Okla. Stat. tit. 10, § 10-7007-1.9

Children – Membership - Duties.

A. There is hereby created to continue until December 31, 2006,

the Task Force on Reactive Attachment Disorder in Children. The

task force will examine this issue as it relates to children in the

custody of the Department of Human Services or the Office of

Juvenile Affairs, and children served by the Department of Mental

Health and Substance Abuse Services. For purposes of this section,

“Reactive Attachment Disorder” means a disorder resulting from the

lack of reasonable care and nurturance, usually in the early years

of life, which results in an inability to establish normal, stable

attachments to caregivers and others.

B. The task force shall consist of eighteen (18) members as

follows:

1. The Director of the Department of Human Services, or

designee;

2. The Director of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and

Youth, or designee;

3. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction, or designee;

4. The Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and

Substance Abuse Services, or designee;

5. The State Commissioner of Health, or designee;

6. The Administrator of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, or

designee;

7. The Director of the Oklahoma Areawide Services Information

Systems, or designee;

8. The Executive Coordinator of the District Attorneys Council,

or designee;

9. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, or

designee;

10. The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives shall

appoint members as follows:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10. Children Page 281

a. one member who serves on the Oklahoma House of

Representatives Health and Human Services Committee,

b. one member who is a foster-care or adoptive parent of

a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder, and

c. one member who is a mental health expert knowledgeable

in treating children with Reactive Attachment

Disorder;

11. The President Pro Tempore of the State Senate shall appoint

members as follows:

a. one member who serves on the Senate Health and Human

Resources Committee,

b. one representative of a statewide child advocacy

organization, and

c. one member who is a practicing attorney in the area of

child welfare and who is an active member of the

Family Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association;

and

12. The Governor shall appoint members as follows:

a. one member who is a pediatrician knowledgeable in the

area of Reactive Attachment Disorder in children,

b. one member who serves on a postadjudication review

board, chosen from a list of names submitted by the

State Postadjudication Review Advisory Board, and

c. one member who is a representative of the Oklahoma

Youth Services Center.

C. 1. Members shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing

authorities. A vacancy on the task force shall be filled by the

original appointing authority.

2. Appointments to the task force shall be made by July 1,

2005.

3. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute

a quorum. A majority of the members present at a meeting may act

for the task force.

4. The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the

President Pro Tempore of the State Senate shall each designate a

cochair from among the members of the task force.

5. The cochairs of the task force shall convene the first

meeting of the task force on or before July 15, 2005, at which time

a schedule of the meetings shall be determined.

6. The task force may divide into subcommittees in furtherance

of its purpose.

D. 1. Staff of the Department of Human Services shall serve as

primary staff for the task force with assistance from the staffs of

the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the

Office of Juvenile Affairs.

2. The task force may use the expertise and services of the

staffs of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10. Children Page 282

State Senate and may, as necessary, seek the advice and services of
ff for the task force with assistance from the staffs of

the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the

Office of Juvenile Affairs.

2. The task force may use the expertise and services of the

staffs of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10. Children Page 282

State Senate and may, as necessary, seek the advice and services of

experts in the field of child welfare.

E. All departments, officers, agencies and employees of this

state shall cooperate with the task force in fulfilling its duties

and responsibilities including, but not limited to, providing any

information, records or reports requested by the task force.

F. Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for

their service, but shall receive travel reimbursement as follows:

1. Legislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed

for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their

duties in accordance with the provisions of Section 456 of Title 74

of the Oklahoma Statutes; and

2. Nonlegislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed

by their appointing authorities or respective agencies for necessary

travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in

accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

G. The duties and responsibilities of the Task Force on

Reactive Attachment Disorder in Children shall include, but not be

limited to:

1. Identifying the number of children in the custody of the

Department of Human Services or the Office of Juvenile Affairs or

the number served by the Department of Mental Health and Substance

Abuse Services who have Reactive Attachment Disorder or who may have

a predisposition for the disorder;

2. Assessing current resources available to families who have a

child with Reactive Attachment Disorder;

3. Determining if additional services are necessary including,

but not limited to, networking and support groups, treatment

options, information/resource links; and

4. Determining if conferences and training sessions are needed

for families who have a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

H. The task force shall publish its findings and

recommendations by December 31, 2006, including recommendations for

any resulting legislation.