OKPOLICY.ORG
Oklahoma children face a host of challenges that stem from the conditions and policies shaping life in our state – nearly 1 in 4 Oklahoma children experience food insecurity, children of color are overrepresented in the youth justice system, and young children are inappropriately exposed to court involvement. Parents’ resources are stretched thin, whether it’s due to the stagnant minimum wage of the last two decades, the frustrating reality of finding and keeping stable housing, or cuts to child care subsidies that families and daycares relied on. This need is clear in the latest KIDS COUNT report, which ranked Oklahoma 44th nationally for overall child well-being. Parents and children need help now, but did not receive it from their legislators this session. While legislators introduced and passed a budget within record time, it did not include or make time to consider investments in resources that would help Oklahoma families struggling to make ends meet in the present.
While the Legislature made progress in expanding a mentorship program to more youth, youth justice issues took a backseat this session
Oklahoma saw a few wins for youth justice this session, including the adoption of House Bill 3849 by Rep. Eric Roberts, R-OKC, and Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, which expands the state’s Children of Incarcerated Parents Mentorship program to include youth considered at risk for justice system involvement. Previously, this program was only available to youth who had an incarcerated parent and were in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA). This change means that more young people will have access to mentorship programs, which have been shown to reduce behavioral issues and improve self-regulation, academic achievement, and peer relationships.
However, other efforts to improve the youth justice system did not make it past the finish line. Senate Bill 1805 by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Tulsa, would prohibit temporary staffing agencies from staffing facilities maintained by OJA. The bill passed through both chambers, but was ultimately vetoed by the Governor. While lawmakers could have overridden the veto, they ultimately declined to do so. When agencies employ people tasked with children’s safety, it’s important that those financial resources be invested in people dedicated to their role. There is a complex relationship between staffing challenges in correctional facilities and youth recidivism, with studies suggesting that youth placed in correctional facilities with high staff turnover are at risk of longer lengths of stay in residential facilities, which in turn results in higher recidivism rates. Legislators must consider this issue carefully with concern for children’s long-term health and creating an environment where children can learn from their mistakes.
It is a recognized phenomenon that many children who have youth justice system involvement also have previous child welfare system involvement. Legislators attempted to address this through SB 1570, introduced by Sen. Paul Rosino, R-OKC, and Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, which would have created a new state agency, the Office of Child Well-Being, by merging child welfare services with the Office of Juvenile Affairs by June 2027. The measure passed 42-1 in the Senate, with the author stating that efforts to merge these departments under one roof were intended to provide a more holistic experience for children with unmet needs. The measure ultimately stalled in the House, but it is an important topic to investigate in future sessions.
While SB 1570 offers a solution to potentially help child welfare services and the state’s youth justice agency better collaborate on providing comprehensive services to youth in their care, there are other options legislators ought to consider, as the idea presented in SB 1570 is potentially costly and time-consuming. There are emerging standards, such as the Crossover Youth Practice Model, for youth justice and child welfare services that provide a set of rules for collaboration among the involved agencies, and they have shown promising results. States that have opted into using the standards show an overall reduction in recidivism amongst youth with dual-system involvement, more cases being diverted or dismissed from the juvenile system, and an improvement in youth staying in their communities rather than detention or congregate care — all of which are evidence-based and cost-saving measures. The emerging practice model does not require the agencies to be unified under one agency for program effectiveness. So as legislators consider what improvements might be made for better outcomes for dual-system youth, they should consider what strategies might best help agencies better work together that are both smart and cost-effective.
Some impactful changes for youth were passed this session, but others stalled due to a lack of financial investment from the Legislature
Oklahoma took an important step for young children and working families with the passage of HB 1979 by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, and Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, which creates a task force to improve access to, delivery of, and coordination of early childhood services. The bill comes as Oklahoma’s child care system faces major challenges after the Department of Human Services ended a subsidy program that many child care providers relied on to stay open. Since the cuts took effect in April 2026, 131 day care centers have closed statewide. HB 1979 also supports recommendations for Early Head Start and Head Start programs, which are linked to higher rates of employment and higher earnings later in life for children who participate. As child care workers remain underpaid and providers continue to struggle, lawmakers must continue to pursue solutions that keep centers open, support essential workers, and strengthen Oklahoma’s future workforce.
Another important step forward was SB 1806 by Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, and Rep. Mark Lawson, which expands Oklahoma’s Successful Adulthood Act (OKSA) for youth up to age 21. Previously, OKSA’s services for job placement, financial assistance, and educational services were only available to youth in foster care up to age 18. This change means that young people are able to remain in the custody of the Department of Human Services up until age 21, allowing them to continue receiving support when they need it the most. The expansion aligns with best practices for youth beyond age 18 leaving foster care, while ensuring that youth under age 18 can also receive services. In a study examining 19-year-olds in extended foster care and 19-year-olds who were not in extended foster care, youth in the extended foster care program were 69 percent more likely to have a high school diploma or GED, 41 percent less likely to have experienced homelessness, and 63 percent more likely to be enrolled in postsecondary education. SB 1806 passed through both chambers and was approved by the Governor, with the Legislature allocating $5 million to expand the program. However, the estimated cost of the expansion is $28 million, with a state-level responsibility of $14 million. So while the expansion of the program is a great step forward, underfunding this program may lead to it failing to fully support a vulnerable population of youth.
While some impactful bills moved forward this session, legislators failed to fully pass a smart, cost-effective investment in HB 3638 by Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond. The bill would have opted Oklahoma into the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program (Summer EBT), which helps families afford groceries during the summer months when youth are out of school. Since the program was first implemented in 2024, Oklahoma’s governor has elected to opt out of receiving these funds, while several Oklahoma Tribal Nations have opted in and allowed non-Tribal citizens within their reservations to receive the benefit. Access to food stamps in early childhood is shown to increase levels of completed education, lifetime earnings, neighborhood quality, and homeownership, and to reduce poverty, mortality, and incarceration; thus, it stands to reason that this program would have an outsized impact on the Oklahomans who would qualify.
Lawmakers need to consider bold changes and strategic investments if they hope to empower children in a more substantial way
There are many options for improving the lives of children if lawmakers are willing to prioritize the needs of Oklahomans. The most immediate relief to Oklahomans could come through the implementation of the ideas outlined in HB 3638 by providing all Oklahomans with access to the federal Summer EBT program. The program would have cost Oklahoma around $5 million in state funding to implement, with funds matched by the federal government. SNAP investments are estimated to produce, at a minimum, $0.80 to $1.50 per dollar invested in economic impact.
Nutrition programs also reduce the need for public expenditures on social service programs in adulthood and boost the economy by increasing spending on food production, transportation, and marketing. Considering the impact this program would also have on childhood outcomes, the $5 million could produce millions of dollars of impact through reduced incarceration, increased lifetime earnings for Oklahomans, and a reduction in poverty. This investment would be a common-sense and fiscally responsible investment for the nearly 1 in 4 Oklahoma children experiencing food insecurity.
Additionally, legislators should look to fully fund proposals such as extended foster care, which is shown to help youth transitioning into adulthood. In a study that observed youth who continued to receive benefits from expanding foster care services up to age 21, the youth who received extended foster care services up to one year after turning 18 were more likely to meet their basic needs, further their education, and gain additional work experience. They were also found to save money and to reduce the likelihood of becoming a parent at a young age and having contact with the criminal justice system.
This, along with studying ways to improve coordination between child-serving agencies, like in SB 1570, should be analyzed by legislators more fully before considering them for passage. Furthermore, making common-sense changes to the justice system for children, like establishing a minimum age of adjudication, could create a more just experience for youth who do become involved in the justice system.
Investing in children’s well-being through effective programming and smart reforms is the only way to drastically improve children’s outcomes in Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s children and families deserve more than missed opportunities and limited investment. While lawmakers made some meaningful progress through expanded mentorship opportunities and efforts to strengthen early childhood coordination, the failure to advance broader, evidence-based reforms leaves too many children without the support they need to thrive. If lawmakers are serious about improving the well-being of children and families, they must move beyond short-term budgeting and pursue bold, long-term solutions that prioritize the health, stability, and success of every child in the state while upholding best practices.
