(a) Specialized services. Specialized services are provided to all youth in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody who are pregnant. These services are designed to assist in making and implementing decisions regarding the pregnancy and are in addition to the other services the youth receives. The youth has the same rights as an adult and is legally and socially responsible for her decisions and the child.
(b) Involvement of legal parents and father. If the youth is in temporary OKDHS custody, her legal parent(s) or other relatives are involved with her in the planning. The named father is also involved, when appropriate, in the decision-making and planning for the child. The father has a right to a relationship with his child and to share in the responsibilities. The Child Welfare (CW) worker addresses these issues with the pregnant youth, father, youth's parent(s), and father's parent(s), if he is not an adult.
(c) Counseling. Counseling is provided for the pregnant youth for the purpose of examining the available options regarding the pregnancy. A CW worker with experience or in-service training in pregnancy counseling assists the youth in making decisions regarding the pregnancy. The youth, if applicable, may be referred to a qualified professional in the community for counseling. Prenatal and postpartum care, diagnosis, nutrition, treatment of health problems, and other services are arranged for the pregnant youth.
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(1) Parenting the child. If the youth makes the decision to keep the child, services, including parenting skills training and assistance in accessing community resources are arranged. Services address the youth's abilities to meet her child's needs and the parent and child relationship. An assessment is conducted with the youth's participation. Needs, performance criteria, services, and achievement dates are included in the treatment and service plan. Living arrangement options include:
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(A) foster home or relative home for both the youth and her child that allows the youth to complete her education and learn parenting skills while in a nurturing environment;
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(B) foster home or relative placement for the infant while the youth temporarily lives separately; or
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(C) Pauline E. Mayer group home, an OKDHS residential facility for youth adjudicated deprived and their children. The youth must have already had her child. The group home provides an opportunity for the youth to live with her child, learn parenting and independent living skills, and continue her education or training while assuming full parenting responsibilities.
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(2) Relinquishment. When a youth decides to relinquish her child for adoption, the child’s attorney is immediately contacted for relinquishment procedures.
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(3) Termination of the pregnancy.
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(A) If a youth in temporary OKDHS custody decides to terminate her pregnancy, her legal parent(s) or an adult relative are included in the arrangements. Pregnancy counseling is provided and documented in the CW case record. Cases involving decisions to terminate a pregnancy by youth in OKDHS custody are referred to Children and Family Services Division Permanency Planning Section for consultation.
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(B) OKDHS does not consent to or sign any type of form related to a procedure to terminate the pregnancy of a youth in OKDHS custody. OKDHS does not provide assistance with payment for the procedure. When a youth in OKDHS custody has a method of payment and a resource with which to pursue the procedure, OKDHS does not prohibit nor assist the youth with such action.