OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Kevin Stitt sent a letter to legislative leaders announcing steps to address budget issues at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS).
The letter was sent to Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton. You can read the full letter here.
“The troubling issues that have continued to emerge at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services are the result of years of mismanagement—these challenges did not arise overnight," Stitt said in the letter. "When I appointed Commissioner Allie Friesen, I specifically charged her with shining a light on the agency, rooting out longstanding problems, and building a more accountable and transparent department. What we are seeing now is the necessary, if painful, result of that mission being carried out with integrity and urgency.”
Here are the three steps outlined:
- A nationally respected, independent financial expert will be brought in to take temporary control of the department’s finances. This expert will assess the agency’s financial shortfall and produce an accurate and credible supplemental budget request for the Legislature.
- As previously announced, the Governor will name a well-regarded attorney with experience in complex investigations to conduct a full and independent review of ODMHSAS. The investigator will report directly to the Governor’s Office and will have full authority to follow the facts wherever they lead.
- The Governor has directed Oklahoma Healthcare Authority CEO Ellen Buettner, along with ODMHSAS officials, to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all Medicaid and federally funded functions within the agency. This effort will evaluate whether these responsibilities should be administered by a different agency or in a different manner to ensure greater accountability and efficiency.
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