logo
Governor Stitt appoints special council to investigate Oklahoma Department of Mental Health

Governor Stitt appoints special council to investigate Oklahoma Department of Mental Health

Yahoo12-05-2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Governor Kevin Still has appointed an attorney as special council to look into alleged mismanagement at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS).
Officials say Stitt has appointed Robert McCampbell and has given the Gable Gotwals attorney full authority to investigate possible abuse, waste, mismanagement, and fraud.
LOCAL NEWS: Food is Medicine Act on Governor Kevin Stitt's desk for approval
'Robert and his team will leave no stone unturned, because the people of Oklahoma deserve to know exactly what went wrong and who is responsible,' said Governor Stitt. 'I want ODMHSAS to earn the public's trust and operate with the integrity that Oklahomans expect and deserve. These problems didn't develop overnight and solving them won't happen overnight either. But we are moving quickly, and we are not looking the other way.'
In a letter to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, the appointment of special counsel is part of a set of reforms to stabilize the agency. The investigation will be independent and the counsel will report directly to the Governor's Office.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

There's a long road ahead for interim leader at ODMHSAS
There's a long road ahead for interim leader at ODMHSAS

Yahoo

time15 hours ago

  • Yahoo

There's a long road ahead for interim leader at ODMHSAS

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – On Wednesday, Governor Stitt said he believes that the new interim Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) Commissioner, Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic, can do the job. 'I mean, he's not a mental health expert, and he's more of a business person. He's somebody that I think can do the job,' said Gov. Stitt. Retired Admiral Slavonic has a long road ahead after a bumpy first one to two years from the now former Commissioner Allie Friesen. The agency faces dozens of millions of dollars that are missing from their budget, along with questions surrounding payroll, past, present, and future. 'What's the job description? Who are we supposed to hire? Because it gets hard when some of these good people you're asking to come from the private sector to serve. I try to find the very best people because these are big CEO type jobs,' said Gov. Stitt. Governor Stitt names Interim Commissioner of ODMHSAS Slavonic has been put in a leadership role before to clean up a department. Most recently, he led the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA). Non Doc reported that back in 2023, Slavonic righted the ship for the ODVA when the agency faced turmoil a year prior. Slavonic was named interim executive director for them in March of 2023 and would eventually become the executive director. According to Non Doc, the previous director, Joel Kintsel, had refused to attend meetings of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission, and he was eventually fired. Some positives seen during his time there included working with lawmakers to approve millions for a construction project in Sallisaw and improving morale among the agency's approximately 1,400 employees. 'When the legislature fired Ali, that's when we went out. We tried to find the very best person who would come in and take this job,' said Gov. Stitt. However, the problems seen at ODMHSAS are a lot larger than what the ODVA seemed to have. 'You've got 2000 employees, you run an $800 million budget. My direction is to hold these vendors accountable and to make sure the dollars are being used correctly and efficiently. To make sure that we're being good stewards of the Oklahoma tax dollars,' said Gov. Stitt. 'I'm grateful that Governor Stitt is so keenly focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring that government is working first and foremost for the citizens we are tasked with serving,' said Admiral Slavonic. 'The Department of Mental Health brings much-needed services to many Oklahomans, and I look forward to ensuring that they have the tools needed to provide those services. I thank Governor Stitt for trusting me with this effort.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Governor Beshear launches 'Pre-K for All' initiative
Governor Beshear launches 'Pre-K for All' initiative

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Governor Beshear launches 'Pre-K for All' initiative

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor Andy Beshear and other officials launched the 'Pre-K for All' initiative in Louisville. 'We must provide pre-K to every Kentucky child to ensure that they are prepared for Kindergarten and that they don't feel behind from day one,' First Lady Britainy Beshear said. 'When our kids start school feeling excited and ready to learn, they have the confidence to speak up in class, challenge themselves, ask questions and connect with their peers. That strong beginning has a long-term impact, and it will help them succeed and build the life they dream of.' 1 dead and several injured when storm rips through Kentucky community, authorities say Gov. Beshear noted that according to KY Stats, more than half of Kentucky's children – 53.8% – are unprepared when they show up for their first day of kindergarten. Gov. Beshear said that in addition to increasing educational opportunities for the state's youngest learners, Pre-K for All will also help put money back in the pockets of parents and caregivers and grow the commonwealth's workforce. Gov. Beshear said, 'Before they even step through the door, they are behind. This creates an achievement gap that is nearly impossible to close. To increase kindergarten-readiness, we need to offer pre-K for every four-year-old across the state of Kentucky. American families are struggling to pay the bills, and one of the key drivers is a lack of child care. Pre-K for All can ease the financial burden facing our hard-working families and make paying the bills a little easier.' First medical cannabis safety compliance facility breaks ground in KY Officials say a long-term study from Yale found that providing pre-K increased the earnings of parents and caregivers by nearly $9,000 annually, a trend that held for at least six years. This amounts to $54,000 for Kentucky families as their kids grow. Officials add this is also good for Kentucky's business and economy. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, over time, Pre-K for All is projected to grow Kentucky's workforce by up to 70,000 people. In addition, a study from Yale shows that every $1 invested in pre-K generates $10 that cycles through the state economy. As part of the initiative, Gov. Beshear issued an executive order creating the Team Kentucky Pre-K for All Advisory Committee, comprising 28 leaders from across the commonwealth. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Governor Stitt names Interim Commissioner of ODMHSAS
Governor Stitt names Interim Commissioner of ODMHSAS

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Governor Stitt names Interim Commissioner of ODMHSAS

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Governor Kevin Stitt has named an Interim Commissioner of Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS). According to the Governor's Office, retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic has been chosen after the Senate and House voted to remove former commissioner Allie Friesen following various budget issues. RELATED STORY: Oklahoma lawmakers override record number of vetoes, remove Stitt appointee in dramatic end to legislative session 'It is no secret that the Department of Mental Health has long been in need of reform,' said Gov. Stitt. 'It is imperative that Admiral Slavonic is allowed to do the hard work needed to remove corruption and conflicts of interest without political interference. There are brighter days ahead for this department and those that rely on its services. I'm grateful to Admiral Slavonic for his willingness to set another Oklahoma agency on the right course.' Officials say Admiral Slavonic has served as director for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs under Stitt. RELATED STORY: Senate votes to remove ODMHSAS Commissioner Allie Friesen, will now go through the House 'I'm grateful that Governor Stitt is so keenly focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring that government is working first and foremost for the citizens we are tasked with serving,' said Admiral Slavonic. 'The Department of Mental Health brings much needed services to many Oklahomans, and I look forward to ensuring that they have the tools needed to provide those services. I thank Governor Stitt for trusting me with this effort.' According to the Governor's Office, President Trump previously appointed Slavonic to serve as assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs. He has also served as deputy and principal assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and as chief operating officer and chief management officer for the Department of the Navy. He served in the U.S. Navy for 34 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store