2025 Session Approaches, Legislative Learning Lab Will Get You Ready

When I heard the news of the death of former President Jimmy Carter, I was reminded of a statement he made 10 years ago during his announcement that he was battling brain cancer. He was asked if he would have done anything different in his life. I was surprised by his response. “I wish I’d sent one more helicopter to get the hostages and we would have rescued them, and I would have been re-elected,” Carter said. By the way he responded, you could tell that decision weighed heavily on his heart. I hope that this did not haunt him, but I also know with politicians, due to the nature of their decisions which sometimes impact millions of people, they often struggle with making the best choice for most people with the least harm to those they represent. Former Gov. George Nigh often says that based upon the information that he had at the time, he felt that each decision he made was the correct one in that moment. Now, information can change and provide a different outlook in the future but knowing that you did the best you could with what you had certainly makes it easier to not dwell on those decisions. Every person has some situation which at some degree plagues them, a “what-if” scenario that either is a whisper at the back of their mind or that completely disrupts their life. If it is the latter, let this be a suggestion for considering a conversation with a therapist to discuss how this has impacted you and a way you can move past that tribulation. It is important to seek help for something which causes you to dwell in the past and what might affect your current personal or professional well-being. I am not embarrassed to share that I sometimes visit with a therapist when I feel pressure, and this provides significant relief. I have also found that it helps to visit with people who you have “wronged” in some situation to enable that healing, hopefully on both sides. Facing regret in a healthy way is critical to growth, healing, and hopefully prosperity. I have thought about what my “helicopter moment” might be, and I am fortunate that I cannot point to a major one. I can certainly think of several choices I have made which I wish that I had handled differently, but nothing as significant as President Carter. Personally though, I wish that I had developed a better work/life balance in my earlier years as I am a “workaholic” and have often spent far too much time with my job instead of building a better equilibrium. With that regret, I do balance it with the opportunities to do good that I have been afforded, and, to me, that certainly helps. I provide this bit of advice to those policymakers who are about to start making decisions for the people with their votes: before deciding on legislation, put thought into the consequences and outcomes for all those impacted. Additionally, no vote is worth keeping your elected office. If it goes against what you believe is “right” at your core, you must be able to look at yourself in the mirror long after you leave your position. But also, do not be afraid to grow as a person, as sometimes you learn from others and your views (and vote) might change. Finally, dedicate time to friends and family as it is easy to lose touch with them while serving in an office. Your “helicopter moment” could come at any moment, so do your best with what you have so as to hopefully avoid that regret.

Some say that deaths occur in “threes,” and for Oklahomans that was truly the case last week with a trio of remarkable individuals who each had an impact on those in their circle of life. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (100), Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Gene Rainbolt (95), and Center of Family Love case manager Sister Veronica Higgins (74) each passed, all having left a mark on those who respected them and the lives they impacted through their work. James Earl Carter, Jr. served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Following his Presidency, Carter continued his humanitarian work with his wife Rosalyn by his side for their 77 years of marriage together. The former First Lady preceded him in death in 2023. He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. Many consider Carter to be the nation’s greatest former President due to his philanthropic work with programs like Habitat for Humanity and efforts to bring peace to parts of the world in turmoil. “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I’m free to choose that something. That something—the something that I’ve chosen—is my faith. My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have, to try to make a difference.” – Jimmy Carter Closer to home, many tributes have been shared about the life of Harry Eugene Rainbolt, the founder of BancFirst. Rainbolt inspired his employees and those around him to recognize the power of philanthropy in impacting the lives of those in need. In 2024, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) created an award named the H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award to recognize a business which helps give back to children through their volunteerism, inspired by the work which Rainbolt himself championed for children through his bank. “Change the world,” Rainbolt wrote in his own obituary. “Have some fun. Make some money. Give it away. Believing the tragedy of death has to do entirely with what was left undone, mine ended with my having done all I could do, but with so much more needed!” Sister Veronice Higgins of the Carmelite Sisters of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus was a past administrator and principal at the former Villa Teresa School in Oklahoma City. Sister Veronica was a well-recognized presence around state politics, often seen promoting positions dear to her at the State Capitol. Her passion though was the work with the Center of Family Love in Okarche. CFL provides lifetime quality care and empowers individuals to conquer intellectual disabilities, as taken from their Facebook page. They shared that the residents called her “mama,” an endearing name that she cherished. She said that she loved completing her career at CFL because God had called to serve the orphans, the poor, and the needy. “Love incarnate, help us to follow your example of love by welcoming the homeless, comforting the sorrowful- being your light in our dark world.” – Veronica Higgins Each of these remarkable individuals left an indelible mark on those they touched through their charitable work. It is now up to those of us left to continue their work and lift those around us to greater heights. Things often can be overwhelming for those struggling, but it is people like these three who took just a bit of that load off of others and made the trek a little easier, so please pay tribute to each by taking up a cause that will uplift others.

For the week of December 28, 2024

No matter what holiday you are celebrating in December, there are usually gifts involved. With Christmas Day and Hanukkah both falling on December 25, and Kwanzaa starting on December 26, people from all around the world will have reason to exchange gifts with friends and loved ones. I should say most people, as there are many who are without anyone in their lives other than those generous strangers who provide the means to share a bit of joy with those truly in need. Think back over the past and remember that one special item which brought joy to you. I can think of many great things received, even with my family often struggling to make ends meet. One of my friends had a handheld video game, Donkey Kong, and I really wanted one of my own. My parents gave me a gift to open one Christmas morning. It was a video game cartridge of the game that I wanted, but I assumed they did not realize that it was not the item that I wanted and would not work without the Atari console. To surprise me, they brought out the console it would play on following my look of dejection. I was thrilled. It was special to have something like this, a gift I never expected to receive. I was lucky. I had parents willing to make that type of financial sacrifice to see me happy. In fact, I appreciate all they were did to provide opportunities for me, along with people in the community where I grew up who helped me have the chance to take 4-H trips, participate in activities, and be involved in programs which set me on the path to service. With my current job, I often see the tribulations many modern-day youths face. Far too many do not have family members who provide a safe and loving home for their children. When this happens, the state must find a suitable place for children to remain until problems are resolved and reunification can happen, or adoption when no other option is left. According to the state-run website okfosters.org, there are currently 5,824 children currently in the custody of the state as foster children, with 350 waiting to enter the system. Oklahoma Human Services estimates that there are 736 families needed to serve as foster or bridge parents for youth at this moment. At one point, Oklahoma ranked ninth in the nation for grandparents raising their own children’s children. Much of that number is contributed to incarceration rates for single parents or sometimes even both parents. Other family members are often called upon to take in youngsters when something happens which requires the children to be taken from their mothers and fathers so as to avoid foster care. These family members often do not receive financial support similar to what foster parents receive from the state to care for children due to budget constraints. Many of these children will be fortunate to eventually return to their biological parents, but they need a safe, loving environment until that occurs. If you are able and have the means, please consider giving that special gift to a child who is enduring the most traumatic experience of their young life: being a foster parent. Oklahoma is in desperate need of those who could open their home to a child in need and make that difference to them. If you are moved to do so, please call 1-800-376-9729 to learn more. Please also share this thought with friends, your church, and others so together, we can ensure each of these children has the brightest of holidays possible.

As we approach Christmas and the other holidays celebrated during this time of year, many will have joyous moments, while others will endure sadness. I want to extend heartfelt appreciation to the nonprofit Camp Fire Heart of Oklahoma as their board made the difficult decision to close down. This program offered many camping adventures to thousands of young people through the years. Our OK-LEAD program, which took older foster youth their ropes program, was an experience which our campers enjoyed thoroughly. Unfortunately, the inability to recover financially following the pandemic led to this decision. They have indicated news about their campgrounds are forthcoming. Many areas of the nonprofit sector have endured financial stress in recent years, partially from federal tax policy that eliminated some incentives for giving, along with personal giving having faced a slowdown due to economic hardships. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has been no different in that we had to leave some positions vacant longer than we wanted this year to ensure we could complete our mission and be ready for 2025. I have heard stories shared from counterparts regarding the need for financial support and more volunteer hours to support work. I can attest as just a few short weeks ago, we had members of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Oklahoma State University, the house in which I was a member, come to Oklahoma City to help with distributing SoonerCare information which was mailed to schools and daycares in twenty rural counties. These brochures provide information to families about how to qualify and a number to call for assistance. We appreciate their help as we would have missed our deadline if not for them. Not all of the news this year is negative though as we just wrapped up our annual effort to help support foster youth across the state through OK Foster Wishes. Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) approached us for support to collect gift cards for foster families to be able to purchase gifts for the youth under their care. OHS set a goal of 200 cards of $150 each this year and OICA originally committed to raise funds for 50 of them. Thanks to generous donors, we were able to surpass that and provide 82 cards for them. If you were a donor to this or another of the OHS Holiday Hope programs, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity. We will still collect for Holiday Hope for another week as children enter foster care each and every day, including on Christmas Day and these workers are committed to their mission, even on holidays. It is not too late to support your favorite nonprofit organization or mission. Your donation could make the difference in sustaining the work coming from nonprofits. End of year giving often raises 10 percent of the funds that these organizations use to operate. Please do not leave them off your list this year as the struggle is very real. And, if you are so moved, we at OICA would be very grateful to be included among your end of year giving plans to support our operations. You can go to make a donation at https://tinyurl.com/OICADonate or to discuss planned giving, you can contact our development director, Dr. Myron Pope, at mpope@oica.org with questions. Thank you in advance for your generosity to OICA and all the nonprofits that do critical work in Oklahoma. Your support is what keeps all of the state’s nonprofits able to continue improving the quality of life for Oklahomans.

The deadline for submission of ideas for the upcoming legislative session was Friday, December 6, and lawmakers were turning in their concepts for bills up to the final moment. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) worked with several state senators and representatives on ideas developed during our annual Fall Forum conference. I expect a robust conversation will be held this upcoming session on those ideas, which comprised the Children’s Legislative Agenda for 2025. You can read that document on our website at https://tinyurl.com/25OICALEGAG . I always enjoy this time of year as advocates who have suggested solutions to problems have the opportunity to work with policymakers to produce the needed answers. Of course, not all of these ideas move forward; sometimes the price tag is too much no matter how noble the solution. Of course, politics sometime comes into play, and personalities certainly can influence which ideals move forward. People have taken notice of late regarding civility in politics. I would argue that, in Oklahoma, our lawmakers certainly take pride in their party registration, but the division is not as wide as what we see at the federal level. Of course, with 81 of 101 House members being in one party, and 39 of 48 Senators also being in the majority party, it is often more difficult for members of the minority to have their bills heard due to time constraints and natural differences in views. The big difference in Oklahoma is the hostility between the parties is not as prevalent as what we see in federal politics. I believe that is due to many state lawmakers finding areas of consensus, sometimes with it being friends with each other’s families or sharing school loyalties, or even geographic similarities. I deeply enjoy working with colleagues from both parties to discuss the problems seen and seek reasonable pathways to help those who are facing those issues through my years in this business. I feel there are a majority of people who are elected who also share that sentiment. I am extremely excited about the new leadership teams in both the House of Representatives and the Senate for the upcoming session, ranging from new presiding officers and floor leaders to budget committee chairmen who have been elevated from their vice chair roles. One of the two minority leaders will also be a new person holding that role. I have had a chance to work with each of these men and women through the years and I believe each to be in public service for the right reasons, which makes the job easier for child advocates. We can rest easier knowing lawmakers also want to see realistic solutions and are willing to look at different pathways to get to those answers. As we begin the new session, OICA will collaborate with all lawmakers willing to work with us on new concepts this year, some involving access to insurance for children, greater access to medical and dental care statewide, and increased support for affordable childcare. We will also continue to work with allies who want to revisit the effort to end corporal punishment for special needs students. We look forward to working with budget leaders to ensure the many successful programs benefiting the youth of our state continue to be funded.  While this all might be a “glass half full” view of our state politics, I do feel optimistic that this new generation of leaders who either continue or begin their service in February will live up to that term “leader” for our state.

As Oklahoma lawmakers request bills for the 2025 legislative session, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has finalized its 2025 Children’s Legislative Agenda and delivered it to them. Approved by the OICA Board of Directors, the agenda outlines the organization’s priorities and presents lawmakers with a roadmap to improve conditions for Oklahoma’s children. “Advocates from across the state came together in late November during our annual Fall Forum to discuss a wide range of issues relating to children,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “While this is an ambitious agenda, we believe each component of it is critical to improving the lives of our most important resource. This document represents the recommendations made by advocates and our Board of Directors.” The entire agenda is available to the public on our website and can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/25OICALEGAG .” From the input from child advocates, the OICA Board of Directors considered the suggestions and coalesced them into recommendations divided into four specific categories: Support programs and services for foster families and biological parents and guardians. Accessibility to health-related services and programs. Learning loss and educational opportunities for children. Addressing childcare needs. The recommendations include a specific focus on improving services to foster and biological families in rural areas, while encouraging partnerships with private sector agencies. Increased stipends and reimbursement rates for foster care are also a foundation of the recommendations, as is mental health and trauma support. The organization also advocates for legal reforms and enhanced support for biological families, stating that reunification with biological families should be celebrated along with adoption. The organization also suggests integrating school-based social workers would enhance access to essential services and promote student wellbeing. In addition, the increased availability of health services would address inequities in care, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Both the learning loss among students in the wake of the pandemic and the annual learning loss during the summer break were addressed by advocates. Among the suggestions was to enhance school readiness among students entering school for the first time, and to prioritize funding for teacher support, smaller class sizes and paraprofessionals. Additionally, eliminating corporal punishment for students in special needs classifications and reducing the use of out-of-school suspensions was prioritized. In short, the advocates asserted, “Providing safer, more supportive environments fosters positive student outcomes.” The continued shortage of childcare also received the advocates’ attention. “Improving access to childcare resources strengthens family stability and child development,” the agenda document asserts. In addition, a focus on ensuring “the safety of foster families, providers, and Oklahoma Human Services workers from biological familial threats is paramount to maintaining effective care systems” was included in the agenda. The final recommendations were to strengthen oversight of childcare facilities in Oklahoma and increasing the Office of Juvenile System Oversight’s authority to conduct periodic inspections of privately operated children's facilities is essential to ensure accountability, safety, and quality care for vulnerable children. Release of the annual Children’s Legislative Agenda is the final action the organization takes each year in preparation for the next and is a critical duty of the organization, established the organization to be an independent watchdog on state government in the aftermath of the child welfare scandal brought to light in the Gannett report, “Oklahoma Shame.” That report can be found on OICA’s website. To kick off the new year, OICA will host its Legislative Learning Lab in late January to help advocates understand the complex procedures of the Oklahoma Legislature. That event will culminate on the opening day of the 2025 session, when Governor Stitt will present is “State of the State” address. The organization’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol will be on March 11. To register for these events and stay up to date with the latest information on the organization’s child advocacy efforts, go to the OICA website at https://oica.org .

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Board of Directors presented 10 awards during its annual Fall Awards Luncheon, held recently at the Capitol View Event Center in Oklahoma City. Here, Joe Dorman, OICA CEO, stands with award winners and their representatives following the event. Each of the award recipients has worked to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children. (Courtesy Photos). The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) recently recognized 10 champions for children in various categories with awards. Each of these individuals or organizations has done tremendous work to elevate children’s support services and make lives better for each they have touched. The annual awards luncheon celebrates the winners during our annual Fall Forum policy conference. Fall Forum brings together advocates to suggest policies for implementation by lawmakers and agency leaders. On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for all each of you has done to improve the lives of Oklahoma’s children. Kayla Leeper won the Jasmine and Melvin Moran Kidizenship Award for excellence in youth philanthropy for her work with her program Kayla’s Kindness Project. This effort provides items to patients undergoing cancer treatments. Kristina Egnor was presented with the Laura Choate Resilience Award, recognizing someone who has endured tremendous childhood trauma but overcome it to make the children’s lives better. Kristina leads a team of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists supporting youth in Stillwater. The Oklahoma City Fire Department won the Jon Hansen Public Servant Award which pays tribute to a public servant or department which goes beyond their normal duties to impact the lives of children positively. Among their volunteer efforts, the department provides coats for children in need and toys for foster youth over the holidays. Stan Clark, the founder of Eskimo Joe’s, received the Ray and Pat Potts Community Leader Award for a business leader providing support in their community to benefit children. Eskimo Joe’s, celebrating their 50th anniversary, gives back to many organizations with proceeds from sales of their clothing, along with offering several charitable give-back events through their restaurants in Stillwater. BancFirst was selected for the inaugural H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Corporate Citizen Award which recognizes a business which works to help children outside their business operations. Beyond the individual work of the more than 100 local branches to support their communities, BancFirst provides support for children’s theatres to perform around the state. Dr. Dwight Sublett was picked to posthumously receive an award which will bear his name to honor medical providers who improve the health of Oklahoma’s children. Dr. Sublett was President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter and was a calming voice for children’s health during the pandemic. Debbie Hogue Downing was selected by our office staff to receive the OICA Volunteer of the Year Award for helping with our events and operations. Debbie has repeatedly given many hours multiple times this year to help our mission. The Judy Eason McIntyre Inclusion Award was presented posthumously to the Rev. Dr. John A. Reed, Jr. Dr. Reed was a pastor for 67 years, all but six at Fairview Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and worked tirelessly in his community to elevate children’s causes. Tahlequah Public Schools Superintendent Tanya Jones received the Sandey Garrett Educator Award for exceptional work benefiting the well-being of students. Superintendent Jones led a team to embed state social workers in the school system, providing support services to help families their keep children out of foster care. Alana Hughes, another posthumous winner, received the Steven A. Novick Child Advocacy Award celebrating the work of an unsung hero in child advocacy. Alana, an OICA board member at the time of her death, worked for years with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. She was a driving force for legislation that reduces the backlog of family cases in the courts, keeping children with families rather than going into foster care. OICA is grateful to all these award recipients, and the many Oklahomans working with us to improve the lives of children.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is once again assisting Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) with their Holiday Hope program to provide support for foster youth in the state, according to Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. Seven years ago, OICA took over the nonprofit OK Foster Wishes, which provided fulfillment of wish lists submitted by foster children for the gifts they would like to receive, similar to children sending a letter to Santa Claus. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the program for collecting toys and distributing them through county OHS offices was shifted to collecting gift cards for the foster families and bridge parents to purchase the gifts themselves for the children. This program assists not only the children in foster care, but also those families who have taken children into their homes until reunification can happen with the biological parents. There are nearly 6,000 children in foster care across the state, with those families receiving various levels of support to care for the youth in their homes. The need is great because as of 2024, the OHS foster care reimbursement rates for the costs associated with the care of a child in their home have not changed in several years. The reimbursement is to be used for food, clothing, shelter, school supplies, personal incidentals, and reasonable travel. As you can see, this amount does not leave much left for also providing gifts over the holiday season. The rates are as follows: Age 0–5: $17.72 per day. Age 6–12: $20.42 per day. Age 13+: $22.62 per day. These rates are per day and are subject to change. OHS pays the foster care rates directly to the family. Other rates include that can be applied above the basic daily rate include Therapeutic Foster Care at $19.76 per day Therapeutic Foster Care serves children aged 3-18 with special psychological, social, behavioral, and emotional needs who thrive in a family setting, but who require intensive or therapeutic services than those found in traditional foster care. “OICA has created a link for individuals to directly donate to the program,” Dorman said. “This allows us to partner with local banks to fill gift cards which OHS will then deliver to the families.” Go to https://tinyurl.com/OICAHH to donate to this program. If you would like to directly support a child through a program offering fulfillment of gifts, we suggest reaching partners of the Holiday Hope program, such as Fostering Connections in northeast Oklahoma. Their site is https://www.fosteringconnectionsok.org/fostering-joy and you can choose a variety of options to help.