Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-9-116

A. The Department of Human Services and each child-placing

agency shall develop:

1. A foster care education program to provide training for

persons intending to furnish foster care services; and

2. Continuing educational programs for foster parents.

B. 1. In addition to any other conditions and requirements

specified by the state agency or child-placing agency, as

applicable, prior to placement of a child in foster placement other

than kinship care, each foster parent shall have completed the

training approved by the Department or the child-placing agency, as

appropriate.

2. A foster parent providing kinship foster care shall, if

possible, complete the training developed by the Department for

kinship foster care prior to placement or at such other times as

required by the Department; provided, however, in no event shall

training take place later than one hundred twenty (120) days after

placement of the child with the kinship foster parent. Until a

kinship foster parent receives final approval from the Department to

provide foster care services to a child, the kinship foster parent

shall not be eligible to receive any payment for providing foster

care services.

3. Approved training shall require a minimum of twelve (12)

hours of study related, but not limited, to physical care,

education, learning disabilities, procedures for referral to and

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 243

receipt of necessary professional services, behavioral assessment

and modification, transition to successful adulthood skills, and

procedures for biological parent contact. Such training shall

relate to the area of parental substitute authority, the reasonable

and prudent parent standard relative to child participation in age-

appropriate or developmentally appropriate activities, behavioral

management techniques including, but not limited to, parent-child

conflict resolution techniques, stress management, and any other

appropriate technique to teach the foster parent how to manage the

child's behavior in a manner appropriate to the age and development

of the foster child.

4. The foster parent or person intending to provide foster care

services may complete the training as part of an approved training

program offered by a public or private agency with expertise in the

provision of child foster care or in related subject areas.

C. In order to assist persons providing kinship foster care,

the Department shall immediately refer kinship foster parents and

the child for assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy

Families Program until the certification and training requirements

have been completed.

D. Foster parent training programs may include, but not be

limited to, in-service training, workshops and seminars developed by

the state agency; seminars and courses offered through public or

private education agencies; and workshops, seminars and courses

pertaining to behavioral and developmental disabilities and to the

development of mutual support services for foster parents.

E. The Department and each child-placing agency shall provide

statewide training, education, and continuing education programs for

foster parents.

F. The Department or each child-placing agency shall notify a

foster parent at least ten (10) business days in advance of the

statewide scheduling of education, continuing education or foster

parent training occurring near the vicinity of the home of a foster

parent.

G. The Department may also provide additional foster care

training to a foster parent. A foster parent may request in writing

to the Department that additional foster parent training be

provided.