Commissioners present: Richard DeVaughn, chairman, Ron Mercer, vice-chairman, Jay Dee Chase, Mike Peck, Bob Rawlings, Gerri Webb, Aneta Wilkinson and the Rev. George Young.

Present for the Department: Director Howard H. Hendrick; Margaret Hall, commission secretary

1. CALL TO ORDER – Vice Chairman Ronald Mercer
Chairman DeVaughn called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m.

 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Dec. 1, 2009
Commissioners voted to approve the minutes from the Dec. 1, 2009 meeting.

3. DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS – Howard Hendrick 

a. DIRECTOR’S AWARD presented to William Johnson, Family Support Services Division, for administering emergency aide on Dec. 10, 2009 to a co-worker who was choking and unable to breathe.

The Director made a presentation on site visits and other good news. It was announced that Lesli Blazer is the new director of Oklahoma Child Care Services and Amy Whittson is the new area director for Area I, which includes the northwest part of the state.

OKDHS achieved its lowest error rate for SNAP for FFY 2009, ending September 30, 2009 of 3.7 percent. This is the lowest error rate in the southwest region for FFY 2009.

The Director also provided an update on SNAP participation. SNAP numbers are up 28 percent in participants from the previous year. The total number of persons using SNAP during the month of December was 566,122.

Director Hendrick also discussed the budget.

4. CONSIDERATION OF FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER – Phil Motley

State revenues continued a 12 month trend in October and November of not meeting certification estimates. These revenue failures impacted the allocation of FY2010 General Revenue to state agencies for the months of November and December. Subsequently, the Treasurer’s Office announced an allocation reduction of an additional 5 percent for a total of 10 percent reduction for the months of December and January. The financial position for December will not be impacted by additional 5 percent or the $1.75 million reduction since it was replaced by one time TANF funds. The additional appropriation reduction for these two months to the Department will be approximately $3.5 million in addition to actions taken in September to address a 5 percent reduction for the remainder of the fiscal year. Through December, the Department has experienced a $10.4 million in reduced general revenue allocations. It is not yet known what action will be taken beyond January by either the Office of State Finance on future allocation reductions or by the Legislature subsequent to convening on February 1.

• Adoption placements increased by 14 in November and four in December.

• Foster care placements decreased by 52 in November and 11 in December.

• SNAP caseloads increased by 9,162 in November but stabilized in December with a decline by 448.

• TANF cases (child only) increased by 13 over the last two months.

• TANF cases (adult only) increased by 81 from October to December.

The financial report was approved.

5. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE RULES (See Attached) – Commissioner Aneta Wilkinson

Commissioner Aneta Wilkinson
Commissioner Wilkinson reviewed the proposed administrative rules. There were questions regarding the rules. Wilkinson moved for approval, with the exception of the proposed Child Welfare administrative rules.

Wilkinson recommended the Commission table voting on the rules regarding Child Welfare until February due to the extensive changes made to give each commissioner time for review. Commissioner Rawlings suggested other Commissioners sit in on the next policy meeting, the Tuesday prior to February commission meeting, to aid in understanding of the changes.

There was a vote to table the Child Welfare rules, which was approved to hold until the next meeting.

The other proposed administrative rules were approved.

6. REPORT ON HUMAN SERVICES CENTERS – Marq Youngblood (Area III:  Completing the Circle—Debra Clour, Steve Barse, Jayme Howard and Christine Fox-Luton)

The Child Welfare referrals report indicated:

• Total referrals pending greater than 60 days: 218, down 108 from November.

• There were zero priority one no contacts.

• There were 111 priority two no contacts.

The number of FTE will continue to reduce through attrition.

The APS report stated:
• Total past due investigations: 61, up from November (mostly attributed to Area 6 and is being addressed in Area 6)

• Percent of investigations initiated timely: 97.6 percent.

• Percent of investigations completed timely: 93.84 percent.

Completing the Circle, a Native American foster care initiative, was presented with an accompanying video. This is a partnership with state and local organizations to help Native American children in state custody maintain their connections to their heritage.

7. REPORT FROM DATA SERVICES DIVISION – Connie Schlittler, Sarjoo Shah (Six Sigma)

Sarjoo Shah explained the difference between Lean and Six Sigma programs and how it is beneficial to OKDHS.

8. LEGISLATIVE REPORT – Sandra Harrison

Sandra Harrison reviewed the following legislation:
The Oklahoma Legislature has filed a total of 2,235 bills for the upcoming session. An additional 1,761 bills have carried over from last session. OKDHS is tracking a total of 1,075 bills.

OKDHS Requested Legislation includes:

• House Bill 2733 restores “custody by abandonment” provision, which allows custody by a relative after a parent has abandoned the child and provides added judicial oversight.

• Senate Bill 1280 allows payment of state unemployment taxes of only 2 percent rather than 6.2 percent and increases the dollar amount available for these employees’ wages.

• Senate Bills 1076 and 2149 clarify eligibility requirements for OKDHS Independent Living services and tuition waivers. Expedites adoption process and amends state statutes to comply with federal statute.

• Senate Bill 1601 allows expungement of confidential Adult Protective Services records when in best interest of incapacitated adult. Also allows expungement of records if person is found by court to have been subject of bad faith allegations of abuse, neglect and/or financial exploitation/neglect of an incapacitated adult.

• House Bill 2330 includes OKDHS Office of Inspector General in group of state agencies whose commissioned law enforcement personnel are entitled to retain their duty firearm and badge upon retirement by length of service.

Sandra Harrison reviewed a few bills that are noteworthy for the Commission.

Legislative Deadlines are:

Feb. 1: Session convenes at noon
Feb. 18: Senate Bills reported from Senate Committee
Feb. 25: House Bills reported from House Committee
March 11: Chamber vote of a bill in chamber of origin
April 1: House Bills reported from Senate Committee
April 8: Senate Bills reported from House Committee
April 22: Chamber vote of a bill in opposite chamber of origin
May 28: Sine Die Adjournment

9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Feb. 23, 2010

Commissioners set the date of the next meeting for Feb. 23, 2009

10. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AS

RECOMMENDED BY GENERAL COUNSEL AND AUTHORIZED BY OPEN MEETING ACT, 25 O.S. 1991, SECTION 307, (1), (4) AND (7)

a. STATUS REPORT ON PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS OR ACTIONS INCLUDING FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS, DISALLOWANCE AND PROVIDER CASES – Charles Waters

b. STATUS REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO CLIENT MISTREATMENT AND EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT – Mark Jones

 Commissioners voted to go into executive session.

11. RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION

Commissioners voted to return to regular session.

12. NEW BUSINESS

There were no items of new business.

13. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioners voted to adjourn at 12:02 p.m.