OKPOLICY.ORG
Oklahoma has an obligation to care for vulnerable youth in our legal and foster systems. This session, Oklahoma legislators have the chance to build upon recent progress to make benefits more accessible and enshrine protections for vulnerable youth in the legal and foster systems. As lawmakers are considering bills during the next few weeks, they should support bills that connect Oklahoma youth to services that help them enter adulthood successfully.
Remaining bills can build upon earlier progress for youth in the legal system
Oklahoma legislators have undertaken work to reform the foster care and criminal legal systems for youth this session. House Bill 1965 would enshrine new protections for youth in the foster care systems. This bill would ensure that youth entering the foster care system are processed through the court system within 15 months, in addition to other protections.
HB 1965 would also require that youth charged with a first-time misdemeanor offense are offered diversion services rather than processing through the court system. This would ensure youth receive a developmentally appropriate response to misbehavior, like therapy or group counseling, for first-time offenses.
Another bill making progress at the legislature this session is HB 1480, which would eliminate counties’ ability to charge families for the cost of youth detention; the bill would create a fine and fee waiver process for justice-involved kids. This builds upon previous legislation that reduced fines and fees for youth. HB 1480 would allow youth and families in the legal system more opportunities to access services without harmful fines and fees.
The legislature makes progress toward increasing accessibility of essential documents and benefits to youth and families who need them most
The House recently approved HB 2361, which expands upon progress and benefits made available through the Oklahoma Successful Adulthood Act. This bill ensures that the 200 youth who age out of foster care yearly at age 18 are taught how to obtain health insurance, they are also provided copies of educational transcripts, diplomas, or professional certificates earned while in state custody. HB 2361 clarifies that youth leaving the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs are provided with the same documents and information that youth receive when they leave the foster system. This bill would help ensure that youth leaving the foster care or youth justice system are equipped with proof of identification they need to apply for housing, a bank account, or a job.
Also available for consideration this session is HB 1575, which would require the Department of Human Services to develop a unified eligibility and enrollment system for most social safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Prior to implementation, HB 1575 would require the Department to conduct a feasibility study to integrate additional programs into the system over time. This would require the Department to work closely with the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority to determine what would be necessary to fully implement an online integrated benefits application.
HB 1575 builds upon nationwide efforts to modernize applications for benefits. While many social safety net programs have online applications, they are spread across different platforms and applications. This requires applicants to fill out the same information across multiple systems and forms, leaving the process vulnerable to errors that can delay or deny assistance. Unifying applications to these programs on one platform shortens the amount of time applicants spend applying for benefits. It also reduces the possibility of making mistakes across applications.
The 2025 legislature has the opportunity to build upon positive legislative change for vulnerable youth
Lawmakers this legislative session have made important progress in enhancing protections and services for youth involved in Oklahoma’s foster care and legal systems. With passage, bills like HB 1965 and HB 1480 would pave the way for more equitable treatment in the youth justice system, ensuring youth receive the care and support they need without facing unnecessary fines or harmful legal consequences. Additionally, efforts like HB 2361 and HB 1575 would help to create smoother transitions for youth aging out of foster care or the youth justice system, and they would improve access to critical social safety net programs.
If legislators continue to prioritize youth this session with legislative action, there is significant opportunity for continued reform and further protections for vulnerable youth. This can help move Oklahoma closer to creating a more just and supportive system for Oklahoma youth.
