1999 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN
Oklahoma Institute for Children Oklahoma School Psychological Association

HEALTH

1. Expand health coverage for children through SoonerCare (Medicaid)

Expand eligibility period to 12 months for children and families and increase reimbursement rates to ensure adequate participation by medical providers, including dentists. Implement Phase II of SB 639 to provide coverage for families with incomes up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level with a cost-sharing/buy-in option.

2. Fund community-based school health programs

Support the budget request of $377,000 to the Oklahoma State Department of Health to pilot community based health education and health promotion models in schools.

3. Fund community-based adolescent health programs and youth development programs

Support the budget request of $1.5 million to the Oklahoma State Department of Health to expand funding for community- based teen pregnancy prevention and youth development pro grams.

CHILD ABUSE

4. Maintain funding for child abuse prevention

Maintain current levels and sources of funding for Child Abuse Prevention and develop a strategy to link additional funding for Child Abuse Prevention to be a percentage of the Department of Correction's budget.

5. Establish teams to investigate child abuse in every county Mandate multidisciplinary teams to investigate and prosecute child abuse in every county and create a stable funding source through the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account (CAMA) by increasing civil filing fees and/or state appropriation.

MENTAL HEALTH

6. Develop and fund a system for children's mental health services

Develop a comprehensive, child-centered, family-focused and community-based mental health system for children, and en sure adequate funding to implement the system.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

7. Expand the Child Care Resource and Referral Network

Expand the Child Care Resource and Referral Network to facilitate community needs assessments, recruit and train child care providers and educate communities about infant brain development.

8. Establish a stable funding strategy for early childhood pro grams

(1) Create an early childhood investment fund to support community-driven initiatives through public/private contributions.

(2) Develop a long-term action plan to establish a state funding formula that relates funds spent on prevention programs to funds spent on intervention/consequences.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

9. Utilize tobacco settlement to benefit children

Utilize discretionary funds from any tobacco settlement/judgment for public health programs that benefit children, including statewide, comprehensive, evidence-based alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention programs to include community- based and school-based programs, public awareness media campaigns, early intervention and cessation programs, enforcement, surveillance and evaluation. In the event that a settlement/ judgment does not occur, provide funding through on going state appropriation.

JUVENILE CRIME

10. Prevent juvenile delinquency

Increase funding for community-based programs to develop and implement extended programming for at-risk youth to include mentoring, work programs and community service.

Submitted by: Stephen Crane, Chair of the Government and Professional Relations Committee

BACK