Budget Cuts Could Put Oklahoma’s Mental Health Services In Jeopardy

By Tara Vreeland, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Looming state budget cuts have area mental health and substance abuse operations on edge. The Oklahoma Department of Mental health and Substance Abuse Services lost $20 million in funding last year.

They now face the possibility of another 10- 20 percent in cuts.

Retired veteran Margaret Egbert takes medication for clinical depression, nerve damage, and sleeplessness.

"There is a doctor here that I see on a regular basis and I get my medications on a regular basis," said Egbert, a Family and Children Services client. "Without them I don't know what I would do."

Just one medication costs over $300, a monthly total of $1,100.

Egbert says she worries about the impact the budget cuts will have on those dependent on mental health and substance abuse services.

"If this goes, where are they going to go?" she asked.

"Because of the economic state more people are needing our services and if we have a cut we're looking at having to ration services, limit access to services, longer wait times," Krista Conder, Co-director of Family and Children Services, said. "That's devastating for someone needing us to intervene in a life threatening situation."

The number of Tulsans seeking help increased 30% this year in the first quarter alone.

"If these services go away that means increased hospitalizations, which is far more expensive than outpatient," Conder said. "You have potential for increased incarceration and unfortunately the potential loss of life. It's, the only word I know how to use, devastating. Catastrophic."

"My heart tells me that it just needs to be fair and the consumer needs to be taken into consideration in the decisions that are being made," Kimberly Cummings, a recovering drug addict, said.

Kimberly Cummings is a recovering drug addict who says she would still be in prison had it not been for the opportunities given to her by Family and Children's Services.

"Ultimately it will affect us and we are the ones that will pay the price if these services are taken from us," Cummings said. "We need them to survive and to be successful in our community and be able to give back and be healthy.

Family and Children's Services says they understand having to ration money and making sure everything is covered in a shortfall. They are asking legislators to make a fair decision. The new budget goes into effect July 1st.

4/21/2010 Related Story: Oklahoma Officials Warn Of Impact Of Budget Cuts