The leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives announced the fourth investigation − so far − of the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, a Republican from Bristow, formed a select committee to examine the mental health department’s operations and budget. The committee will meet Thursday afternoon with House Majority Leader Mark Lawson as chair.
“We have seen contracts cancelled and have been told money appropriated by the Legislature for specific purposes is unaccounted for,” Lawson said in a news release. “The Legislature needs more confidence in what it will take to adequately fund mental health services both in the short and long term. This is an all-hands-on-deck approach as we near the end of the legislative session.”
Hilbert said lawmakers on the committee would look into the use of specific fund allocations, such as the $5 million allocated for upgraded medical records system, and the use of current year appropriations to pay prior years’ expenses.
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House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, formed a select committee to examine the mental health department’s operations and budget.
He said the committee would also review cancelled contracts, the department’s need for supplemental funding to “fulfill its financial obligations in the current fiscal year,” and the agency’s future budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
Hilbert said House members also want an update of the current state of a federal court-ordered consent decree facing the department.
“It is our constitutional duty to oversee and appropriate state funds, and we take that role very seriously,” Hilbert said in the news release. “We have just over a month left in this legislative session, and we still don’t have a clear understanding of how much state funding ODMHSAS needs.”
The House investigation is the fourth examination of the mental health department announced this year. The department is also the subject of a forensic audit by the state auditor’s office, a review by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency and the announcement Monday by Gov. Kevin Stitt that he would appoint a special investigator to examine the agency’s finances and actions.
“I’ve had frustrations with the mental health department for years, and now that we have Commissioner Allie Friesen putting a fresh set of eyes on the department, it’s clear there are problems that need special attention,” Stitt said Monday. “What we need is an independent third party who can focus all their energy on shining light on this agency and rooting out bad actors.”
Stitt said the special investigator would be charged with “examining every aspect of ODMHSAS, from its finances to its employment records to its contracting practices, to ensure that all laws are being followed to the letter.” The governor said the special investigator will regularly update his office and will have access to everything except personal health information housed at the agency.
Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that he would appoint a special investigator to examine the state mental health agency’s finances and actions.
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While Hilbert said be believed the House’s “public hearing will help us get to the bottom of what has happened and what needs to happen moving forward,” Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton said he supported the LOFT investigation. He questioned the need of four investigations.
“The Senate has partnered with the House in calling for the LOFT investigation and will continue to monitor findings. Calling for an additional investigation on top of the four others may cause confusion and duplicative work,” Paxton, R-Tuttle, said in a text to The Oklahoman.
State lawmakers have until May 30 to finish their work.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: House lawmakers will investigate Oklahoma mental health agency