Oklahoma Senate Bill SB187

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Children; providing access to certain counseling services for foster parents and certain children subject to specified condition. Effective date. Emergency.

Summary

SB187 creates a new state law in Title 10A to give foster parents, and children living in the foster home who are not foster children, access to at least six hours per year of counseling services. The counseling must be provided by licensed mental health providers contracted with the Department of Human Services (DHS), subject to available funding, and the services are to be offered at no cost to the foster parent or child. DHS would pay the provider at a rate set by the department. The bill states that the purpose of the counseling benefit is to help retain safe, loving, and supportive foster homes for children in state custody. It also makes the counseling optional, and prohibits foster parents from being penalized or discriminated against for choosing to use the service. DHS must inform foster parents about the counseling option before or when a child is placed in the home, including how to access it. The bill requires provider qualifications to be set by the DHS director and specifically says those qualifications must include training in the Flash Technique.

Impact

SB187 would add a new foster-care support provision to Oklahoma law by codifying Section 1-9-126 of Title 10A. It would require DHS to arrange and reimburse counseling services for foster parents and certain children in the home, establish provider qualifications, and create an information-sharing duty for DHS at placement. The bill affects DHS administration, licensed mental health providers contracted by the agency, foster parents, and children in foster homes, while making the benefit contingent on available funding.

Sentiment

The bill appears generally supportive and protective of foster families, with its stated goal of strengthening foster homes and supporting children in state custody. The inclusion of no-cost counseling, anti-discrimination language, and an emergency clause suggests an intent to move the policy quickly and with broad practical support. No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition in the available materials.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are the funding condition, the requirement that DHS set provider qualifications, and the mandate that those qualifications include training in the Flash Technique. Some may question whether the six-hour annual benefit is sufficient, whether DHS has the resources to implement the program, or whether the specified therapeutic training should be required. The bill also limits the benefit to counseling provided by DHS-contracted providers, which could raise questions about provider availability and access in some areas.