Latest news with #DepartmentofMentalHealth
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stitt appoints interim commissioner of mental health agency after previous leader's firing
A familiar face to embattled state agencies is taking on his latest assignment as interim commissioner for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, days after lawmakers ousted the agency's previous leader. Greg Slavonic was placed in temporary charge of the financially troubled mental health agency by Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday, June 3. Slavonic will be tasked with turning around a state agency riddled with drama after an audit report on the mental health department released in May revealed that its staff was made to sign nondisclosure agreements and were discouraged from cooperating with investigators from the state auditor's office, which was trying to understand why the agency faced a $30 million budget hole. Allie Friesen, the agency's former commissioner, was removed from her position after lawmakers voted to oust her on May 29. It was the culmination of a monthlong legislative investigation into the agency's money troubles. Legislators were forced to make a special appropriation for the agency to complete the current fiscal year. Still, another appropriation to the agency might be needed at the beginning of the next legislative session. It will be the second time in as many years that Slavonic takes over an agency under similar circumstances. Stitt appointed Slavonic as interim executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs in March 2023 after the agency's former director, Joel Kinstel, was removed for revolting against the agency's commission. Slavonic was elevated to permanent leadership in the agency five months later, before he left in July 2024. Stitt, who called Friesen's removal "a politically motivated witch hunt," said he was grateful Slavonic was willing "to set another Oklahoma agency on the right course." In an apparent reference to lawmakers' oversight of the mental health agency, Stitt said it would be imperative that Slavonic be allowed to work "without political interference." "There are brighter days ahead for this department and those that rely on its services," the governor said in a statement. More: Legislature passes resolution seeking to oust Oklahoma mental health commissioner In a statement, Slavonic thanked Stitt for his focus on rooting out corruption and ensuring the government is working for its citizens. "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," he said. House Majority Leader Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, who served as the chair of the select committee tasked with examining the agency's operations and budget, responded to Slavonic's appointment and said it's important that the mental health agency's next director works to restore the department's stability and trust to provide critical services. Lawson said he looked forward to working with Slavonic "as he endeavors to right the ship with this agency." The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of appointing a permanent commissioner to the agency, who would need to be confirmed by the Senate. Slavonic held several roles in Washington, D.C., before working under Stitt. After retiring from the U.S. Navy as a rear admiral, Slavonic had a brief stint in the private sector before he served as chief of staff for U.S. Sen. James Lankford. He then went on to high-level civilian roles in the Department of the Navy, eventually being appointed acting undersecretary of the Navy during President Donald Trump's first term. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gov. Stitt appoints Greg Slavonic to lead Oklahoma mental health agency
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Interim Oklahoma mental health commissioner named
Gov. Kevin Stitt, pictured March 12 speaking at a rally outside the state Capitol, named an inteirm commissioner for the Oklahoma mental health department Tuesday. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt named an interim commissioner of the Oklahoma mental health department Tuesday, following the Legislature's vote to fire the previous agency head last week. Retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic was appointed by Stitt. He previously led the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, which had been 'plagued' by financial mismanagement, according to a news release. Former Commissioner Allie Friesen had served in the role since her January 2024 appointment, but her time as the agency's leader was marred by financial disarray, investigations and audits. Friesen blamed prior administrations for the financial situation that required a cash infusion from lawmakers. The Oklahoma Legislature overwhelmingly voted to fire her in a late-night vote Thursday. Lawmakers said they had 'lost confidence' in her ability to lead the department and removed her, effective immediately. Stitt continued to stand by Friesen throughout her time as commissioner amid calls to fire her and said she was 'shining a light on an agency that has operated in darkness for far too long.' He called the Legislature's move to fire her a 'politically motivated witch hunt.' 'It is no secret that the Department of Mental Health has long been in need of reform,' Stitt said in a statement. '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.' Slavonic served in the U.S. Navy for over three decades, including 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 also served as assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs as an appointee of President Donald Trump during his first term. 'I'm grateful that Gov. 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,' Slavonic said in a statement. '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 Gov. Stitt for trusting me with this effort.' Slavonic graduated from Oklahoma State University with bachelor's degree and from University of Central Oklahoma with a master's degree. Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, leads a select committee investigating the mental health department's finances and said he looks forward to working with Slavonic. 'It is imperative that the next director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services work to restore stability, confidence and trust in the agency and its ability to provide critical services to Oklahomans while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,' he said in a statement Tuesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Boston Globe
03-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Unmarked graves, silenced voices: Commission report demands Mass. preserve memories of those who suffered at its troubled institutions
'My parents never had a proper service for him,' Scott said. Advertisement The MetFern Cemetery served the Metropolitan State Hospital and the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center, with 310 burials from 1947 to 1979. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff John Scott was one of thousands of people institutionalized in state-run facilities whose stories are in danger of being obscured because Massachusetts has failed to properly preserve their records, according to a Roughly 10,000 former institution residents are interred in nameless graves in poorly maintained burial grounds; most graves at the time were marked with a number, and sometimes the letters C or P, for Catholic or Protestant. At the Fernald cemetery, John Scott is among 298 people in unnamed graves, his brother said. Advertisement The state once operated two dozen schools, hospitals, and other residential facilities for people who were considered intellectually or mentally disabled according to 19th- and 20th-century medical standards. Many were notorious for squalid conditions; residents subjected to mistreatment, malnourishment, and abuse. Today, only about a half-dozen state-run facilities remain, most closed between the 1990s and 2010s following the disclosure of those horrific conditions amid a philosophical shift to treating people with disabilities in their community. Related : The report urged Massachusetts to better care for and preserve the neglected institutional burial grounds and provide proper identification for the people interred there. The state has records that link names to the numbers on grave markers. But that information isn't public, and a thicket of bureaucratic and legal obstacles often prevent family members from getting information about their relatives' grave: they must prove they are the deceased's legally designated next of kin, said Alex Green, vice chair of the commission that authored the report and a lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School on disability rights. Related : The commission also focused on abysmal record-keeping that makes it difficult for relatives and even former residents to obtain documents on the lives, treatment — and mistreatment — of state institution residents. Millions of pages are kept by the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Developmental Services, and the state archives. 'They may not be aware of everything that they have and how to get a hold of it,' Green said. 'It's just scattered everywhere.' Assorted patient and employee records were left in Waverly Hall, in the Fernald's original administration building. Bryan Parcival A member of the archives staff helped write the report, and William F. Galvin, who oversees the archives as Massachusetts' Secretary of the Commonwealth, said he supports making records easier to access while still respecting privacy concerns. Advertisement Other records have been found in decaying condition in abandoned state buildings; some of those were pilfered by trespassers, with a few even ending up for sale online. Today, most of the former institutions are either unused, decrepit, or simply gone. The Globe reported last year on Aerial image of the Fernald School property in Waltham. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff For its part, the commission recommended a museum, memorials, and education to preserve the experiences of institutions' residents. There are 27 burial grounds associated with the state institutions, but only a third of them are restored and maintained. Contributing to their decline, the commission found, was a lack of leadership and dedicated funding. The commission called for a perpetual care fund to support upkeep. The report was compiled over two years by a panel of 17 members, many of whom have some form of disability. Some, like Reggie Clark, 71, lived in state institutions. He is hopeful the report can spur action to make records easier to obtain. 'I think if you were me, you'd want to know why things happened,' said Clark, who lived at Fernald from early childhood to 1969. Reggie Clark was a patient at the Fernald School in the 60's. Lane Turner The Massachusetts institutions became notorious dumping grounds, not just for people with disabilities, but for some who were poor or abandoned. Abuse and neglect were commonplace. Clark recalled being put in a solitary room if he didn't make the beds of 24 patients every day. Advertisement Pat Vitkus's husband, Donald, was a resident of the Belchertown State School from the age of 6 to 18 after being left there by a foster family. When he died in 2018, at 75, his family honored his request to be interred alongside his 'brothers and sisters' at the school's cemetery. When he lived there, a low IQ score got him labeled a 'moron,' once a 'He fought his whole life to prove he was not a moron, which he never was,' his wife said. In the 1940s and 1950s, children at Fernald were subjected to an unethical Massachusetts Institute of Technology Quarters at the Fernald School in 1962, showing the narrow spaces between beds. Bob Dean/Globe Staff/File 1962 The children involved received a $1.85 million settlement from MIT and Quaker Oats. Fernald closed in 2014. Though President Bill Clinton experiments, Massachusetts' government has never formally apologized for conditions at the state institutions. The commission wants Governor Maura Healey to issue one. It also urged the state to take steps to recover records that should be archived but are not in its custody. Related : A spokesperson for the administration did not answer whether the governor would issue that apology, though issued a statement that acknowledged Massachusetts' legacy of institutionalization as 'tragic and deeply disturbing.' 'Over the past few years, we've redoubled our efforts to work with families, advocates, and others to improve access to records and honor the memories of those who resided at state institutions,' spokesperson Caroline Whitehouse said. Advertisement Two state agencies have worked to make an inventory of all records in their possession, Whitehouse added, including those in now vacant former institutions, and are working with families to make it easier to access records. Under consideration in the Legislature now is 'If we lose sight of these stories people are going to grope their way toward reinstitutionalization,' said state Senator Mike Barrett, a Lexington Democrat and sponsor of the legislation. Children at the Fernald School in 1964. Joseph Runci/Globe Staff Through records he's obtained so far, Scott discovered his brother, John, had a sense of humor and flirted with girls. Among the most shocking documents: a teacher's report that said John, then a teenager, had the capacity to hold down a job. She urged Fernald to discharge John, or 'he will lose his talents forever.' Father to a son with cerebral palsy, David Scott wants all the records detailing the lives of his brother and others at the state institutions made available, both to reveal who they were and to ensure people are never similarly warehoused again. 'I don't want to see history repeat itself,' Scott said. 'I want to see these children and adults with disabilities who can't care for themselves be treated better.' Jason Laughlin can be reached at
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oneida County launches new mental health app
UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente announced on Thursday that the county has launched a new phone app to help residents with their mental health. Picente announced on during his State of The County address that the county's Department of Mental Health has launched the OC C.A.R.E.S. app on Thursday, May 29. The app — whose initialism stands for Community Access to Resources, Education, and Services — will serve as a fast and efficient way to provide residents with resources to help with mental health and addiction problems. 'Oneida County is committed to providing access to vital mental health and substance use resources to our residents,' Picente said in a statement. 'The OC C.A.R.E.S. app will support our mission of utilizing innovative strategies to create meaningful, positive impacts. The goal is to not only create a one-stop shop for all things mental health, but to also share the message that Oneida County cares about our community and is dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need.' The C.A.R.E.S. app will offer quick access to several features, including suicide prevention and other mental and physical health services. The app also provides strategies for maintaining your mental health, as well as services and providers for several crises that may arise. The app will also notify you of updates and events that may be available to you, such as open appointments for specific services. The app was created in conjunction with the Oneida County System of Care Resource Guide for 2025 and is aimed at improving the lives of people in crisis. 'The development of this application has allowed us to bring together a wealth of information and create a comprehensive directory of providers to our community,' said Commissioner of Mental Health and Director of Community Services Ashlee Thompson. 'Our department is dedicated to the ongoing maintenance and updating of the app to ensure that all resources, information, and services are accurate and accessible. We truly believe that this app will allow the residents of Oneida County to more effectively and efficiently access support.' The app also provides information on the following: Crisis Services Health and Wellness Suicide Prevention Naloxone/Harm Reduction Services & Providers Mental Health Strategies Safety Plans Self-Screeners Career-Specific Support Interactive Maps Push Notifications The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play. Those interested should search for 'OC C.A.R.E.S' in your app store of choice. You can check out the county's rollout of the C.A.R.E.S. app in the video below: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man dies in KC jail after waiting months for court-ordered mental health treatment
Missourians who are arrested and declared incompetent to stand trial wait in jail an average of 14 months before receiving treatment (Getty Images). A man who spent months in a Kansas City jail waiting to be transferred to a state psychiatric hospital for court-ordered treatment died on Monday. Timothy Beckmann was arrested in late September and found incompetent to stand trial due to mental health diagnoses. He was ordered into Department of Mental Health custody in January, joining the list of hundreds of people waiting in jail for a state mental health bed to open up. Just before 5 p.m. on Monday, 64-year-old Beckmann was found unresponsive in his cell in the Jackson County Detention Center cell, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. He was brought to a local hospital, where he was declared dead. Beckmann hadn't been convicted of any crimes — his case was on pause while he waited months for mental health treatment. The cause of death is not yet known. The sheriff's office, which oversees the jail, told The Independent it is investigating the death and the medical examiner's office has not yet released a cause of death. The medical examiner's office told The Independent no reports could be released under public records law while the case is still under investigation. But in the seven months he spent in pretrial detention, Beckmann's mental and physical health deteriorated, the public defenders overseeing his case told The Independent on Friday. They say his death is a tragic consequence of the state's ballooning waitlist for mental health treatment, which leaves people languishing in jail for over a year on average. It's also an indictment, the public defenders say, of the state's inadequate support for those with mental illness. 'What happened to Timothy Beckmann is horrific,' said Annie Legomsky, who runs the state public defense system's holistic defense services program, 'and what makes it all the more tragic is that it was entirely preventable.' She said jails are not equipped to help people with mental illness. 'The inability of our jails to provide appropriate psychiatric care for these individuals is something we've been trying to sound the alarm for for a while,' Legomsky said, 'and unfortunately, it's not a surprise that now someone has tragically ended up dying because they weren't able to get the care they deserved.' The Missouri Department of Mental Health declined to answer a list of questions, citing patient privacy protections. Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté also declined to answer specific questions, citing patient privacy, but wrote by email that the 'death of an individual in our custody is a matter we take with the utmost seriousness and care. We are committed to thoroughly examining all circumstances surrounding such incidents, and this particular case remains under investigation.' Missourians who are arrested and declared incompetent to stand trial wait in jail an average of 14 months before receiving treatment, according to data shared with The Independent earlier this month. Treatment generally includes therapy and medication and is referred to as competency restoration. There were 418 people on the waitlist earlier this month. Those being held in jail are sometimes incarcerated for longer than they would be if they'd received the maximum sentence for the crime they were charged with. There have been successful lawsuits in other states arguing the practice violates due process and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anthony Vibbard, the deputy district defender in Jackson County who oversaw Beckmann's case, said Beckmann had been in and out of different mental health facilities over the last few decades. He was arrested and charged with second degree burglary and first degree property damage, according to court records, after breaking a glass door of a home and entering. Vibbard said Beckmann had been recently released from a mental health facility when he was arrested, and was left 'wandering the streets of Kansas City' — where he wasn't from and had no family. He said Beckmann entered the home because he was tired and hungry and was looking for something to eat. Vibbard said once Beckmann was in jail, 'his condition started deteriorating to the point where he started self harming.' Vibbard and Legomsky said after he was detained, Beckmann started pulling out his toenails, scratching himself and 'losing touch with reality.' At one point, they said, he stopped eating or taking his blood pressure and heart medication. The process of getting court orders for mental health examinations and referrals to the Department of Mental Health can take months. In Beckmann's case, he was finally ordered into the department's custody Jan. 21, nearly four months after he was arrested. His attorney 'sounded the alarms' in court, Vibbard said, trying to talk to judges, convince the department to expedite his treatment and making records of her concerns. Beckmann came to court 'visibly frail,' Vibbard said, with 'scabs and wounds on his body.' The legal team received reports he was being held in restraints, which the sheriff's office declined to comment on. The jail has been sued in the past for its use of restraint chairs. '[His attorney] made records over and over saying like that, this is bad. Something bad could happen. He needs to be in a hospital and not a jail,' Vibbard said.'…And eventually we got the word that Mr. Beckmann died number 109 on the waiting list for admissions.' The department declined to confirm that Beckmann was number 109 on the waitlist at the time he died. Legomsky said despite legislative and court concerns, more needs to be done to remedy the competency restoration issue, 'so that people like Mr. Beckmann don't die locked up in a cell, strapped down.' 'If people don't know what's happening,' she said, 'and they don't realize that it's a life or death matter, I'm worried that the status quo will continue.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
