Maura Wilson-Guten Child Protection Coalition Advocacy Committee Chair Executive Director Tulsa CASA Oklahoma Child Abuse Registry Legislative Interim Study October 11, 2016 Senate Health and Human Services Committee THE FACTS In 2014 in Oklahoma there were nearly 70,000* reports of child abuse and neglect. Over 14,000* of those were substantiated. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services defines substantiated to mean after an investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect and based upon some credible evidence, that child abuse or neglect has occurred. * *OKDHS FY2014 Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics
THE REALITY In 2015, there were 411* abuse and neglect (deprived) cases filed in Juvenile Court in Tulsa County. Of those, only 47* cases had corresponding filings in criminal court. Only 11%* of child abuse cases in Tulsa County are criminally prosecuted. *Tulsa County DA s Office
THE PROBLEM Oklahoma is the ONLY state that does not support a central registry of individuals who have substantiated findings of child abuse and neglect.* Schools, non-profit/volunteer organizations and employers of individuals who work with children can obtain a criminal background check, but are unable to ascertain whether an individual has a substantiated finding of child abuse. 89% of the individuals with substantiated findings of child abuse and neglect go undetected by our organizations. *Texas Dept. of Family & Protective Services
Overview and Purpose of Arkansas Registry Dennis Robins Arkansas DHS Field Manager Backgrounds & Notification Units Arkansas DHS Division of Children and Family Services
2015 Appeal Decision orders received by DCFS Central Registry Unit 2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Totals Average Overturned 79 78 96 101 86 15 97 93 103 87 92 65 992 82.6667 Dismissed/Remain 17 24 37 48 36 43 42 23 27 43 20 38 398 33.1667 Stayed 36 41 49 31 28 32 28 42 26 39 21 25 398 33.1667 Placed 42 44 26 32 35 45 55 34 46 50 19 24 452 37.6667 County withdrew 9 15 3 12 4 7 50 8.33333 Mixed decision 3 3 6 3 TTL 174 187 208 212 185 135 231 207 205 231 159 162 2296 191.333 Percentages Overturned 45.40% 41.71% 46.15% 47.64% 46.49% 11.11% 41.99% 44.93% 50.24% 37.66% 57.86% 40.12% 43.21% 43.21% Dismissed/Remain 9.77% 12.83% 17.79% 22.64% 19.46% 31.85% 18.18% 11.11% 13.17% 18.61% 12.58% 23.46% 17.33% 17.33% Stayed 20.69% 21.93% 23.56% 14.62% 15.14% 23.70% 12.12% 20.29% 12.68% 16.88% 13.21% 15.43% 17.33% 17.33% Placed 24.14% 23.53% 12.50% 15.09% 18.92% 33.33% 23.81% 16.43% 22.44% 21.65% 11.95% 14.81% 19.69% 19.69% County withdrew 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.90% 7.25% 1.46% 5.19% 2.52% 4.32% 2.18% 4.36% Mixed decision 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.89% 1.85% 0.26% 1.57% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% Overturned Dismissed/Remain Stayed Placed Co Withdrew Mixed Decision 10.00% 0.00% Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2016 Appeal Decision orders received by DCFS Central Registry Unit 2016 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Totals Average Overturned 65 60 72 71 80 67 51 85 551 68.875 Dismissed/Remain 38 30 34 26 17 37 29 36 247 30.875 Stayed 25 64 27 45 22 29 24 45 281 35.125 Placed 24 32 39 39 62 27 34 54 311 38.875 County withdrew 7 13 13 20 17 19 5 18 112 14 Mixed Decision 0 3 4 13 6 1 27 4.5 TTL 159 199 185 204 202 192 149 239 1529 191.125 Percentages Overturned 40.88% 30.15% 38.92% 34.80% 39.60% 34.90% 34.23% 35.56% 36.04% 36.04% Dismissed/Remain 23.90% 15.08% 18.38% 12.75% 8.42% 19.27% 19.46% 15.06% 16.15% 16.15% Stayed 15.72% 32.16% 14.59% 22.06% 10.89% 15.10% 16.11% 18.83% 18.38% 18.38% Placed 15.09% 16.08% 21.08% 19.12% 30.69% 14.06% 22.82% 22.59% 20.34% 20.34% County withdrew 4.40% 6.53% 7.03% 9.80% 8.42% 9.90% 3.36% 7.53% 7.33% 7.33% Mixed Decision 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.47% 1.98% 6.77% 4.03% 0.42% 1.77% 2.35% 45.00% 40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% Overturned Dismissed/Remain Stayed Placed Co Withdrew Mixed Decision 5.00% 0.00% Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Received Central Registry check requests received and processed for 2016 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5,995 9,790 8,405 7,714 7,583 9,628 8,254 11,924 69,293 TTL Clear 5,506 7,965 8,166 7,755 7,020 9,486 8,045 11,173 65,116 TTL True 52 52 61 86 92 88 63 94 74 AVG Returned 30 41 37 44 86 49 45 46 378 TTL TOTAL 5,588 8,058 8,264 7,885 7,198 9,623 8,153 11,313 0 0 0 0 66,082 TTL Notification lacking 8 17 14 19 20 22 15 25 18 AVG TTL Trues 60 69 75 105 112 110 78 119 FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 91 AVG % lacking required 13.33% 24.64% 18.67% 18.10% 17.86% 20.00% 19.23% 21.01% FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 19.10% AVG notification % trues 1.07% 0.86% 0.91% 1.33% 1.56% 1.14% 0.96% 1.05% FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 1.11% Avg 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 Received Processed 4,000 2,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2011 2012 2013 Central Registry check previous year comparison Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 5,691 6,281 7,667 5,849 6,447 7,590 5,999 9,357 10,922 7,753 7,756 5,972 7,274 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 6,860 7,275 7,404 6,482 6,943 7,876 7,769 9,902 9,315 8,933 6,917 5,663 7,612 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 6,635 8,148 7,326 7,580 7,984 7,309 8,305 9,611 9,917 9,847 7,674 7,019 8,113 2014 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 7,845 7,006 7,983 7,040 6,700 8,320 10,088 9,569 11,680 9,545 6,446 6,677 8,242 change 1,210-1,142 657-540 -1,284 1,011 1,783-42 1,763-302 -1,228-342 129 % 18.24% -14.02% 8.97% -7.12% -16.08% 13.83% 21.47% -0.44% 17.78% -3.07% -16.00% -4.87% 1.56% 2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 6,221 5,906 6,807 6,768 7,431 8,036 8,293 11,189 10,809 9,056 7,048 7,092 7,888 change -1,624-1,100-1,176-272 731-284 -1,795 1,620-871 -489 602 415-354 % -20.70% -15.70% -14.73% -3.86% 10.91% -3.41% -17.79% 16.93% -7.46% -5.12% 9.34% 6.22% -3.78% Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Avg 2016 5,995 9,790 8,405 7,714 7,583 9,628 8,254 11,924 8,662 Change -226 3,884 1,598 946 152 1,592-39 735 FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 774 % -3.63% 65.76% 23.48% 13.98% 2.05% 19.81% -0.47% 6.57% FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE 15.94% 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Central Registry Receipts for 2011 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $24,170.00 $24,650.00 $30,340.00 $24,850.00 $24,930.00 $34,340.00 $25,880.00 $54,320.00 $54,200.00 $37,390.00 $30,360.00 $27,720.00 Central Registry Receipts for 2012 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $30,259.00 $30,110.00 $27,540.00 $24,310.00 $30,670.00 $32,810.00 $31,375.00 $54,410.00 $47,600.00 $44,900.00 $30,840.00 $21,862.00 Central Registry Receipts for 2013 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $30,578.00 $32,560.00 $27,500.00 $28,440.00 $29,750.00 $32,790.00 $38,140.00 $46,350.00 $54,290.00 $51,010.00 $31,200.00 $28,380.00 Central Registry Receipts for 2014 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $27,620.00 $26,140.00 $31,240.00 $28,290.00 $26,850.00 $33,830.00 $46,440.00 $51,970.00 $58,220.95 $47,570.00 $31,431.00 $31,630.00 Central Registry Receipts for 2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $24,260.00 $27,020.00 $28,680.00 $29,350.00 $31,200.00 $39,910.00 $39,280.50 $62,120.00 $58,250.00 $42,920.00 $35,170.00 $30,840.00 Central Registry Receipts for 2016 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $22,770.00 $30,180.00 $32,760.00 $32,240.00 $32,610.00 $44,900.00 $42,220.00 $69,790.00 $500,000.00 $450,000.00 $400,000.00 $350,000.00 $300,000.00 $250,000.00 $200,000.00 $150,000.00 $100,000.00 $50,000.00 $0.00 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec TTL 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Sarah McAmis Assistant District Attorney Tulsa District Attorney's Office
Christine Marsh Senior Director of Child Abuse & Trauma Services Family & Children s Services
Tenna Whitsel Director of Family & Community Engagement Tulsa Public Schools
Public Schools in Oklahoma Serve 673,000 students Employ 42,000 certified teachers Use the services of countless support staff and volunteers Many, if not most, of these individuals have direct contact with our students.
Background Checks of District Employees Fingerprint background checks are conducted on all successful applicants before they begin work using: Ok State Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation The cost of the background check to the applicant is $59.00.
Background Checks of Volunteers Screening through Public Registries: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma State Court Network Oklahoma Department of Corrections Oklahoma State Court Network National and State Sex Offender Registries If Screening Shows a Flag: District pays for additional background check managed through a district vendor
Why do we need an Oklahoma Child Abuse Registry? Allow districts to better screen volunteers, and employees Eliminate a gaping hole in the screening process 89% of substantiated child abuse cases in Tulsa county are not criminally prosecuted Promote a safer learning environment for our children Recognizes Oklahoma as a state with a child abuse registry Oklahoma is the only state in the nation without a registry