We are only for Good Strong Leadership in Our State and our Nation Leading Governing and Cultivating our State and Nation through the hands of God. We want to eliminate abuse neglect and murder. The Oklahoma Republican Governor Mary Fallin particicipates in all of the above with Republican support term 2011 to 2018 There were 11,418 children in the state who were victims of child abuse or neglect during fiscal year 2013. The most recent data show a nearly 58 percent increase in child victims since fiscal year 2010, when 7,248 Oklahoma children were harmed. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services is working with staff at Casey Family Programs to determine what is causing the dramatic increase in child victimization, department spokeswoman Sheree Powell said. Seattle-based Casey Family Programs is a foundation that works to provide, improve and prevent the need for foster care nationwide. Weve had a long-standing relationship with them, but this is something special weve asked them to come help us with, Powell said. Casey Family Programs staff are working with DHS caseworkers to drill down into the departments numerous sets of data and reports. We want to find out the cause of so many children coming into the foster care system, Powell said. Are there any of those issues that we can control? Currently, around 11,100 children are part of Oklahomas foster care system, Powell said. The number in state custody has increased by around 2,000 children during the past 18 months, increasing the strain on foster parents, children removed from their homes and state employees. To help handle the increase, the department has hired 600 new workers and contracted with private firms to assist recruitment of foster parents, Powell said. The study with Casey Family Programs is focusing on several counties throughout the state where the number of children who need to be removed from their homes has shown a dramatic increase. The recent child abuse data in many of the counties being studied show a significant increase not being seen in neighboring counties despite the geographic areas similar demographic and socioeconomic profiles, Powell said. Findings of the study and the counties included will be released in January. Some of the factors causing the increase in child abuse may be outside of the DHS Child Welfare Services authority to address, Powell said. It will be important for communities to know the studys results and to help raise awareness of issues that need attention. The department is not legally able to address situations where child abuse has not yet occurred, Powell said. Other agencies are charged with addressing situations such as drug abuse and domestic violence that statistics show could potentially lead to child abuse. From fiscal years 2011 and 2012, the number of children abused in Tulsa County and several surrounding counties increased in amounts ranging from 23 percent to 92 percent. The number of children abused in Oklahoma County increased 29 percent between fiscal years 2011 and 2012. The number of children abused or neglected in each county in Oklahoma during fiscal year 2013 is not yet available. Nationally, the number of children abused or neglected in the United States dropped for the sixth consecutive year, according to recently released data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. Nationwide data represent trends through September 2012, nearly a year behind the most recent data available for Oklahoma, which includes cases that happened between July 2012 and June 2013. Nationwide, an estimated 686,000 children were abused or neglected during federal fiscal year 2012, the most recent data available. That number represents a 17 percent decrease from the number of children mistreated during fiscal year 2006, when there were an estimated 825,000 victims. Between fiscal years 2005 and 2006, the estimated number of children abused or neglected increased from 815,000 to 825,000, the most recent span of time that instances of abuse increased nationwide.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 12:25:45 +0000
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