Senate Democratic Leader Kirt comments on mental health consent decree approval

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt issued the following statement after the Senate joined the House of Representatives in approving a consent decree to resolve a 2023 lawsuit against the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) alleging the agency violated the rights of pretrial defendants who were declared incompetent to stand trial and waiting for competency restoration treatment.

“This agreement forces the state to improve fair treatment for people when they have mental health conditions and are waiting in jail for their trial. By settling this lawsuit, the state can get to work on the problem, which will not only save the Oklahoma taxpayers money, but also resolve criminal cases faster.

“We can prevent people in crisis from needing to go to the hospital or having unnecessary contact with the police by having more services in our communities and better access to mental health experts. We need to make it easier for people across Oklahoma to get early mental health treatment.” – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City. 

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 For more information, contact:  Sen. Julia Kirt at 405-521-5636 or Julia.Kirt@oksenate.gov