OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) has presented its State Fiscal Year 2027 (SFY2027) budget request to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, setting out a strategy aimed at strengthening service delivery, tightening controls and improving long-term outcomes for vulnerable residents.
The presentation comes against the backdrop of what the agency described as a historic federal shutdown, which created operational disruptions across public systems. Despite those pressures, OKDHS said it remained focused on maintaining essential services and advancing reforms designed to help individuals and families move from crisis toward stability and long-term self-sufficiency.
Agency leaders stressed that demand for human services often arises at moments of acute personal difficulty. While OKDHS has traditionally measured performance through service volumes, the agency said it is now placing greater emphasis on outcomes, particularly the extent to which individuals are able to regain stability and reduce reliance on public assistance over time.
Director Jeffrey Cartmell told lawmakers that the shift reflects a broader cultural change within the organisation, underpinned by accountability and service quality.
“When someone reaches out to us, more often than not they are facing a moment of instability,” said Director Jeffrey Cartmell. “Our staff help steady that moment, with a clear belief that these programs should equip people to move forward, not hold them back. The progress we’re reporting today exists because our workforce takes that responsibility seriously and delivers these services with integrity.”
The agency outlined a multi-year vision built around accuracy, stronger programme controls and alignment with statewide policy goals. Central to that vision are three broad priorities: child safety, dignity and independence for vulnerable adults, and the integrity of the social safety net.
Child safety at the centre of reform agenda
OKDHS said it is continuing efforts to make Oklahoma “the safest place in the country for children”, through a comprehensive approach spanning in-home services, foster and out-of-home care, and licensed child care settings.
A key element is the advancement of the Child Welfare Safety Practice Model, which places child safety as the primary consideration in all case decisions. Officials cited progress that has reduced the number of children in state custody from more than 11,000 to around 5,800, alongside a reported 94% permanency achievement rate.
The agency is also expanding oversight of child care providers, supported by more than 13,000 monitoring visits annually, and strengthening enforcement of safe sleep standards. In parallel, OKDHS said it is sustaining national leadership in child support enforcement, including paternity establishment and medical support, while backing initiatives such as the PATHS programme, which supports parents experiencing domestic abuse.
Supporting an ageing population
A second pillar focuses on services for vulnerable adults, older residents and people with disabilities, as demographic pressures intensify. OKDHS noted projections showing that by 2034, Oklahomans aged 65 and over are expected to outnumber children for the first time.
The agency highlighted progress in reducing the Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) waiting list from more than 13 years to roughly one year, enabling earlier access to care and greater life planning certainty. Home- and community-based services are also being expanded, including support for more than 26,000 participants in the ADvantage programme each year.
Nutrition and daily living support remains a significant area of delivery, with more than two million meals served at senior sites statewide in SFY2025 alone. OKDHS said these programmes are designed to support independence while maintaining safety and wellbeing.
Strengthening controls and fraud prevention
The third priority centres on reinforcing the integrity of public benefit programmes. OKDHS reported that enhanced fraud-detection tools within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) prevented $3.47 million in fraudulent transactions, while investigations identified $7.1 million in overpayments and led to 801 disqualifications for confirmed fraud.
Additional staff and upgraded technology are being deployed to strengthen verification processes and quality assurance, as the agency continues to modernise eligibility systems and staff training.
In closing, OKDHS reiterated its overarching objective of building a more resilient agency capable of delivering consistent, reliable support.
“Every number we shared today represents a person — a child who found permanency, an adult with job training to join the workforce, or a family that regained stability,” Director Cartmell said. “Our work begins and ends with the people we serve. Their safety, their dignity, and their futures are the standard we measure ourselves against and the progress we are committed to delivering for Oklahoma.”
