A judge on Thursday lifted a federal consent decree levied against Oklahoma’s child foster care system more than a decade ago.
The consent decree was established as a result of the lawsuit D.G. vs. Yarborough, in which federal authorities determined Oklahoma had burdensome caseloads placed on social workers. The feds also determined the state did not “make reasonable placement of the children in homes,” according to attorney for the plaintiffs Fred Dorwart.
“The consent decree (established) a plan, called the Pinnacle Plan, which established 32 separate objection metrics the State had to meet,” Dorwart wrote to KWGS.
The courts determined the foster care system improved caseworker loads, rates of maltreatment in care and the use of shelter facilities by fulfilling the plan. This led Judge Gregory Frizzell to end the decree Thursday, according to a news release for A Better Childhood, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
The decree was lifted with the consent of the plaintiffs, the release states.
“We are so grateful that we were able to work with the state to achieve the complete turn-round of a foster care system that was damaging to children,” said Marcia Robinson Lowry, executive director of A Better Childhood.
