Emergency shelters to close

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – The Oklahoma Department of Human Services plans to close a pair of emergency shelters for abused and neglected children as part of a settlement in a federal class-action lawsuit.

Director Ed Lake tells the Tulsa World that the number of children entering foster care is down. He says foster-home certifications are up and placements into homes are happening quickly.

Officials plan to close Tulsa’s Laura Dester Shelter and Oklahoma City’s Pauline E. Mayer Shelter within nine months.

The shelters served as temporary housing until child-welfare workers could locate suitable foster homes. The lawsuit alleged children were left there for too long and was settled three years ago.

The department eliminated shelter use for infants and toddlers in 2012.