With Thanksgiving behind us, ‘tis the season for holiday decorations, non-stop Christmas music on the radio, and a lot of hard work for the public employees, OICA staff and volunteers working to get holiday presents for the roughly 8,000 Oklahoma children in foster care. That effort begins with caseworkers at the Oklahoma Department of Human […]
Tag: Joe Dorman
Children of Military Families Need Additional Support
Veterans Day is a wonderful and necessary holiday and a great time to give thanks to those that serve our nation. However, as we move on from this day, it is important to keep the needs of our veterans and active military personnel – as well as their families and children – on our minds […]
Shining a Light on Children’s Issues Ahead of Election Day
Just one week to go before Election Day! I am sure most Oklahomans are ready for this campaign cycle to end and see what the future holds for Oklahoma. As a 501c3 non-profit organization, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is prohibited from endorsing any candidate or party. Although I am from a political background […]
Three Key Interim Studies Focus on Children’s Issues
The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) has had the opportunity over the past few months to work with state lawmakers on various issues covered in legislative interim studies. If you are not familiar with these, state senators and representatives can request from the presiding officer of their respective chambers the opportunity to delve into […]
Grandparents Play a Key Role in Raising Children
For many youngsters, grandparents play a significant role in raising us and molding us into the people we become. I often think about my extended family and how lucky I was to have so many people in my life who cared about me and helped me grow and develop. Many Oklahoma children, unfortunately, are not […]
History Proves Children Can Change the World
As we at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) work to help reform and improve public policy, one of the most frustrating things we hear is the mistaken assumption that children cannot or should not try to change the world. Young people, some say, should “wait their turn” to speak out on social issues […]
Remember the Children in Upcoming Elections
A historic number of Oklahomans voted in the 2018 Oklahoma primary elections. Regardless of your party affiliation or political beliefs, it was great to see an active and engaged citizenry getting out and voting. For the majority of elected positions, the primary elections determined who each party’s nominee will be for the November 6 general […]
Reducing Childhood Trauma May Impact Addiction, Incarceration Rates
With the upcoming task force formed by Senate Bill 1517, I am confident Oklahoma has taken a major step forward in overcoming the high rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that impacts our residents. For those of you not familiar with ACEs, this is the study of childhood trauma and the associated health-related conditions which […]
Oklahoma Health Department Restores Contracts for Child Abuse Prevention
It has not been a good year for the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), as the agency has been rocked by the discovery of widespread financial mismanagement and neglect, followed by the resignation of several agency leaders. As was widely reported, tens of millions of dollars were shifted from federal grants to state programs, […]
OICA Candidate Surveys Are Now Available Online
The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is pleased to be a key partner in “2018: Oklahoma Year of the Child,” an effort to encourage interest in children’s issues with candidates for office. OICA compiled a list of what we felt were the top twenty positive bills from this past legislative session so voters can see […]