Oklahoma Sheriffs Seek Fix for Jail Mental Health Crisis
- mike33692
- Oct 17
- 1 min read
Sheriffs Call for Change
Oklahoma sheriffs and state officials are working together to address a growing problem — county jails serving as de facto mental health facilities. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services met with several sheriffs, including Stacy Randolph of Jackson County, to discuss possible solutions.
Sheriff Randolph told lawmakers during recent hearings that jails are not equipped to treat or safely manage people with severe mental illnesses. Many of those individuals, she said, cycle through the system because of a lack of available treatment beds.
Lawmakers Push for Reform
The idea for the collaboration came after legislative hearings at the state Capitol. Lawmakers heard firsthand how local jails are overwhelmed with inmates requiring psychiatric care. The discussions led to the creation of a working group to examine better ways to divert mentally ill offenders from incarceration into treatment programs.
Officials say one major obstacle is funding. County jails operate on tight budgets and lack trained medical staff to manage medications or behavioral crises.
Rejecting Dangerous Proposals
Some suggested jailers could administer medication to mentally ill inmates. Sheriffs quickly rejected that idea, citing potential injuries, lawsuits, and ethical concerns.
“We are not mental health professionals,” one sheriff said. “That’s not what we’re trained to do.”
The new task force hopes to present recommendations early next year aimed at improving treatment access and reducing jail overcrowding.
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