'We have made mistakes': Oklahoma state lawmakers getting answers about ODMHSAS finances

State lawmakers are getting answers to questions about the finances of the State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

The agency says the state may have to fill a $43 million funding gap, plus contracts involving Tulsa clinics.

How much is ODMHSAS's financial shortfall?

$43,000,000

"My priority has been and always will be ensuring access to high-quality care. We have made mistakes and we have tried to quickly own those mistakes as quickly as humanly possible," said Allie Friesen, ODMHSAS commissioner. 

Among those mistakes, underestimating how much money they need to treat people under their care. 

How much is the department asking lawmakers for? 

$6,200,000.

Some of that will be used to pay for providers across the state.

"This was something not operating as a bonus or incentive payment but holding up core functions," said Friesen. 

What did the ODMHSAS commissioner know about the letters of termination sent to Clinics in Tulsa?

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services told three Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in Tulsa their contracts would end next month. 

Friesen said the, "Timing of letters was not communicated to me."

She says the letters have nothing to do with the department's budget shortfall. 

"We had been working very closely with OMES, our legal team had to resolve this issue. We had also been working closely with the CCBHCs that were involved in the protest to get this matter closed and moved forward," said Friesen. 

Begging for a positive change

After Friesen finished her testimony, Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler addressed lawmakers.

He's had issues with the department for years, including how it's taken months to complete court-ordered mental competency hearings. 

He offered a different solution to the agency's problems.

"Legislature should seriously consider breaking up the department of mental health and starting all over -parade out department of mental health and make them solely responsible for people who require inpatient hospitalization and create a department of substance abuse services, so we never have this issue where people are languishing in jails or languishing in facilities with poor oversight," said Kunzweiler. 

He says the situation was better in the late 80s and early 90s, and he's willing to help fix the system now and into the future.

What's next?

The committee is expected to hold additional hearings over the coming weeks to create a balanced budget for the department before the legislative session ends next month. 

The state auditor is also looking into the department, and there are also investigators underway from the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency. This week, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he's appointing an independent investigator.