The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) provides foreign language interpreters and sign interpreters for non-English speaking persons and those who are hearing impaired – free of charge.
Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth
In order to provide interpreters when and where they are needed, it is important that the request for an interpreter be communicated to OCCY as early as possible. A client or member of the public may notify OCCY of the need for an interpreter, and the specific language or dialect being requested. Advanced notice of the need for language services will help to prevent delays.
Interpretations services are available in more than 240 languages.
The Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO) at OCCY will look into any type of complaint that involves any Oklahoma-based children and youth system (public or private) as defined in 10 O.S. 601.
Please file a complaint if you are worried about a child in an Oklahoma-based public or private system and/or believe that the system (facility, worker, or agency) is not following all legal guidelines, its own policies and procedures, and/or state or federal law.
After receiving a complaint filed via our online form or by telephone, the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO) reviews all available documentation. Next, the OJSO researches whether or not any violations of policies or procedures have occurred. If the result of the complaint is due to a lack of understanding or communication between the complainant and the agency, the OJSO will assist with remedying the situation.
After the complaint is submitted (either online or by telephone), it is assigned to an Oversight Specialist from the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO). The Oversight Specialist will contact the complainant to confirm the information received and may ask for additional information.
Complainants should reach out to the Oversight Specialist assigned to the complaint. If the Oversight Specialist has not contacted the complainant (or is unavailable), they can reach out to the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) by calling (405) 606-4900. The complainant will be directed to a supervisor from the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO) at OCCY.
The complainant may contact a supervisor from the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO) at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY). To reach a supervisor, please call (405) 606-4900.
All complaints filed with the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO) at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) are confidential. We do not disclose the names of complainants.
Click here to be directed to our online OCCY Open Records Request Form. Please note the form has fields that must be filled out in order for it to be processed.
The Oklahoma Open Records Act helps make the work of the state transparent. The act aims to ensure and facilitate the public's right to access and review government records (unless specified otherwise by Oklahoma statute or law) so they may efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power.
Child Death Review Board (CDRB)
The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board (CDRB) is a statutorily created body (Title 10 O.S. § 1150) for the purposes of conducting case reviews of deaths and near deaths of children in the state, developing statistical information, including identification of child deaths caused by abuse and neglect, and improving policies, procedures and practices within agencies serving kids.
The Board is comprised of five review teams that cover all 77 counties. The State Team, the Eastern Regional Review Team, the Southeastern Regional Review Team, the Southwestern Regional Review Team and the Tulsa Regional Review Team.
The CDRB collects statistical data and Child Protection System (as defined by Title 10 O.S. § 1150.1) failure information to develop recommendations to reduce the number of preventable deaths, improve policies, procedures and practices within and between the agencies that protect and serve the children of Oklahoma.
Title 10 O.S. § 1150.1 defines Child Protection System as public and private agencies, medical personnel, courts, law enforcement agencies and legal, education and social service professionals with responsibilities related to child abuse and neglect.
Additionally, if a majority vote of the board affirms any gross neglect of duty by any state office or official within the state's child protective services system, the matter may be referred to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Board composition for the State Team is defined by Statute: Title 10 O.S. §1150.3. For the complete list of CDRB members, please click here.
Regional review teams composition is defined by the Office of Administrative Code (135:10-21-2 (b)) which requires the team to have at a minimum: law enforcement, District Attorney, medical professional, Child Welfare and a licensed mental health professional. Additional disciplines may also apply to serve. Representatives from Tulsa Safe Kids, Indian Child Welfare and the Office of Juvenile Affairs are examples of disciplines currently participating on a regional review team.
Fourteen members of the State Team are automatically members due to their state-level position (e.g., Chief Medical Examiner, the Director of Oklahoma Human Services, Commissioner of Health).
Thirteen members of the State Team are appointed by the Director of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY), after a set of names have been submitted for consideration by an associated professional organization.
To serve on a regional team, an application is submitted to the State Team and upon their recommendation, the applicant will be appointed by the Director of OCCY to serve a two-year term on the regional team.
No. The CDRB reviews all pertinent information from agencies involved in both the death investigation, as well as any services provided to the child prior to the death/near death. These include but are not limited to: law enforcement, Child Welfare, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, primary care physician(s), etc.
The Board does determine if child maltreatment caused or contributed to the death, as well as if the death was preventable.
No. The CDRB does not provide any information to the public on individual deaths. CDRB reports contain aggregate, statistical information well as recommendations for prevention and/or systemic improvement.
No. Information from CDRB cases is privileged and confidential.
No. All contact with the families is made by other agencies, such as law enforcement and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
No. Deaths with a natural manner of death (that have no suspicion child maltreatment caused/contributed to the death) do not fall under the purview of the CDRB.
The CDRB has no enforcement power. It can only make recommendations to various entities involved with the child and to the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY). The OCCY Commissioners then determine appropriate policy, legislative, or systemic changes.
Additionally, if a majority vote of the board affirms any gross neglect of duty by any state office or official within the state's child protective services system, the matter may be referred to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
No. While the CDRB relies on various law enforcement agencies for the production of associated records, the CDRB has no law enforcement powers. However, Oklahoma statute and Office of Administrative Code require law enforcement to participate in child death review.
Last Modified on
Jul 24, 2023