Perhaps no state government function has experienced such a profound change in its mission over the past 40 years than in the areas of mental health and substance abuse services.  Once without hope for recovery, and often subjected to a life of institutionalization, individuals with behavioral illnesses are now able to look to the future and live productive lives.    

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services continues to evolve to meet the needs of all Oklahomans.  Collaborating with leaders from multiple state agencies, advocacy organizations, consumers and family members, providers, community leaders and elected officials, the way has been paved for meaningful mental health and substance abuse services transformation in Oklahoma . The result is a renewed focus on recovery and consumer needs.  

Through the development of targeted programs and the aggressive pursuit of resources to implement innovative services, the department is building an infrastructure to build healthier Oklahoma communities.

From its crude beginnings, the state mental health system has shifted paradigms.  Hospitalization is now considered a temporary service for all but a few clients.  Most mental health services are now provided in the community.  Advances over the past several years have made recovery a reality for thousands of Oklahomans.  Continuation and expansion of these efforts will save thousands more.

History

The ODMHSAS was established through the Mental Health Law of 1953, although publicly supported services to Oklahomans with mental illness date back to early statehood.

Until the mid-1960s, the primary means to treat mental illness was institutionalization in large state hospitals.  On an average day in 1960, nearly 6,400 Oklahomans were in the state's mental hospitals.

In the mid-1970s, the concept of "deinstitutionalization" prompted states to increase efforts to utilize outpatient services through Community Mental Health Centers.  This approach has proven to be an effective means of recovery and a less costly method to provide services as compared to long-term inpatient care in a hospital setting. 

Today, over 60,000 individuals receive services from the department each year.  Of those, only about 5 percent require hospital care.  The vast majority take part in mental health and substance abuse outpatient programs, targeted community based services, prevention efforts and educational initiatives.

In fact, Oklahoma has become a national leader in several areas of community based services including the implementation of programs for assertive community treatment, alternative criminal justice initiatives such as drug and mental health courts, and comprehensive services for children and families. 

In many ways, Oklahoma already is “ahead of the curve” in terms of treatment success for people with mental illness or substance abuse problems.  With a focus on community-based and proven practices, and emphasis on treatment across the lifespan, from children to the elderly, more Oklahomans with mental illness and substance abuse problems are being served than ever before.

Governing Board

A governing board provides oversight regarding Department functions and activity related to the care, treatment, and recovery of persons suffering from mental illness and substance abuse.  The Board is responsible for appointing the Commissioner of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  

The ODMHSAS provides services through a statewide network of programs, working hard to respond to clients' needs with effective programs that are conveniently located and easy to access.  

An Overview of Department

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is responsible for providing services to Oklahomans who are affected by mental illness and substance abuse.  In fiscal year 2006, the department provided services to  approximately 61,000 individuals.

The demand for public mental health services exceeds the capacity of the current treatment system.  This has always been the case, but has been exacerbated in recent years due to a growing public awareness of mental illness and of the existence of effective treatment; rising healthcare costs; and the state’s growing substance abuse problem, particularly the brain-damaging use of methamphetamine and resultant psychotic behavior.  

Through the use of proven practices and expansion of community based services, the department will increase the effectiveness of services and continue to improve the efficiency of the delivery system. The department’s goal is to ensure access to appropriate care for all Oklahomans and the recovery of all served.

The department provides the following inpatient and community-based services in state administered or contracted programs:  

Psychiatric Hospital Services  

  • Regional Adult Psychiatric Hospital ( Griffin Memorial Hospital );
  • Child Psychiatric Hospital ( Oklahoma Youth Center );
  • Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment ( Oklahoma Forensic Center); 

Community Mental Health Centers  

  • There are 5 state-operated and 10 private non-profit CMHCs that provide outpatient counseling and, in some cases, short-term hospitalization and substance abuse treatment;

Crisis Intervention Centers  

  • Community-based crisis intervention and emergency detention ( Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health,   Oklahoma County Crisis Intervention Center and the Crisis Intervention Center in Norman ); 

Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs  

  • State-administered alcohol and drug treatment residential centers (4 for adults, 1 for adolescents);
  • Privately operated alcohol and drug prevention, outpatient and residential treatment programs (92 non-profit and for-profit contract providers);
  • Residential treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders – both mental illness and substance abuse (3 state-operated and 1 contract);
  • Residential care homes (32 contracted homes)

Mental Health Services
List:  Noteworthy Evidence Based Programs and Proven Practices in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services follows a tiered delivery of services designed to serve the most severely ill first.  This approach is based on key principles that stress the following:

  • Crisis intervention will be available to all in need.  Longer-term services will be targeted to those most in need.
  • A thorough face-to-face evaluation of the need for mental health services will be conducted for anyone meeting financial need criteria.
  • Persons meeting defined diagnostic criteria will receive services on a timely basis, within uniformly defined time frames.
  • Continuity of care between inpatient and outpatient providers will be emphasized.

Needs are prioritized and resources carefully directed to ensure a standard of excellence for services that are delivered.

Substance Abuse Services
List:  Noteworthy Evidence Based Programs and Proven Practices in Oklahoma

Imagine a nation in which a deadly but treatable disease is taking its toll on more than 5 percent of the population. One that is wreaking havoc with the lives of millions of men, women and children, yet only 10 percent of the people who need treatment receive it.  

That’s the situation that prevails in the United States today. The disease is alcohol and drug addiction.  In Oklahoma, nearly 130,000 adults need treatment for alcoholism and another 21,000 need treatment for other types of drug use.  

While many are in need of services, many also are receiving the assistance they need thanks to programs provided by the department. Access to treatment services – through community-based substance abuse treatment programs, drug courts, support groups, and the encouragement of family and friends – help thousands of Oklahomans each year find the road to recovery.  

Treatment for addiction is as successful as treatment for other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma. Most importantly, treatment helps return the individual to productive functioning in the family, workplace and community.  

The benefits of treatment accrue not only to individuals and their friends and families, but to society as well. Research shows that, a year after treatment, drug use was reduced by 50 percent, criminal activity dropped by 80 percent, employment increased, and homelessness and dependence on public assistance decreased. For every dollar spent on treatment, nearly $7 is saved in reduced crime-related costs, a figure that rises to $12 when health-care costs are included.  

The department operates or contracts with 97 substance abuse treatment programs offering a range of outpatient, residential and aftercare services. In addition, substance abuse treatment is available at community mental health centers. ODMHSAS also funds a network of 20 Area Prevention Resource Centers offering substance abuse prevention education and community prevention project development.  

Alcohol is still, by far, Oklahoma’s number one drug of choice. The top listed drugs of choice for clients during 2005 are as follows:  

Alcohol  37 percent
Marijuana  21 percent
Methamphetamine  20 percent
Cocaine   11 percent

Central Office and Facility Administrative Teams  

The ODMHSAS central administrative office in Oklahoma City provides administrative, coordinating and planning functions for the statewide system.  The Commissioner, Chief Operating Officer and two Deputy Commissioners oversee operations specific to the Department’s three main program areas, facilities operation and specialized support services.  The Directors of the Department’s main support services offices develop and deliver the resources necessary to support an assortment of needs related to the delivery of quality client care throughout the State.  In addition to the Central Administrative Team, the ODMHSAS operates facilities in communities throughout the State.  These sites are dedicated to providing the best possible behavioral healthcare, support services and outreach assistance.  Each facility is staffed by capable and caring professionals who are committed to creating healthier Oklahoma communities.

Use the provided links to retrieve a list of  Administrative Team members, and for an outline of the ODMHSAS Organizational Chart.

Administrative Offices

1200 N.E. 13th Street
P.O. Box 53277
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277

Telephone 405-522-3908

To e-mail the Department's webmaster, click here.

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