Report Says Oklahoma DHS Not Showing Much Improvement

It's an agency that's supposed to keep children safe, but a new report suggests Oklahoma's Department of Human Services could be putting children in danger.

DHS settled a class-action lawsuit was settled in 2012 and promised the foster care system would improve, but an evaluation by a team of national experts says the program is not getting much better.

It's the third report that team has released. It pointed out some progress, but says reforms 'vital' to children have not taken hold.

Since settling a lawsuit in 2012, Oklahoma's Department of Human Services has been following an extensive plan to better serve Oklahoma children.

3/30/2012 Related Story: Oklahoma Leaders Announce Plans To Improve DHS, Child Welfare

Three national experts, known as 'Co-Neutrals' were appointed to hold DHS accountable, but those watchdogs say the system's getting worse.

Attorney, Marcia Lowry said the lack of improvement is frightening and said "Children are actually in danger in the Oklahoma child welfare system as it is currently being operated. That was why the lawsuit was necessary in the first place."

The Co-Neutrals pointed out several problems, one being very high caseloads.

A vast majority of DHS caseworkers are overloaded. DHS recognizes that as a problem area, and said increased demands on the system have made it difficult to reduce workloads.

Read The Report

The report says the state is failing to provide enough foster homes.

While DHS acknowledges it fell short of hitting the plan's target number, it said the quality of the homes is high and children are experiencing positive placement changes.

The Co-Neutrals said the state's slow response time to reports of abuse and neglect is unacceptable.

DHS admitted there's still work to do, but said it has reduced the backlog of Child Protective Services assessments and investigations from almost 3,600 a year ago to 1,200 today.

The report shows DHS is overusing shelters for children six and older; but the state points out shelter placement for children under six has nearly been eliminated, although it's increased for everyone else.

10/15/2014 Related Story: Families Discuss How Child Welfare System Has Failed Them

If DHS doesn't get its act together, the Co-Neutrals can go to federal court to write new rules for the agency to follow.

Breaking those rules could result in fines or being held in contempt.

Co-Neutrals could eventually take charge of DHS if improvements are never made.

The state also pointed out it's the number of children coming into the foster care system has increased 40 percent in the past two years.