The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan - Oklahoma Department of Human ...

The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan: March 2012
An Improvement Plan for Child Welfare Services
If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much.
Marian Wright Edelman
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
There is no greater purpose than ensuring the safe futures of abused and neglected children.
This quote was selected for the powerful way it communicates the critical role of advocating
for children. It reflects the mission of Oklahoma’s child welfare professionals—to stand up for
children in harm’s way. Each day, under the most difficult of circumstances, child welfare
professionals work to keep families together when safely possible. When this is not possible,
they search for relatives and foster parents to support children and families so reunification can
happen. When reunification is not possible, they work to place children with families where
they can lead safe, healthy lives and maintain connections to their kin, culture and community.
The work in child welfare has always been difficult and complex. Oklahoma’s child welfare
system has been challenged to do it better.
On January 4, 2012, Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) reached an
agreement with the plaintiffs in the class action litigation DG vs. Yarbrough, Case No. 08-CV-
074. As part of this agreement, OKDHS was to develop an improvement plan for child welfare
services (Pinnacle Plan) with the assistance of key internal and external stakeholders. The
Pinnacle Plan details a five-year plan, beginning with State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2013, to address
the 15 performance areas identified in the agreement. It establishes the direction, expectations
and values from which the workforce will operate with discretion, resulting in a more
empowered agency that knows where it is going and why. This will lead to a stronger and
better-aligned workforce, a greater degree of internal and external collaboration and greater
service flexibility and innovation. OKDHS must instill a sense of hope and forward progress
among the staff and community. The Pinnacle Plan aligns with the OKDHS Mission, Vision and
Values (see Appendix F) and outlines the commitments and critical initiatives that will be
implemented to better serve children and their families.
OKDHS is committed to:
‣ equity, where all children, youth and families have access to and receive unbiased
treatment and services.
‣ keeping children safe with their families through prevention services, kinship
placements and timely reunification whenever possible.
‣ ensuring every child is safe while in out-of-home care and custody by matching them
with an appropriate, supportive family who can provide for their safety and wellbeing.
‣ recruiting, retaining, and supporting the best child welfare staff and ensuring they
have manageable caseloads and workloads.
‣ engaging local communities in improving child welfare outcomes. We can’t do it
alone.
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