Oklahoma lawmakers tell the Department of Human Services to allocate $250,000 less next year to local child abuse investigators and advocates.
Senate Bill 848 tells DHS to allocate $2.55 million of its 2018 appropriation to CAMA — the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account, which is distributed to local investigators and child advocacy centers.
Rep. Ben Loring said that will strain child advocacy centers.
"The number of children that are being served by these children's advocacy centers has increased by 42 percent with the same funding that they had back in 2010," Loring said.
Loring knows of one that helped a six-year-old testify about abuse she suffered at the hands of her father.
"And the only way that she was able to testify was because our CAC was set up where she could do that without going into the courtroom, facing her father and testifying with him sitting there," Loring said. "And that never would have happened if this kind of money had been taken away from the CACs."
Rep. Pat Ownbey said child advocacy centers are allowed to raise money.
"Understand that CAMA funds also get $400,000 to $500,000 in court fees, ... so there is some other dollars that will be there," Ownbey said. "Will it be enough? I certainly hope so. It's about a 9 percent cut."
The $250,000 cut from child abuse support is instead going to the 211 Oklahoma program.
SB848 also tells DHS to fully fund Pinnacle Plan implementation and several services for disabled Oklahomans, and to freeze salaries. The measure awaits a vote on the House floor.
