Rep. Hefner, Panel Shed Light on Oklahoma’s Caregivers Crisis

Whether you are a teacher, parent, or nurse, when caring for Oklahoma’s children, you will encounter many systems that are simply underfunded.

Rep. Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City wants to bring attention to the struggles of Oklahomans caring for children with disabilities.

Rep. Hefner said more than 16.8 million Americans are caring for a child with disabilities.

“Our legislature has appropriated historic funding to clear Oklahoma’s waiting list for Developmental Disabilities Services, but caregivers have been left out of the conversation about what they need as the state moves forward to modernize the DDS system,”

Rep. Hefner said.

On Thursday, Rep. Hefner and Majority Floor Leader Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, joined a panel discussion along with Dr. Crystal Hernandez from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and discussed why greater support and resources are needed for parents caring for children with developmental disabilities.

“Caregiver well-being is a public health issue with downstream effects for families, employers, our healthcare system, and our economy — in short, it impacts our shared future,” Rep. Hefner said. Rep. Hefner has authored several bills to support children with developmental disabilities and their families.

HB 2717 would increase the maximum qualifying income for the Family Support Program for children with severe developmental disabilities who reside in their family homes to $65,000 from $45,000. The bill was referred to a subcommittee last week.

HB 2718 would expand the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarships to include students who have intellectual disabilities. The bill would allow the funds to be used for continued academic, career, technical and independent living instruction at a state educational institution. The bill was referred to a subcommittee last week.