Transforming Oklahoma's approach to mental health and substance use

Without further action from lawmakers, SB 511 will expire in 2026, threatening Oklahoma’s progress in addressing an epidemic of drug overdoses and cutting short opportunities to see the law’s public health benefits come to fruition.

10/10/2024

Some states have begun using a new Medicaid strategy to offer limited health coverage to incarcerated people nearing their release date, creating a safer and more supportive community reentry period. We explore this strategy and its potential in Oklahoma.

9/16/2024

During the 2024 session, the Oklahoma Legislature passed key mental health bills and appropriated over $5 million to provide much-needed support to the state’s behavioral health workforce.

6/6/2024

Integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings not only expands treatment capacity in the mental health workforce but also provides an entry point for people who might otherwise struggle to access care.

10/3/2024

Competency evaluation and restoration services are critical to ensuring a person’s due process rights are protected. As Oklahoma and other states face lawsuits over lengthy waitlists for competency restoration services, it’s important to understand how these processes work in Oklahoma.

8/28/2024

In this analysis, we propose solutions to ensure Oklahomans with IDD have the same access to mental health treatment as any other patient, including better training of clinicians and improved coordination of services.

7/17/2024

The award from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will total $4.5 million, distributed as $900,000 each year for five years.

10/3/2024

In ways big and small, mental health systems across our state are working better for Oklahomans than they did five years ago.

10/3/2024

Two new fellows, Sharita R. Thomas and Tane Webb, will broaden Healthy Minds' expertise and capacity around substance use policy and workforce development and integrated care.

9/17/2024