect or improper
supervision, such as unsupervised or improperly supervised children
who die in a house fire or by drowning, are included in the
statistics. These factors may account for the higher rate of child
fatalities attributed to maltreatment in Oklahoma.
Child Welfare Context Data, Section C
The Oklahoma AFCARS extraction process was based on placement
transaction dates, rather than removal transaction dates, resulting
in under-reporting of foster care entries and exits. The extraction
process has been corrected effective for the submission period
beginning April 1, 2001.
Child Welfare Context Data, Section D, Termination of
Parental Rights (TPR)
The TPR data includes only children with a case plan goal of
adoption, for whom the parental rights of both parents were
terminated, and who exited to finalized adoption during the
year.
Child Welfare Outcome Data, Measure 2.1, Maltreatment in
Foster Care
The Oklahoma NCANDS submission includes maltreatment in foster
care, but excludes maltreatment in institutions.
Child Welfare Outcome Data, Measure 4.2, Foster Care
Re-entries
Oklahoma under-reported foster care entries and exits resulting in
an inaccurate rate of foster care re-entries within a 12-month
period of a prior episode.
Child Welfare Outcome Data, Measure 5.1, Exits to
Adoption
Oklahoma reported exits to trial rather than finalized adoptions
for 1998-2000.
Child Welfare Outcome Data, Measure 6.1, Number of
Placements
Oklahoma included respite, short-term hospital and psychiatric
stays, and multiple placements with the same provider, in the
number of placement settings for 1998-2000.
Oklahoma [ Federal Comment ]
The following discussion focuses on Oklahoma?s performance with regard to each of the outcomes assessed in the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Reports to Congress. Information from the State?s Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Final Report is used to provide a context for interpreting the State?s performance (the Oklahoma CFSR was conducted in FY 2002) . Because data reported in the State Data Pages do not address child well-being issues, the last section of this discussion provides information from the CFSR Final Report relevant to the State?s performance in meeting children?s educational and physical and mental health needs.
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or
neglect
In calendar year (CY) 2000, the rate of maltreatment recurrence
within 6 months of a prior substantiated report was 11.7 percent,
which is higher than both the national standard of 6.1 percent and
the national median of 7.9 percent. Information from the CFSR
suggests that the actual maltreatment recurrence rate may be higher
than the reported rate because maltreatment reports on open child
welfare agency cases are not always investigated as new reports,
although this practice is not consistent with agency policy.
Information from the CFSR Final Report identifies the following as
potential barriers to preventing maltreatment recurrence: (1) a
high level of staff turnover among staff conducting investigations
and assessments; (2) the agency?s reluctance to establish
court-ordered services in cases in which children remain in their
homes, so that parent?s participation in services is
voluntary; and (3) the questionable effectiveness of services for
ensuring the child?s safety and reducing risk of harm.
Outcome 2. Reduce incidence of maltreatment in foster
care
In CY 2000, the incidence of maltreatment in foster care was 1.3
percent, which is higher than both the national standard of 0.57
percent and the national median of 0.47 percent. Information from
the CFSR Final Report indicates that although the State has
numerous standards in place to ensure that children in foster care
are protected, concerns were identified regarding the quality of
some foster home placements.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster
care
In fiscal year (FY) 2000, 93.0 percent of children leaving foster
care were discharged to permanent homes (which is higher than the
national median of 84.7 percent), 87.8 percent of children with a
diagnosed disability who exited foster care were discharged to
permanent homes (which is greater than the national median of 79.5
percent), and 84.4 percent of children who were older than age 12
at the time of entry into foster care exited to permanent homes
(which is greater than the national median of 72.6 percent). These
data suggest that the State is effective in attaining permanency
for children, including children with disabilities and children who
are older than age 12 when they enter foster care. Information from
the CFSR Final Report suggests that performance on this outcome may
be attributed in part to the following: (1) multidisciplinary
Permanency Planning Reviews that are held every 6 months for as
long as a child is in foster care; (2) a quality assurance system
that examines outcomes related to permanency as well as safety and
well-being, and (3) diligent efforts to establish permanency goals
in a timely manner and to change goals when necessary.
Outcome 4. Reduce time to reunification without increasing
re-entry
In FY 2000, the percentage of all reunifications occurring within
12 months of children?s entry into foster care was 80.2,
which exceeds both the national standard of 76.2 percent and the
national median of 68.0 percent. Information from the CFSR Final
Report suggests that this performance may be attributed in part to
the following: (1) the State?s guardianship program that uses
funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program to
assist relatives seeking guardianship, and (2) efforts to pilot
Family Group Conferencing programs in several locations in the
State.
Oklahoma?s success with regard to reunification within 12 months must be balanced by the finding that in FY 2000, the percentage of children re-entering foster care within 12 months of discharge from a prior foster care episode was 15.3, which exceeds both the national median of 10.3 percent and the national standard of 8.6 percent. Information from the CFSR Final Report notes that the State believes that the actual re-entry rate is lower than the reported rate because some children who are reported as reunified in the automated system actually remain in Department custody and are on a trial home visit. When these children come back into foster care for safety reasons, it is recorded as a re-entry even though the child has remained in State custody. However, information from the CFSR Final Report also notes that there is a lack of post-reunification services for families and children. Although legislation (Aftercare Legislation) was passed to protect children after reunification, the legislation does not provide additional dollars to support post-reunification services.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In FY 2000, the percentage of all finalized adoptions occurring
within 24 months of the child?s entry into foster care was
31.3, which does not meet the national standard of 32.0 percent,
but is higher than the national median of 19.7 percent. According
to information from the CFSR Final Report, the State believes that
the actual percentage of finalized adoptions occurring within 24
months of entry into foster care is lower than the reported rate
because the State has been coding adoptive placements as discharges
to adoption to the Federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and
Reporting System, rather than only reporting finalized adoptions,
as is required by the data indicator. Information from the CFSR
Final Report also identifies the following as potential barriers to
achieving timely adoptions: (1) delays in filing for termination of
parental rights (TPR); (2) a lack of understanding among agency
staff of the adoption process; (3) delays in establishing the goal
of adoption when reunification efforts appear unsuccessful; and (4)
the State statute that permits jury trials for adjudication and
termination of parental rights hearings. As noted in the CFSR Final
Report, the State has implemented recent initiatives to address
many of these barriers.
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In FY 2000, the percentage of children in foster care for less
than 12 months who experienced no more than 2 placements was 75.9,
which is less than both the national standard of 86.7 percent and
the national median of 84.3 percent. Information from the CFSR
Final Report identifies the following as potential barriers to
achieving placement stability for children: (1) a reliance on
shelter placements at the point of initial entry into foster care
and as interim placements when other placements disrupt; (2) a
scarcity of placement resources, particularly therapeutic foster
homes; (3) placements in foster homes that often are made without
careful matching of children?s needs and foster
parent?s skills; and (4) excessive caseloads that make it
difficult for workers to be sufficiently responsive to the needs
and concerns of foster parents.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes
and institutions
In FY 2000, the percentage of children age 12 or younger placed in
a group home or institution was 14.5, which is higher than the
national median of 9.0 percent. Information from the CFSR Final
Report suggests that the State?s performance on this measure
may be attributed to pervasive use of shelter care as initial
placements for children of all ages.
Child well-being outcomes
With respect to child well-being, information from the CFSR Final
Report indicates that the agency is not consistent in meeting
children?s educational and physical and mental health needs.
The Final Report identifies the following as potential barriers to
meeting these needs: (1) insufficient attention in some cases to
children?s educational needs; (2) failure to provide
comprehensive health assessments for some children at the point of
entry into foster care