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  • Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Jari Askins spoke on Thursday night at Central Christian Church about the needs of Oklahoma’s children. (Staff Photo by SHAWN YORKS)

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April 22, 2010

Lt. Gov. Askins talks to assembly about child death rates, abuse

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said Thursday night she was “ashamed” of some of the state’s ranking related to children.

Speaking on the first day of the three-day Regional Church Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma, she pointed out Oklahoma’s rankings related to death rates for abused children, the teen birth and death rates, and the number of children who go to bed hungry each night.

The assembly is being held at Central Christian Church.

Askins encouraged those in attendance to use the church to encourage programs for children and to get involved with child-related programs, such as foster care and youth programs.

Askins spoke about the things she saw when she served as a special district judge in Stephens County, on the state parole board, as a state representative and as lieutenant governor.

“I knew it was always going to involve a chance to help children,” she said of the duties she performed. “Oklahoma needs to do better.”

She said the state is in need of more foster families and parents to adopt Oklahoma children.

Askins also said the reason Oklahoma has so many children in need of foster care is because the state has continually led in the incarceration of female inmates.

She said factors such as teen pregnancy, depression and addiction lead to such high numbers and those problems should be the focus of churches and their communities.

“We need to figure out a way to put more resources in mental health,” Askins said.

She also called for more resources for new parents and those who may struggle to raise their children.

“In 2008, it was reported that more children who are abused die of abuse per 100,000 people than any other state,” she said. “I’m really ashamed of that.”

She said churches need to reach out to young parents through parent-interaction programs to ensure the future of Oklahoma’s children.

“You need to look within your communities to see what the needs are to create these resources and intervene before tragedy happens,” Askins said. “The only way we can help is to create more opportunities for prevention.”

Important programs that help solve some of the problems Oklahoma’s children face aren’t adequately funded, she said. Communities need to look for ways to help these programs in their missions to help the state’s children.

“It’s important that we help those trying to help themselves,” she said.

Askins also called for an investment in Oklahoma’s future.

“There is no better return than the investment of our children,” she said. “As a church we need to be making wise decisions. We need to be making investments in our children.”

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