Office of Client Advocacy (OCA)

The OCA Investigations Unit is responsible for conducting investigations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or caretaker misconduct involving:

• Children residing in Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) facilities, day treatment programs, and other congregate care settings.
• Vulnerable adults receiving developmental disabilities services or advantage waiver services.

OCA also conducts internal administrative reviews, as requested, or in cases of alleged retaliation against a foster parent or child served by CWS.

If you suspect a vulnerable adult is the victim of abuse, neglect or exploitation, you may submit an online report at www.Abuseisnotok.org, by calling the 24-Hour Statewide Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1-800-522-3511, or by contacting OCA Intake at 405-522-2720 or oca.intake@health.ok.gov.

OCA Advocates represent Hissom Class Members, individuals who transitioned to the community from Northern Oklahoma Resource Center of Enid (NORCE) and Southern Oklahoma Resource Center (SORC), and individuals residing at the Robert M. Greer Center in Enid, Oklahoma and Specialized Habitation Individual Empowerment (SHIELD) at the Laura Dester Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advocates safeguard the health and safety of clients and monitor the delivery of services to help guarantee that the support given is appropriate to the needs of each individual. 

Advocates assist clients with problem resolution to ensure their needs are met in a manner consistent with their individual preferences and rights, as well as, the principles, values, and expectations outlined in DHS policy.  

If necessary, problems will be elevated to get a resolution through the grievance process when informal means have been exhausted. 

Advocates are also able to represent clients in fair hearings when they feel a reduction or denial of services was unwarranted.

OCA Advocates provide temporary, issue-specific special advocacy services to anyone receiving or eligible for DDS services.  

To request special advocacy, call 405-522-2720 or email oca.intake@health.ok.gov. If you would like to file a grievance on behalf of someone receiving DDS services, please call 405-522-2720 or email oca.grievances@health.ok.gov.

Foster parents and children served by DHS Child Welfare Services (CWS) have the statutory right to file grievances without fear of retaliation or discrimination.

The OCA Foster Care Ombudsman and Youth Grievance Programs ensure foster parents and children served by DHS CWS have easy access to a grievance process that is fair, effective and efficient.

Individuals who file a grievance through either program have a right to receive a written response and to elevate their concerns if they are not satisfied with a proposed grievance resolution.

If you are a foster parent, you may file a grievance on your own behalf. This includes kinship placements, regardless of whether their certification is complete.

Anyone can file a claim on behalf of a child served by CWS.

Most issues regarding foster care services, the foster parent bill of rights or the youth bill of rights are grieveable. If a complaint contains something that is not grieveable, OCA staff will assist in accessing the appropriate resources.

A grievance must be filed within 45 calendar days of the incident. If more than 45 days have passed since the incident, contact OCA to discuss possible exceptions. After a grievance is received, the FCO or Youth Grievance Program will contact the filing individual to answer questions and provide additional information about the process.

Foster Parent Grievances can be filed online at Oklahoma Foster Parent Voices. Grievances on behalf of children served by CWS are filed online at Oklahoma Foster Youth Matters.