Family & Children’s Services Demands Immediate Legislative Action to Fix State Budget Hole

Family & Children’s Services (F&CS) implores state legislators to take immediate action to fill the budget hole to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens receive necessary mental health care.

Today, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) announced devastating cuts of $75 million to 700 statewide agencies effective Dec. 1. This will eliminate every ODMHSAS and Medicaid funded outpatient behavioral health service in Oklahoma for adults and children. The only remaining funded services will include inpatient acute care and medication services. Without immediate resolution of the legislative gridlock, 189,000 Oklahomans and their families will suffer.

As the largest outpatient community mental health center in Oklahoma, this impact would be catastrophic. F&CS provides comprehensive outpatient mental health care to nearly 18,000 adults with serious mental illness and 4,200 children with behavioral health disorders every year. Without legislative action, all these services are in jeopardy.

As a result, F&CS fears an increase in human suffering, suicide, homicide, domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness and addiction. Affected Oklahomans, with no other alternatives, will turn to first responders, hospitals and emergency rooms for support. Many individuals will go untreated and possibly end up in jail. Public resources will be strained and public safety compromised. The quality of life in communities across the state will suffer.

All of this is avoidable if the legislature will fix this problem now. Lives depend on a swift solution. F&CS urges citizens to contact their elected officials immediately and demand the funding gap be addressed at the bare minimum of the needed $215 million dollars as they also address longer-term, sustained and adequate funding solutions for these essential services.