The department may eliminate walk-in clinics and instead make them appointment-only, regionalize some clinic services to the larger counties, and reduce the number of days the clinics are open.
“I’ll just speak candid, we have about 13 paid tobacco lobbyists working that cabinet,” said Terry Cline “They don’t care that it’s killing 7,000 Oklahomans every single year because it’s money in their pocket.”
At least five lawsuits against Shadow Mountain Behavioral Health have been filed in both state and federal court since April.
“When we can break through the stigma we can help people understand this is a disease just like any other disease.” — Terri White, commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Mental health advocates, health providers and law enforcement point to a lack of access to routine care and loss of private beds in Tulsa as the cause of the increase in out-of-town transports.
One of the goals behind expanding Strong Tomorrows is to help the district “offset” the loss of Margaret Hudson, said TPS spokeswoman Emma Garrett-Nelson.
CRT is part of an emerging shift in Tulsa to free up law enforcement and emergency services, connect people to the proper resources and change the way mental health calls are handled.
The federal lawsuit alleges jail employees knew Michael Manos wasn’t getting his medication, wasn’t eating, was immobile and was in a psychotic state during his time in the jail.
