Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

2007 Legislative Agenda for Children and Youth

Oppose the socalled

“Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights”

1) Oppose measures to restrict the growth of state revenues and expenditures that would have negative

consequences on the health, education and social services for Oklahoma’s children, youth and families.

2) Expand child abuse prevention / intervention and parent education services to families by increasing

funding and supporting agency budget requests for: Office of Child Abuse Prevention, Children First, Child

Guidance, OK Parents as Teachers, SafeCare (prevention for high risk parents) urban and rural pilots, and

expand comprehensive homebased

services (CHBS).

3) Enhance quality of prenatal care by supporting the OHCA budget request for prenatal support systems,

including developing outreach services, expanding SoonerCare benefits to include oral health and social work

services, and providing payforperformance

incentives to improve early and ongoing

care.

4) Increase childcare provider reimbursement rates to respond to new market rate data, enhanced quality

criteria and the need for improved teacher salaries.

5) Provide funds to place nurses in schools to implement the CDC’s coordinated school health model,

which includes comprehensive school health education, physical education, school health services, nutrition

services, counseling services, healthy school environment, health promotion for staff, and family and

community involvement.

6) Expand implementation of Systems of Care statewide by funding new communities and through

effective partnerships, including positive behavioral intervention services (PBIS), early intervention through

child guidance services, and wraparound services.

7) Provide financial and educational incentives to increase the workforce specializing in children’s

behavioral health, with an emphasis on underserved areas.

8) Reduce youth exposure to alcohol by restricting placement and access in retail establishments and

requiring clerks selling alcohol to be 18 years of age.

9) Provide substance abuse treatment services for juvenile justice youth, including residential substance

abuse treatment facilities, substance abuse outpatient services, and substance abuse prevention services.