Governor Orders Review of Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
The governor has ordered a comprehensive review of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Governor Kevin Stitt said Monday he will appoint a special investigator to look into what he calls 'multiple disturbing discoveries.'
Stitt said the problems involve finances and contracting practices under the agency's previous leadership.
“I’ve had frustrations with the mental health department for years and now that we have Commissioner Allie Friesen putting a fresh set of eyes on the department, it’s clear there are problems that need special attention,” said Gov. Stitt. “What we need is an independent third party who can focus all their energy on shining light on this agency and rooting out bad actors.”
The special investigator will have access to everything at the agency except protected health information.
Lawsuit Filed Over Altercation Involving Oklahoma City Police Officer
An elderly man who had critical injuries from an altercation with an Oklahoma City police officer has filed a federal lawsuit.
On Monday, Lich Vu filed a lawsuit against former OKCPD officer Sgt. Joseph Gibson, the City of Oklahoma City, and Attorney General Gentner Drummond over alleged excessive use of force during a traffic stop last October.
Body cam footage shows Vu tapping Gibson’s chest with the back of his hand. After that, Gibson twisted Vu’s arms behind his back and threw him to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the pavement.
The lawsuit alleges Vu was hospitalized for several injuries including a neck fracture and a brain bleed.
Initially, District Attorney Vicki Behenna filed criminal charges against Gibson, but those charges were dismissed by Attorney General Drummond, who said Gibson’s actions were in line with his training.
Gibson resigned last month.
Vu is seeking monetary and punitive damages as well as an apology from the defendants.
Group Representing Oklahoma Nursing Homes Praises Ruling Tossing Federal Minimum Staffing Mandate
A federal judge threw out a nursing home staffing mandate that Oklahoma providers argued asks them to find staff they can’t afford and that doesn’t exist.
A judge for the U.S. District Court for Northern Texas ruled in favor of national nursing home advocacy groups, saying regulatory responses must be consistent with Congress’s legislation, and the mandate’s provisions are not. The provisions included things like nursing facilities being required to have a registered nurse on site 24/7.
"This mandate has caused a lot of undue stress on caregivers," said Steve Buck, CEO of Care Providers Oklahoma. "And they have been living with the pressure of thinking that they were going to have to hire new staff that candidly weren't in the pool, and they're going to have to hire them with money that wasn't available."
Buck says this decision is a relief, and now, his association hopes to lend its efforts toward closing the gap between Medicaid reimbursements and the cost of care for state nursing homes.
Oklahoma Wildlife Groups Call On Residents To Help Migratory Birds
Millions of birds are migrating over Oklahoma this season to get to their breeding grounds.
And, they need some help from humans to navigate.
Many bird species travel at night - as they’ve done for hundreds of thousands of years. They rely on cues like natural landmarks, stars, even magnetic fields.
But lights beaming from streets and buildings can obscure those markers, causing them to become confused or lost. That’s why several organizations across the state are asking Oklahomans to turn out non-essential lights at night.
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is leading “Lights Out Oklahoma” with at least 16 other wildlife groups.
They say dimming or extinguishing lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and avoiding any meant for landscaping can help the birds move safely across our skies.
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