Oklahoma Mental Health Agency Nears Fiscal Stability

Major Cuts Bring Fiscal Relief

Oklahoma’s most financially strained state agency now says it is nearing financial stability.The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services reported that it has reduced costs by cutting 23 executive positions and ending more than 300 mental health contracts.

Reform and Efficiency Drive Change

Director Carrie Slatton-Hodges said the restructuring was painful but necessary. The agency also ended sole-source contracts and trimmed administrative overhead.

“We’ve made hard decisions to protect direct services,” she said.

The department plans to request $22 million in new funding to modernize IT systems, which officials say are decades out of date. Legislators have praised the progress, saying the department’s recovery shows “strong fiscal management.”

Looking Ahead

Mental health advocates say the cost savings must not come at the expense of patient care. They continue to push for rural access programs and substance abuse treatment expansion.

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