Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-9-117

placing agency by foster parent.

A. 1. A foster parent may report to the Office of Client

Advocacy within the State Department of Health an allegation that an

employee of the Department of Human Services or of a child-placing

agency has threatened the foster parent with removal of a child from

the foster parent, harassed or refused to place a child in a

licensed or certified foster home, or disrupted a child placement as

retaliation or discrimination towards a foster parent who has:

a. filed a grievance pursuant to Section 1-9-120 of this

title,

b. provided information to any state official or

Department of Human Services employee, or

c. testified, assisted, or otherwise participated in an

investigation, proceeding, or hearing against the

Department of Human Services or child-placing agency.

2. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any

complaint by a foster parent regarding the result of a criminal,

administrative, or civil proceeding for a violation of any law,

rule, or contract provision by that foster parent, or the action

taken by the Department of Human Services or a child-placing agency

in conformity with the result of any such proceeding.

3. A reporter shall not be relieved of the duty to report

incidents of alleged child abuse or neglect pursuant to the Oklahoma

Children's Code.

4. The Advocate General shall establish rules and procedures

for evaluating reports of complaints pursuant to paragraph 1 of this

subsection and for conducting an investigation of such reports.

B. 1. The Office of Client Advocacy shall prepare and maintain

written records from the reporting source that shall contain the

following information to the extent known at the time the report is

made:

a. the names and addresses of the child and the person

responsible for the child's welfare,

b. the nature of the complaint, and

c. the names of the persons or agencies responsible for

the allegations contained in the complaint.

2. Any investigation conducted by the Office of Client Advocacy

pursuant to such information shall not duplicate and shall be

separate from the investigation mandated by the Oklahoma Children's

Code or other investigation of the Department of Human Services

having notice and hearing requirements.

3. At the request of the reporter, the Office of Client

Advocacy shall keep the identity of the reporter strictly

confidential from the operation of the Department of Human Services,

until the State Commissioner of Health determines what

recommendations shall be made to the Director of the Department.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 245

C. The Commissioner and the Director shall ensure that a person

making a report in good faith under this section is not adversely

affected solely on the basis of having made such report.

D. Any person who knowingly and willfully makes a false or

frivolous report or complaint or a report that the person knows

lacks factual foundation, pursuant to the provisions of this

section, may be subject to loss of foster parent certification.