Senate confirms Steven Buck as OJA director

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Steven Buck of Oklahoma City as the executive director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Buck is the first agency director confirmed by the Senate under the terms of new laws that give the governor the ability to hire and fire the heads of OJA and four other top state agencies.

“Oklahoma has come a long way in improving the care and treatment of children in state custody thanks to the work of leaders like Steven Buck. He’s proven himself an honest and dedicated public servant as director of OJA the past few years and I know he’ll continue to do an excellent job in that capacity moving forward. Steven Buck is a great partner for policymakers and I look forward to working with him to continuing to ensure the children in custody get the care and treatment they need to acclimate and become productive members of society,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Buck was nominated for reappointment as director of OJA by Governor Kevin Stitt earlier this month. He also was named cabinet secretary of human services and early childhood initiatives by the governor.

“Steven Buck has had a long and distinguished career advocating for the treatment and care of some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens. He’s done a great job already at OJA and I know he’ll keep moving that agency in the right direction,” said Senator Jason Smalley, R-Stroud and chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

On Wednesday, the Senate also confirmed Jerome Loughridge of Oklahoma City as the governor’s cabinet secretary of health and mental health.