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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
HOUSE BILL 1581 By: Lawson
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to children; amending 10A O.S. 2021,
Sections 1-9-102, 1-9-103a, 1-9-103b, 1-9-104, 1-9-
104a, and 1-9-104b, which relates to the Oklahoma
Children's Code; removing certain entity and
inserting new entity in its place; directing certain
entity to work in partnership with certain council;
removing language that allows certain team to enter
into certain agreement; directing cer tain teams and
centers to establish annual membership; directing
certain teams and centers to remain in good standing;
directing Oklahoma Human Services to work in
partnership with certain entity; modifying terms
relating to the Child Abuse Multidisciplina ry Team
Account; removing requirement to provide monthly
documentation; removing requirement to issue report;
authorizing certain entity to administer certain
funds; authorizing certain entity to contract with
providers; modifying who may promulgate rules;
creating the Oklahoma Multidisciplinary Team Council;
providing for membershi p; providing requirements for
membership; providing duties of Council; repealing
10A O.S. 2021, Sections 1 -9-103a and 1-9-103b, which
relate to the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team
Account Fund; repealing 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -
227.9, which relates to the Child Abuse Training and
Coordination Council; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1 -9-102, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1-9-102. A. 1. In coordination with the Oklahoma
Commission on Children and Youth , each Each district attorney shall
develop a child abuse multidisciplinary child abuse team in each
county of the district attorney or in a contiguous group of
counties.
2. The lead agency for the team shall be a certified child
advocacy center or another qualified agency chosen by the members of
the team district attorney with input and consent from the child
abuse multidisciplinary team members. The team shall review,
provide input, and intervene in reports involving child sexual abuse
or child physical abuse or neglect.
B. The child abuse multidisciplinary child abuse team members
shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Mental health professionals licensed pursuant to the laws of
this state or licensed professional counselors;
2. Police officers or other law enforcement agents with a role
in, or experience or training in child abuse and neglect
investigation;
3. Medical personnel with experience in child abuse and neglect
identification;
4. Child protective services workers within the Department of
Human Services;
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5. Multidisciplinary child abuse Child abuse multidisciplinary
team coordinators, or Child Advocacy Center personnel; and
6. The district attorney or assistant district attorney.
C. 1. To the extent that resources are available to each of
the various multidisciplinary child abuse teams t hroughout the
state, the The functions of the team shall include, but not be
limited to, the following specific functions:
a. whenever feasible, law enforcement and child welfare
staff shall conduct joint investigations in an effort
to effectively respond to child abuse reports into
reports of child sexual and physical abuse or neglect ,
b. develop or adopt a written protocol for investigating
child sexual abuse and child physical abuse or neglect
cases and for interviewing child victims. The purpose
of the protocol shall be to ensure coordination and
cooperation between all agencies involved so as to
increase the efficiency in handling such cases and to
minimize the stress created for the allegedly abused
child by the legal and investigatory process. In
addition, each team shall develop confidentiality
statements and interagency agreements signed by member
agencies that specify the cooperative effort of the
member agencies to the team,
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c. increase communication and collaboration among the
professionals responsible for the reporting,
investigation, prosecution and treatment of child
abuse and neglect cases,
d. eliminate duplicative efforts in the investigation and
the prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases,
e. identify gaps in service or all untapped re sources
within the community to improve the delivery of
services to the victim and family develop or adopt a
written protocol for interviewing children involved in
investigation and the use of child advocacy centers
for forensic interviews,
d. develop or adopt confidentiality statements and
interagency agreements signed by member ag encies that
specify the cooperative effort of the member agencies
to the team,
f. e. encourage the development of develop expertise
through training. Each team member and those
conducting child abuse investigations and interviews
of child abuse victims shall be trained in the
multidisciplinary team approach, conducting legally
sound and age-appropriate interviews, effective
investigation techniques and joint investigations as
provided through the State Department of Health, the
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Commission on Children and Y outh a nationally
accredited association of Children's Advocacy Centers ,
or other resources as approved by the Child Abuse
Multidisciplinary Team Council, and
g. f. formalize a adopt a standardized case review process
and provide data as requested to the Commission for
freestanding teams, and
h. standardize investigative procedures for the handling
of child abuse and neglect cases .
2. All investigations of child sexual abuse and child physical
abuse or neglect and interviews of child abuse or neglect victi ms
shall be carried out by appropriate personnel using the protocols
and procedures specified in this section.
3. If trained personnel are not available in a timely fashion
and, in the judgment of a law enforcement officer or the Department
of Human Services, there is reasonable cause to believe a delay in
investigation or interview of the child victim could place the child
in jeopardy of harm or threatened harm to a child 's health or
welfare, the investigation may proceed without full participation of
all personnel. This authority applies only for as long as
reasonable danger to the child exists. A reasonable effort to find
and provide a trained investigator or interviewer shal l be made.
4. Freestanding multidisciplinary child Child abuse
multidisciplinary teams shall be approved reviewed by the Commission
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an entity identified as a nationally accredited association of
Children's Advocacy Centers in partnership with the Child Abuse
Multidisciplinary Team Council . The Commission shall conduct an An
annual review of freestanding child abuse multidisciplinary teams
shall be conducted to ensure that the teams are functioning
effectively. Teams not meeting the minimal standards as p romulgated
by the Commission the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Council
shall be removed from the list of functioning teams in the state.
D. 1. A multidisciplinary child abuse team may enter into an
agreement with the Child Death Review Board within the Oklahoma
Commission on Children and Youth and, in accordance with rules
promulgated by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth,
conduct case reviews of deaths and near deaths of children within
the geographical area of that multidisciplinary chil d abuse team.
2. Any child abuse multidisciplinary child abuse team reviewing
deaths and near deaths of children shall prepare and make available
to the public, on an annual basis, a report containing a summary of
the activities of the team relating to th e review of the deaths and
near deaths of children and a summary of the extent to which the
state child protection system is coordinating with foster care and
adoption programs and whether the state is efficiently discharging
its child protection responsib ilities. The report shall be
completed no later than December 31 of each year.
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E. Nothing in this section shall preclude the use of hospital
team reviews for client -specific purposes and multidisciplinary
teams, either of which were in existence prior to July 1, 1995;
provided, however, such teams shall not be subject to the provi sions
of paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section.
F. 1. Child advocacy centers shall be classified, based on the
child population of a district attorney 's district, as follows:
a. nonurban centers in districts with child populations
that are less than sixty thousand (60,000),
b. midlevel nonurban centers in districts with child
populations equal to or greater than sixty thousand
(60,000), but not including Oklahoma and Tulsa
Counties, and
c. urban centers in Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties.
2. The multidisciplinary child abuse team used by the child
advocacy center for its accreditation shall meet the criteria
required by a national association of child advocacy centers and, in
addition, the team shall:
a. choose a lead agency for the team,
b. intervene in reports involving child sexual abuse and
may intervene in child physical abuse or neglect,
c. promote the joint investigation of child abuse reports
between law enforcement and child welfare staff, and
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d. formalize standardized investigative procedures f or
the handling of child abuse and neglect cases national
accreditation status .
G. Multidisciplinary child abuse Child abuse multidisciplinary
teams and child advocacy centers s hall have full access to any
service or treatment plan and any personal data known to the
Department which is directly related to the implementation of this
section.
H. Each member of the team shall be responsible for protecting
the confidentiality of the child and any information made available
to such person as a member of the te am. The child abuse
multidisciplinary team and any information received by the team
shall be exempt from the requirements of Sections 301 through 314 of
Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes and Sections 24A.1 through 24A.31
of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
I. All freestanding child abuse teams and child advocacy
centers shall establish annual membership with Children's Advocacy
Centers of Oklahoma, Inc., and remain members in good standing.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-9-104, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1-9-104. A. The Department of Human Services shall
allocate monies available in the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary
Account (CAMA) to:
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1. The Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Account (CAMTA) Fund
created by Section 1 -9-103a of this title. Monies made available to
the CAMTA shall be used for the purposes of funding one One
functioning freestanding child abuse multidisciplinary child abuse
team in each county of this state, utilizing the funding
distributions as provided in subsection B of this section;
2. One hospital team pursuant to subsection E of Section 1 -9-
102 of this title; and
3. One child advocacy center, accredi ted by the National
Children's Alliance, per district attorney's district. A child
advocacy center shall:
a. be eligible for Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account
(CAMA) funding upon accreditation by the National
Children's Alliance,
b. secure a third-year interim review to determine
whether the child advocacy center continues to m eet
the National Children's Alliance standards in effect
at the time of its last accreditation. If a child
advocacy center fails the third -year review, the
center shall remain e ligible for CAMA funding, but
shall have another review conducted in the fourth
year. If the child advocacy center fails the fourth -
year review, the center shall be ineligible to receive
CAMA funding until such time as the center receives
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reaccreditation from the National Children's Alliance,
and
c. remain the center for the distri ct attorney's district
as long as the center is accredited and eligibility is
maintained pursuant to the provisions of Section 1 -9-
102 of this title. If a center does not remain
eligible pursuant to the provisions of Section 1 -9-102
of this title, endorsement by the district attorney as
the child advocacy center for the district may be
sought by any entity beginning with the calendar year
after the center is determined to be inel igible. The
two centers in district number (4) and district number
(13) that were accredited as of May 17, 2005, shall
continue to receive funding at the nonurban level.
Should one of the exempted centers close or no longer
meet the criteria for a child advocacy center pursuant
to the provisions of Section 1 -9-102 of this title,
the center shall not be allowed to reopen in that
district or to receive CAMA funds. The remaining
center shall become the sole child advocacy center for
the district attorney's district.
B. Funding distribution pursuant to the provisions of this
section shall be determined:
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1. By multiplying the number of applicants in each category by
the corresponding weight as follows:
a. freestanding functioning child abuse multidisciplinary
child abuse team accredited by Children's Advocacy
Centers - 1,
b. hospital team - 1,
c. nonurban centers – 4,
d. mid-level nonurban centers – 6, and
e. urban centers – 24;
2. Adding together the weighted results for all categories;
3. Dividing the wei ghted result for each category by the sum of
the weighted results for all cate gories; and
4. Equally distributing funding to each applicant in the
corresponding category based on the amounts obtained by multiplying
the total available funding by the calcu lated percentages. The
total amount for all freestanding multidisciplinary teams as
determined by the formula provided in this subsection shall be
transferred to the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Account
(CAMTA) (CAMA) Fund established by Section 1-9-103a 1-9-103 of this
title and contracts with each freestanding multidiscipli nary team
shall be completed no later than January 1 of each year.
During state fiscal year 2019, the Oklahoma Commission on Children
and Youth may disburse to each freestanding multidisciplinary team
the remaining contracted amount of the freestanding
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multidisciplinary team award. The freestanding multidisciplinary
team shall provide the Commission with monthly documentation of
expenses as well as activity data and continue prov iding such
documentation thereafter. Beginning January 1, 2020, and each year
thereafter, the Commission may Oklahoma Human Services in
partnership with a designated entity shall disburse the contracted
amount at the beginning of the calendar year to freestanding child
abuse multidisciplinary teams that are functioning effectively as
determined by the Commission Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team
Council, pursuant to Section 1 -9-102 of this title.
C. By January 31, 2003 2026, and by January 31 of each yea r
thereafter, the Department shall disburse monies from the Child
Abuse Multidisciplinary Account to a designated entity for
distribution to eligible child advocacy centers. A child advocacy
center shall be in compliance with the provisions of Section 1 -9-102
of this title to be eligible for Child Abuse Multidisciplinary
Account funding. The disbursement shall be a single, annual
disbursement, for the collection period of the preceding year
beginning October 1 through September 30.
D. A report issued by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and
Youth to the Oklahoma Legislature outl ining performance measures for
all multidisciplinary teams, including those associated with child
advocacy centers, and recommendations on the funding formula
provided for in this section shall be transmitted to the Oklahoma
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Legislature no later than December 31, 2017 . The Department, the
Commission, and the Children's Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma, Inc.,
shall meet annually to review and certify the amount of CAMA and
CAMTA funds to be disbursed.
E. A child advocacy center may carry over funding for a per iod
of one (1) year after allocation, such one -year period to begin in
January and end in December of the same year; provided, however,
funds not used within twenty -four (24) months of the original
allocation will be deducted from the contract amount for the next
contract year. If a center is ineligible for funding in an upcoming
year, unused funds from the current or previous years shall be
returned to the CAMA Fund for use in s ubsequent years. Funds not
used by a freestanding child abuse multidisciplina ry team by the end
of the contract period shall revert to, and be deposited in, the
CAMA Fund.
F. E. The Commission is hereby authorized to receive five
percent (5.0%) in admini strative costs from the CAMTA Fund. The
Department of Human Services is hereby authorized to receive one -
half of one percent (0.5%) in administrative costs from the CAMA
fund. In partnership with the Department, an eligible entity
identified as a national ly accredited association of Children’s
Advocacy Centers is hereby authorized to administer the CAMA fund.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1 -9-104a,
is amended to read as follows:
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Section 1-9-104a. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth
shall Department is hereby authorized to contract with a qualifying
entity to administer CAMA funds and an entity identified as the
nationally accredited association of Children's Advocacy Centers is
authorized to contract with eligible providers as authorized by this
act.
SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1 -9-104b,
is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-9-104b. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth
and the Department of Human Servi ces Child Abuse Multidisciplinary
Team Council shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of
this act.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-9-102a of Title 10A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary
Team Council.
B. The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council shall appoint the
Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Council which shall be composed
of eight (8) members, as follows:
1. One member shall be a representative of Oklahoma Human
Services;
2. One member shall be a representative of the District
Attorneys Council;
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3. One member shall be a representative of the Council on Law
Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET);
4. One member shall be a representa tive of a nationally
accredited association of Children’s Advocacy Centers;
5. One member shall be a representative of a statewide medical
association and shall be a member of a state chapter of a national
academy of pediatrics;
6. One member shall be a representative of an Indian child
welfare association;
7. One member shall be a representative of an advisory task
force on child abuse and neglect ; and
8. One member shall be a representative of the Oklahoma
Commission on Children and Youth.
C. Each member of the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team
Council is authorized to have one designee.
D. The appointed members shall be persons having expertise in
multidisciplinary team j oint investigation and the dynamics,
identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect and child
sexual abuse.
E. The Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team Council shall:
1. Establish objective criteria and guidelines for
multidisciplinary investigations and, as appropriate for each
discipline, discipline -specific training on child abuse and neglect
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for professionals with responsibilities affecting children, youth,
and families;
2. Review curricula and make recommendations to state agencies,
professional organizations, and associations regarding available
curricula and curricula having high standards of professional merit;
3. Review curricula regarding child abuse and neglect used in
law enforcement officer training by CLEET and make recommendations
regarding the curricula to CLEET;
4. Cooperate with and assist professional o rganizations and
associations in the development and implementation of ongoing
training programs and strategies to encourage professionals to
participate in such training program s;
5. Make reports and recommendations regarding the continued
development and improvement of multidisciplinary team joint
investigations to the Oklahoma legislature;
6. Prepare and issue a model protocol for multidisciplinary
teams regarding the investi gation and prosecution of child sexual
abuse, child physical abuse, and neglec t cases;
7. Review and approve protocols prepared by the local
multidisciplinary teams;
8. Advise multidisciplinary teams on team development;
9. Determine data collection protocol and collect data on the
operation and cases reviewed by the multidisciplinary teams;
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10. Collect data from the Oklahoma Commission on Children and
Youth Child Death Review Board and Post Adjudication Review Board;
11. Issue annual reports; and
12. Annually approve the list of functioning multidisciplinary
teams in the state.
SECTION 6. REPEALER 10A O.S. 2021, Sections 1 -9-103a and
1-9-103b and 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -227.9, are hereby repealed.
SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
60-1-10967 CMA 01/13/25