Human Services Commission Approves Child Care Policy Changes

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL---The Oklahoma Commission for Human Services today approved policy changes intended to strengthen Oklahoma Department of Human Services child care oversight during the commission’s monthly meeting at the Capitol Complex in Oklahoma City.

OKDHS Director Howard H. Hendrick said, “I would like to extend my appreciation to the Commission for its support of our efforts and to our staff for their efforts to expedite the policy research and development process so that these recommendations could be brought before the Commission today.

“We believe the Commission’s approval of these actions today will afford our staff the opportunity to more rapidly respond to the challenges they face in monitoring the state’s child care system,” Hendrick said. “The world is moving at a faster pace and we must provide our staff with the opportunity and the tools to do the same.”

The policy changes involve expediting the process for emergency orders; improving communication with parents of children in child care; and adding training requirements for child care staff and child care providers.

The process for emergency orders will be expanded to include regional staff, which will allow OKDHS to more rapidly respond when an emergency situation exists within a child care facility.

“We will expedite the emergency orders procedure by decentralizing that process to allow five regional managers, the state licensing coordinator and two assistant state licensing coordinators to execute such orders,” said Mark Lewis, director of the OKDHS Division of Child Care.

To focus on improved parent communication, a policy change was approved that child care homes, child care centers, school-age programs and part-day programs post in a prominent location completed child welfare investigation findings in which allegations were confirmed. This information must be posted for a period of 120 days from the completion of the investigation.

If the child care facility has requested and received a waiver for personnel who have criminal histories, this information also must be posted in a prominent location for as long as those individuals are employed or living in the facility.

As a part of routine training that happens throughout the year, these changes and how to implement them will be reinforced to child care staff.  “We want them to instinctively know what authorities they have and how to best use them to serve the best interest of the children in child care,” Lewis said. “Training, training and more training, for our staff and child care providers, is how we will get this message across.”

The Commission also approved policy that a compliance file be accessible to staff, parents and others and should contain information issued within the last 120 days, including the most recent child care licensing monitoring report, any “Notices to Comply” and licensing complaints. Also, completed child welfare investigations with unconfirmed allegations should be maintained in the file for 120 days and completed child welfare investigations with confirmed allegations should be maintained in the file for one year from the completion of the investigation.

For family child care homes, additional training requirements for child care providers must be completed prior to the issuance of the initial permit. This includes requirements that child care providers must have completed training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for infants and children and first aid. Also, child care providers must have completed additional training requirements in health and safety, including the definition, identification and mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect; and, behavior and guidance methods. This is in addition to the training providers are already required to complete.

The emergency policies and procedures approved today will be sent to Gov. Brad Henry. The Governor has 45 days from receipt to sign the proposed emergency rules. If approved by Gov. Henry, the policy changes will be applied to family child care homes, child care centers, school-age programs and part-day programs. OKDHS has asked that an emergency be declared, which will allow the new rules to become effective Oct. 1, 2007.

In June, Hendrick directed agency staff to accelerate the development of a new planned portion of the Division of Child Care Web site that will provide limited access to child care monitoring records. The Web site content will include a summary of facility monitoring information, such as general provider information and specific complaint information.

“This is part of an ongoing effort within the Division of Child Care and the Data Services Division,” Lewis explained. “Most of the Web site components are complete, and we expect the site will be up before the end of this year.”

Lewis explained that the policy changes were brought about through the efforts of many community partners and staff from various parts of the Department. It is a cooperative process that involves the Division of Child Care staff, the Child Care Advisory Committee members and other community partners that have an interest in Oklahoma’s child care system. They have all participated at some level in the process since mid-June, he added.

The Oklahoma Commission for Human Services is the nine-member constitutional governing board that oversees OKDHS. Its members are appointed by the Governor to staggered nine-year terms, with one membership expiring each August. The Commission hires the Director of Human Services, approves program budgets, funding, and policies and procedures that direct the Department's program and service delivery.

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