1. United States
2. Okla.
3. Letter

To the representative, I am urging you to vote against HB1343, which proposes transferring authority over mental health and substance abuse services from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) to the Department of Corrections. This move would undermine ODMHSAS's ability to effectively address the critical mental health and addiction needs of Oklahomans. ODMHSAS is the state's leading authority on behavioral health, with expertise built over decades. Dismantling this agency and reassigning its core functions to an entity focused on incarceration rather than treatment would be detrimental to public health outcomes. Incarceration often exacerbates mental illness and substance abuse disorders rather than providing the comprehensive, evidence-based care needed. Instead of stripping ODMHSAS of its authority, we should be strengthening its resources and expanding access to community-based services proven to reduce recidivism, homelessness, and other societal costs associated with untreated behavioral health conditions. Dismantling Oklahoma's behavioral health infrastructure is unwise and will only lead to higher costs and poorer outcomes down the line. I urge you to protect ODMHSAS and vote no on HB1343.