Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-2-7-202

A. There is hereby created the Office of Juvenile Affairs which

shall be responsible for programs and services for youthful

offenders and juveniles alleged or adjudicated to be delinquent or

in need of supervision. The Executive Director shall be responsible

for established divisions and appointing Division Directors within

the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

B. Suitable office space shall be provided by the Office of

Management and Enterprise Services to the Office of Juvenile

Affairs, to the extent necessary for the Office to implement its

jurisdictional duties provided by the Oklahoma Juvenile Code, and

the Office may incur necessary expenses for office rent.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 399

C. Effective July 1, 1995, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall

be a Merit System agency and all employees of the Office of Juvenile

Affairs shall be classified employees who are subject to the

Oklahoma Personnel Act and the Merit System of Personnel

Administration, except as otherwise provided by law. Eligible

persons employed as teachers by the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall

be entitled to paid maternity leave as provided for in Section 1 of

this act. Effective June 1, 2020, employees hired for service at

the Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Manitou shall be

considered unclassified and employed in a term-limited appointment.

If state services continue at the facility after the designated

term, the employee may be transferred into a non-term-limited

position. Current employees and employees hired prior to June 1,

2020, shall not be subject to this provision.

D. Effective July 1, 1995, within its jurisdictional areas of

responsibility, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, acting through the

Executive Director, or persons authorized by law, rule or designated

by the Executive Director to perform such acts, shall have the power

and duty to:

1. Advise, consult, cooperate and enter into agreements with

agencies of the state, municipalities and counties, other states and

the federal government, and other persons;

2. Enter into agreements for, accept, administer and use,

disburse and administer grants of money, personnel and property from

the federal government or any department or agency thereof, or from

any state or state agency, or from any other source, to promote and

carry on in this state any program within its jurisdictional area of

responsibility;

3. Require the establishment and maintenance of records and

reports;

4. Establish a system of training for personnel in order to

assure uniform statewide application of law and rules;

5. Enforce the provisions of the Oklahoma Juvenile Code and

rules promulgated thereunder and orders issued pursuant thereto;

6. Charge and receive fees pursuant to fee schedules

promulgated by the Board of Juvenile Affairs;

7. Conduct studies, research and planning of programs and

functions, pursuant to the authority granted by the Oklahoma

Juvenile Code;

8. Enter into interagency agreements;

9. Provide administrative and support services to the Board of

Juvenile Affairs as necessary to assist the Board in the performance

of its duties;

10. Establish and maintain such facilities and institutions as

are necessary or convenient for the operation of programs for

children under the jurisdiction of the Office of Juvenile Affairs;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 400

11. Lease, from time to time, any real property which the Board

of Juvenile Affairs shall determine advisable to more fully carry

into effect the operation of the Office of Juvenile Affairs in

accordance with applicable state statutes. All such leases for real

property shall be subject to the provisions of Section 63 of Title

74 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

12. Purchase or lease any equipment, supplies or materials

pursuant to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act;

13. Contract for professional services;
o more fully carry

into effect the operation of the Office of Juvenile Affairs in

accordance with applicable state statutes. All such leases for real

property shall be subject to the provisions of Section 63 of Title

74 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

12. Purchase or lease any equipment, supplies or materials

pursuant to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act;

13. Contract for professional services;

14. Acquire, construct, extend, and operate any and all

facilities of all kinds which in the judgment of the Executive

Director and the approval of the Legislature shall be necessary or

convenient to carry out the duties of the Office of Juvenile

Affairs, as authorized by law;

15. Establish an employee recruitment and referral incentive

program and promulgate internal agency policy for the operation of

the program, which may include, but shall not be limited to, program

purposes, pay incentives for employees, eligibility requirements,

payment conditions and amounts, payment methods, payment recoupment,

and record keeping; and

16. Exercise all incidental powers which are necessary and

proper to implement and administer the purposes of the Oklahoma

Juvenile Code.

E. The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall maintain a fair, simple

and expeditious system for resolution of grievances of all persons

committed to the Office of Juvenile Affairs regarding the substance

or application of any written or unwritten policy, rule of the Board

of Juvenile Affairs or of an agent or contractor of the Office of

Juvenile Affairs or any decision, behavior or action by an employee,

agent or contractor or by any other person committed to the Office

of Juvenile Affairs.

F. Effective November 1, 2012, the Office of Juvenile Affairs

shall establish a system of certification in accordance with the

Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act for the shelters

managed and operated by the Department of Human Services pursuant to

the requirements of Section 1-9-111 of this title. The Office of

Juvenile Affairs shall certify shelters pursuant to the requirements

of existing rules as established by the Oklahoma Commission on

Children and Youth until such time the Office of Juvenile Affairs

has promulgated rules for the certification of shelters.