Oklahoma Human Services released from Pinnacle Plan, remains committed to transparency and excellence

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 13, 2025) – A federal court has declared that Oklahoma Human Services has fulfilled its obligations under the Compromise and Settlement Agreement that brought forward the state's Pinnacle Plan and is no longer subject to the oversight of child welfare monitors.  This marks the conclusion of more than a decade of intensive foster care reform efforts to better serve Oklahoma’s children and families. While this represents a significant milestone, the agency remains steadfast in its commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, ensuring the progress made under the Pinnacle Plan is sustained for years to come.

"I want to make Oklahoma the best place in the nation to raise a family," said Governor Kevin Stitt. "We’ve made huge investments into our child welfare system and have made the well-being of our state’s children a top priority. The conclusion of the Pinnacle Plan highlights that our state is on the right trajectory. We remain committed to the strength and resilience of Oklahoma’s families and I see a bright future ahead of us.”

Since the inception of the Pinnacle Plan in 2012, Oklahoma Human Services has worked diligently to implement meaningful changes to better serve children and families. Over the years, the agency has reduced the number of children in state custody from more than 11,000 in 2014 to just under 5,800 in March 2025. This reduction is the result of a strategic focus on prevention services, family support initiatives, and improved foster care systems.

Under the Pinnacle Plan, three out-of-state child welfare experts, referred to as "co-neutrals," issued reports every six months on Oklahoma Human Services’ progress and determined whether the agency had made good faith efforts to improve the state's foster care system. The areas of focus included:

• Maltreatment (abuse and neglect) of children in the state’s legal custody;
• Development of foster homes and therapeutic foster homes;
• Regular and consistent visitation of caseworkers with children in the state’s legal custody;
• Reduction in the number of children in shelters;
• Placement stability, reducing the number of moves that a child experiences while in the state’s legal custody;
• Child permanency, through reunification, adoption, or guardianship; and,
• Manageable caseloads for child welfare staff.

In March 2023, the co-neutrals concluded monitoring efforts of 23 performance measures not impacted by the COVID pandemic. As part of their findings in 2023, the co-neutrals noted the agency had:

• achieved close to 100 percent caseload compliance statewide;
• built the department’s capacity to recruit, support and retain family-based placements for children, including traditional and kinship foster homes;
• continued to report maltreatment in care transparently
• eradicated the use of shelters to house the youngest children and significantly decreased the use of shelters for children of all ages;
• established thorough law and policy requirements to screen timely, respond to and investigate all reports of child abuse and neglect, including for children in congregate care;
• heightened oversight and provider accountability to promote safe care of children placed in higher-level settings; and
• established multiple-level caseworker and supervisor trainings, guidance and efforts to prioritize safety, stability, well-being and permanency for children in care.

The co-neutrals issued their 22^nd and Final Report in February and concluded their oversight of seven remaining measures. These measures had been previously paused due to the COVID pandemic and its impacts on achieving timely permanency for children after removal from their biological homes or who had become legally free after their parent’s rights were terminated. Additionally, these measures looked at performance related to the numbers of therapeutic foster homes available for children with significant behavioral health needs.

Even though external monitoring has ended, Oklahoma Human Services remains committed to publicly reporting on its performance. The agency will continue working with community partners, legislators, and other stakeholders to maintain transparency and ensure Oklahoma families have the resources they need for lifelong success.

"Oklahoma Human Services will never slow down in our pursuit of excellence because the children and families we serve deserve nothing less," said Director of Oklahoma Human Services, Jeffrey Cartmell. "Our mission has always been rooted in care, compassion, and a deep commitment to doing better each year. As we continue building upon the successes of the Pinnacle Plan, we remain steadfast in our dedication to transparency and accountability—because every child and family in Oklahoma deserves to thrive."

“Improving our state’s services to children affected by abuse and neglect has been one of the most important issues addressed during my administration,” said former Governor Mary Fallin. “I am proud of what Oklahoma Human Services has accomplished in improving our foster care system and creating a more comprehensive child welfare system with community and faith partners. The success of the reforms to the child welfare system is critical to ensuring the state will provide adequate protection and care to vulnerable Oklahoma children. The completion of the Pinnacle Plan is a big step forward for the state and for Oklahoma Human Services as it continues to work to strengthen child welfare services. My thanks go out to the agency’s employees and the co-neutrals for their hard work and cooperation, as well as Oklahoma legislators for making the necessary financial commitment to support these important reforms.”

The agency encourages Oklahomans to remain engaged in these efforts. Those interested in fostering can visit https://okfosters.org/ or call 1-800-376-9729. Individuals seeking career opportunities to support Oklahoma families can visit https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs.html.

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