Oklahoma's mental health system has been under heavy scrutiny following a recent report that revealed the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is still failing to fully meet its obligations under a class-action lawsuit settlement. The Briggs v. Friesen consent decree mandates ODMHSAS to provide timely court-ordered competency restoration services to pretrial defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial, some of whom have lingered in county jails for over a year.
Despite some progress under the helm of interim commissioner, retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic, Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed concerns, stating to Oklahoma City reporters, "There are encouraging signs here, but the stark fact is that it will take tremendous effort to undo the failings of Admiral Slavonic’s predecessor," Court consultants have voiced uncertainty regarding the number of people still in county jails awaiting transfer for competency services, a confusion that undermines the reliability of other data provided by ODMHSAS.
Oklahoma City reports that court consultants highlighted that despite evidence of overall improvement due to Slavonic's leadership, certain aspects still do not align with the 'Best Efforts' as outlined by the Decree. "Despite the change in culture and the evidence of overall improvement due to the leadership of Admiral Slavonic, we find the lack of Best Efforts to be Material Violations of the Consent Decree," the consultants wrote.
Nevertheless, there are positive developments being noted. The report, released on September 26, accredits Slavonic with helping to bring the department into compliance with parts of the Decree's mandates and to better the culture at the Oklahoma Forensic Center (OFC). Moreover, the report pointed to an improvement in the department's responsiveness, though it clearly states that significant work still remains to be done to ensure full compliance with the legal agreement. These reflections showcase a situation that's slowly moving forward, but with great strides still needed to ensure justice and care for those entangled within the system.
