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Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth reviews $1.56M OCCY budget request to expand oversight and child‑abuse services
Summary
OCCY staff presented a $1,556,000 FY26 budget request that would fund the parent‑partnership position, salary adjustments, three new oversight positions ($333,000) and a statewide pilot for continuing services to address child sexual abuse; commissioners debated timing and statutory authority to vote on a submission.
The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth on Thursday reviewed the agency's FY26 budget request totaling $1,556,000, a package OCCY staff described as the largest funding request in the agency's history.
Assistant Director Mark James told commissioners the ask includes four components: continued funding for the parent‑partnership position (currently funded through a Department of Health partnership), staff salary adjustments ($223,250), a strengthened Office of Juvenile System Oversight with three additional positions (requested at $333,000) to enhance inspection and monitoring capacity, and a pilot program to expand statewide continuing services for children who have experienced sexual abuse. James said the request represents roughly a 52% increase over OCCY's current base budget and highlighted the agency's role in convening and improving child‑serving systems rather than providing direct services.
Commissioners discussed whether the commission must formally approve the budget before OCCY submits it to the executive branch. OCCY staff said the statutory authority is not explicit; historically the commission has reviewed and approved the submission, but the agency can submit prior to board action and the request may be modified later. Several commissioners said they needed additional background and conflict‑of‑interest review to make an informed vote and suggested delaying a formal endorsement until the November meeting unless timing required an earlier decision. The submission deadline to the executive was noted as Oct. 1, but staff said requests can be revised after submission.
Commissioners asked for more specificity on how the oversight positions would be deployed and whether legislative changes would be pursued to restore or expand OCCY's unannounced access to non‑state facilities; agency staff said previous legislative efforts to expand unannounced inspection authority passed both chambers but were vetoed and that no new legislative proposal was ready at this time.
No final vote on the $1.556 million package was taken at the meeting; OCCY asked commissioners for feedback and said it would return with additional information as requested.
