Citizens Caring for Children is providing new, back to school items at no cost for children who are currently in foster care. Each child will receive one shirt, one pair of pants, shoes and socks, underwear, a backpack and school supplies. School uniforms will be available.

The shopping spree will be held at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on Saturday July 20, 2013 8am-8pm. No appointment is needed.

This offer is available to children who are in foster care and attending Pre-K through 12th grade. Children must be four years old prior to September 1, 2013. Children must accompany their foster parent to the event and a copy of the child’s Placement Agreement (DCFS-19) must be brought in order to receive the items. An ID for the foster parent will also be needed. For more information, please contact Citizens Caring for children 405-753-4099 or www.cccokc.org

The 111 Project and numerous supporters are hosting a foster care forum to collaborate with individuals who are involved in foster care throughout the state. Foster care providers, case workers, pastors, volunteers, and people who are interested in learning more about foster care are encouraged to attend.   The forum is being held in Tulsa and in OKC.

Tulsa Forum will be held from 9:30am – 3:30pm on Thursday, October 3rd at the Tulsa Event Center (2625 South Memorial Dr. – Tulsa, OK 74129)

OKC Forum will be held from 9:30am – 3:30pm on Thursday, April 25^th at the Council Road Baptist Church (2900 N Council Rd – Bethany, OK 73008)

For more information and to register: www.okfostercareforum.org.

Medical and Educational information for children in OKDHS or tribal custody

Frequently asked questions:

What is the Child’s Passport?

The Child’s Passport is a web application that allows Bridge families and other resource providers access to SoonerCare (Oklahoma’s Medicaid) and education information for all children who enter care, children placed for adoption and for youth exiting care. SoonerCare records are maintained by the OHCA and education records are maintained by the OSDE; in turn these records are made available through the Child’s Passport. These records include but are not limited to: health care providers, early periodic, screening, diagnosis and treatment recommendations, immunizations, previous and current prescription medications.

Where is the Child’s Passport found?

https://eportal.okdhs.org/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx

Bridge families can log in and view the report for any child in their care and print a copy of this report in the convenience of their own home.

What if I can’t locate information on the child placed in my home?

If an individual has problems or questions regarding the data in the Child’s Passport Report, contact the child’s worker.

Who has access to Child’s Passport?

Only Bridge parents and other selected placement providers can access the Child’s Passport. The information in the Child’s Passport includes only what is provided to OKDHS from OHCA and OSDE.

Why would I need to access the custody child’s medical or educational history placed in my home?

The Child’s Passport was specifically designed to help resource providers for children in the custody of OKDHS and the tries gain current and updated information regarding the child in their care. The child’s health history is based on SoonerCare claims, education information and other pertinent information available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week through this website. You may need this information when you enroll the child in school or child care. You may also need to provide this information to the child’s primary care physician, emergency room provider or therapist.

Placement Provider Information is available

Additionally, the child’s worker provides the Placement Provider information, which contains all know information concerning the child at the time of the placement. The Placement provider information includes but is no limited to the date of next court hearing, contact information for the child’s worker, supervisor and attorney, list of known family/kin, reasons the child came into care, general behaviors of the child medical information, and disabilities.

OKDHS is now on Facebook!  Stay up to date with the latest news and information from throughout the state.  The new page will feature 325 children who are currently waiting to be adopted.  Please “Like” the page to help spread the word about Oklahoma’s waiting children.

On Monday September 10, 2012, The Oklahoman reported that the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) sought and obtained a temporary, 45-day license to open a secondary children’s shelter in Oklahoma City. According to Sheree Powell, spokeswoman for OKDHS, as of Friday, September 7, 2012, there were 42 children at the Pauline E. Mayer shelter, which is just six under capacity. To view the story in its entirety, please visit newsok.

OKDHS is committed to the goal of placing children in family-like settings. If you are interested in serving as an Emergency Foster Parent, or for more information about becoming a Bridge Resource home, please contact the Bridge Resource Support Center at (800) 376-9729.

A 2011 ecological study set out to assess the relationship between the trends in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) rates and the prevalence of smoke free households with infants in the United States. The study was compiled by professionals from the Center for Global Tobacco Control, The Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society, The Harvard School of Public Health and The Department of Society, Human Development and Health.

The study published results which indicated that for every 1% increase in the prevalence of smoke free homes with infants, SIDS rates decreased 0.4%. The study was conducted over a 12 year span of time. The authors conclude from the results that the voluntary restrictions on smoking inside the home may present a public health benefit for infants in their first year of life.

To read the study in its entirety visit smoke free study.

America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012 is a report compiled by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. The publication uses the most recently available and reliable official federal statistics to describe the family structure, socio-economic situation and health conditions of America’s children and youth.

In the 2012 report, there were a number of positive indicators of national well-being including a decline in infant mortality, pre-mature births, and adolescent birth rates, child victims of violent crimes and percentage of children living in a home where someone smoked.

To review the published statistics in their entirety visit https://childstats.gov.

To read America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012 in its entirety please visit nichd.nih.gov.

Building Bridges is an electronic newsletter that has been developed to replace the previous publication known as Connections. Each issue of Building Bridges focuses on a theme targeted to meet the needs of foster, kinship and adoptive Bridge resource families. In addition to the thematic articles, readers are provided with information and resources about support groups and family friendly activities across the state.

To read the Spring 2012 issue of Building Bridges visit
http://www.nrcys.ou.edu/bb-spring-2012.

On May 23rd, 2012 Oklahomans across the state were asked to participate in a National Foster Care Prayer Vigil. Individuals paused at 1:11 pm to pray for children in shelters across the state. The initials and ages of children were posted on the 111 Project Facebook page for more specifically directed sentiments. Interested parties were invited to visit the Pauline Mayer shelter for 1 hour and 11 minutes for a tour as well as engagement with the children.

The National Foster Care Prayer Vigil is a week-long campaign ending May 27th, 2012. For more information about local vigil events visit www.cryoftheoprhan.org.

The following story was provided by the Sacramento Bee. To view the full original report visit http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/10/4480589/half-of-us-states-short-change.html.

On May 10th, 2012 A Child’s Right to Counsel: A National Report Card on Legal Representation for Abused and Neglected Children was released in Washington D.C. The report was provided through a joint effort between First Star, a national organization working to improve the lives of America’s abused and neglected children, and the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law.

The report has two aims. The first, to alert child advocates, policy makers, the media and the public of the inequities from state to state in providing abused and neglected children with legal representation in dependency hearings. The second, to initiate a national call to action promoting stronger federal and state laws to provide these children highly trained, legal representation to ensure they have a fighting chance to overcome childhood maltreatment and achieve bright futures.

All fifty states and the District of Columbia were graded based on how well they protect the legal rights of abused and neglected children in dependency court. Only three states received an A+ rating, Oklahoma among them. Sadly, twenty-five states received a C rating or lower.

To view A Child’s Right to Counsel: A National Report Card on Legal Representation for Abused and Neglected Children in its entirety visit www.firststar.org or www.caichildlaw.org.