The chairs of the Oklahoma Legislative Mental Health Caucus today encouraged their colleagues to continue momentum on mental health and substance abuse issues, applauding ongoing bipartisan collaboration in this area amid an opportunity for major legislative successes in 2023.

The bipartisan, bicameral caucus was launched in 2021 to elevate the importance of addressing Oklahoma’s mental health and substance abuse crises and to facilitate discussion among lawmakers. Now in its third year, it is co-chaired by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa.

“Although other issues have dominated the headlines this session, legislators have quietly advanced bipartisan policies that will benefit countless Oklahomans with mental health and substance abuse treatment needs,” said Kirt. “There is a real opportunity to finish the session on a strong note, and I’m grateful for all our colleagues who come together across chamber and party to make positive changes for our people.”

An estimated 752,000 – more than a quarter – of Oklahoma adults have a mental illness, and 474,000 have a substance use disorder, according to data from Mental Health America. The state has the sixth-highest suicide rate in the nation, and health systems have seen record utilization of emergency rooms by children with suicidal thoughts.

Despite record need, fewer mental health professionals are entering the state’s workforce than ever before. According to a report published last year by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency, Oklahoma higher education institutions conferred only 2,029 degrees aligned with mental health professions in 2021, a ten-year low.

"It's been a breath of fresh air to have so many agencies, programs and people wanting to be involved with the caucus,” said Provenzano. “There is a sense of goal-oriented seriousness and focus that will benefit Oklahomans for the long haul, and we look forward to continuing the work."

The caucus chairs stressed the importance of addressing Oklahoma’s shortage of behavioral health professionals with workforce development funding, public-private partnerships, incentives and recruitment strategies.

Nearly 100 bills related to mental health and substance abuse remain active ahead of the April 13 deadline to pass bills in a committee of the opposite chamber, including opportunities to help more Oklahomans access life-saving care. Other opportunities remaining this session include improving access to therapists and other clinicians in insurance networks, fostering collaboration between primary care physicians and behavioral health specialists, and funding mental health and criminal justice diversion programs under State Question 781.

“Too many Oklahomans face obstacles to accessing live-saving mental health care services,” said Garvin. “The Legislature has made tremendous progress in removing many of those obstacles, but there is still more to be done. By continuing Oklahoma’s recent momentum through this year’s legislative session, we can enact some of the most meaningful mental health care reforms not just in our state’s history, but for any state in the nation.”

These legislative proposals come on the heels of record investments by the Legislature in mental health facilities through American Rescue Plan Act funding, budget increases for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), and bipartisan legislative initiatives advancing issues such as telehealth access and mental health parity in recent years. 

“During the past couple of years, our colleagues have worked together to fund some amazing mental health facilities. That is only the first step toward the solution, though,” said Boatman. “We must continue to work together to solve the massive mental health workforce shortage facing our state. This is going to require fully engaging resources from our state, county and local governments, as well as private sector and tribal partners.”

The caucus meets monthly and is a forum for legislators to discuss bipartisan solutions for the mental health and addiction challenges facing Oklahoma. Members benefit from data and best practices shared by the nonpartisan policy research group Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, consultation from ODMHSAS and other experts.

In the first two months of the 2023 session, the Oklahoma Legislative Mental Health Caucus hosted robust discussions about mental health issues and the participation of mental health providers in the state’s Health Information Exchange. An upcoming meeting will focus on veterans’ mental health.