ODMHSAS needs $28.7 million to get through the end of June, according to state audit

State auditor Cindy Byrd released the first part of an investigation Tuesday into the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), which says the department will need $28,700,000 to get through the end of June.

Why did the state auditor release only one part of the audit? 

State Auditor Cindy Byrd says the legislative session ends in two weeks.

"We felt that there were issues surrounding that shortfall that the governor and legislatures needed to be aware of in order to properly crack next year's budget," said Byrd.

What caused the department to be short $28,700,000?

The audit says the department's financial issues first started because the department was using this year's budget to cover $9,400,000 in costs that should have come out of last year's budget.

The audit says the Department’s budget was also impacted by buying Narcan machines that the department pulled from service due to high costs, a regional Super Bowl ad, and a now-paused construction project to build a mental health hospital in Oklahoma City.

It also says the department hired 38 people from January 2024 to April 2025. Byrd says that's unusual because all of them are getting paid six figures. 

"We feel like those positions need to be analyzed to see if they're necessary for the mission of the agency, and if they're not, those resources need to be deployed to meet the critical function of the Department of Mental Health and providing mental health services to Oklahomans," said Byrd. 

What did the audit report say about employees?

The audit also said Mental Health Department employees were discouraged from cooperating with the investigation, and some staff told state auditors they were threatened in meetings. 

The report says the department was constantly changing the supervisory structure, leading to employees being unaware of who their supervisor is and having to research this information online. 

Where did these issues come from?

Byrd says the issues stem from not just the current department leadership but previous leaders who've since left.

"Further complicated by the fact that this agency was not communicating well with legislatures about the true needs of the agency," said Byrd.

What solutions did the state auditor offer ODMHSAS?

Byrd made several suggestions for the department, including hiring a qualified chief financial officer and certified public accountant, and evaluating the qualifications of recent executive hires.

ODMHSAS statement

"We’ve created a large table of external diverse experts to help us bring light and end years of corruption. We are reviewing Cindy Byrd’s document, and we look forward to the additional contributions from third-party investigators and financial auditors in the coming months."

 What's next?

The auditor does not have a timeline on when she'll release part two of the audit, which will look deeper into what caused these issues and who is responsible.