A Look Inside Gov. Stitt's Newly-Formed Child Welfare Task Force

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced his priority of the new term: protecting future generations.

He's launching the newly-formed Child Welfare Task Force, focusing on the more than 6,600 Oklahoma children in DHS custody.

They will study, evaluate and make recommendations that directly impact children through policies, programs and proposed legislation.

Among their priorities: Reducing the time kids spend in foster care, along with the number of foster homes children live in.

The team will also identify risk factors to cut down on the number of kids going to foster care in the first place.

Forty years ago, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was created after an investigative report exposed the abuse and cruelty that Oklahoma children were experiencing while in the state's custody.

So, the CEO of the institute, Joe Dorman, is pleased with the governor's actions.

"Looking at the appointment, the background of each individual's appointment, the mission, especially for the task force. Hopefully, this will generate ideas for the legislature to implement," Dorman said. 

Right now in the state, there are 6,690 children in custody; 481 children do not have a home, and the Oklahoma Human Services is reporting that they need 766 families.

 "A lot of these families struggle because of poverty. They are juggling multiple jobs, drug abuse, mental health, there will be a wide variety of what this task force needs to look at," Dorman said.