A new law will take effect Nov. 1, 2026, called The Oklahoma Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents Program.
It is an intervention program for youth with incarcerated parents designed to mentor and provide them with guidance. It will also assist children who are at risk of ending up in a juvenile detention facility.
On Nov 1, 2024, and every third year thereafter, the OMCIPP is funded, and any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations can submit a proposal to receive a grant(s) through a competitive bidding process.
The approved applicant(s) must provide “mentoring services to children of incarcerated parents and to children at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system,” according to the bill HB 3849.
In California, Project Avery is a similar program that provides a supportive outlet for children of incarcerated parents, access to summer camps, and weekend workshops free of charge.
To be eligible, applicant(s) must meet the following 11 criteria:
- Serve youth 6 through 18 years of age
- Have a statewide or regional presence
- Provide mentoring services to children of incarcerated parents
- Have served children of incarcerated parents for three (3) years or more
- Have rigorous volunteer application and screening processes
- Have established child safety policies and procedures
- Measure performance outcomes via multiple tools
- Have here three (3) years or more of performance outcome data
- Provide ongoing safety training and diversity training for program staff
- Set match-retention-rate goals
- Have experience working with high-risk populations