Employees, mental health advocates raise concerns about audit

(Tulsa-AP) -- Some Parkside Hospital employees question whether a state audit of the psychiatric center can be unbiased.

The Tulsa World reports on the concerns in today's editions.

The employees say relationships between Parkside administrators and officials from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services are cause for concern.

The employees say interim Mental Health Commissioner Dave Statton has spoken of personal friendships with some Parkside administrators.

Some other mental health advocates have expressed concern that the state department could be unwilling to be critical of Parkside's operation. They cite the state department's plan to send Eastern State Hospital patients to Parkside as part of a downsizing.

Statton says there is no reason for such concern and says state investigators are conducting a thorough probe.