Governor Kevin Stitt announced today eight members of the Child Welfare Taskforce; a group designed to protect and enhance the lives of our children. Governor Stitt created the Child Welfare Taskforce on day one of his second term by Executive Order 2023-01.

The appointees are:

Justin Brown, Secretary of Human Services

Rebecca J. Gore, Mayes County Associate District Judge

Kaitlyn G. Allen, Oklahoma County District Judge

Holy Towers, Executive Director of Lilyfield Inc.

Tayvon Lewis, Family Meeting Facilitator at the Department of Human Services

Sarah E. Herrian, Executive Director of Foster Care & Adoptive Association

Dr. Angela Pharris, Senior Researcher at the University of Oklahoma

Traylor Rains, State Medicaid Director at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority

The taskforce will study, evaluate and make recommendations regarding policies, programs, and proposed legislation that will:

1. Further reduce the time to permanency in the foster care system;

2. Further reduce the amount of re-entries to foster care after discharge to permanency;

3. Identify risk factors that lead to the removal of children from their biological parents' home; and

4. Identify and propose areas of support for biological parents

Pursuant to the Executive Order, Governor Stitt was required to appoint 8 members: two members of the Oklahoma state court system, one representative from an organization involved in the foster care system, one representative from a non-profit or faith-based organization, one person with experience advocating for biological families, and three at-large members.

Executive Order 2023-01 can be read in full here.