Oklahoma Co. Jail Cuts Ties With State Dept. Of Mental Health

The Oklahoma County Jail announced Monday it has ended its cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

ODMHSAS provides treatment to inmates deemed incompetent to stand trial, but the Oklahoma County Jail Trust says it is not bringing patients to its own facility and is leaving them at the jail instead.

In a letter to ODMHSAS, Oklahoma County Jail CEO Brandi C. Garner said ODMHSAS refused to compensate the jail for the expense of this custody or the medical treatment of these prisoners.

However, ODMHSAS commissioner Allie Friesen said in a statement those claims are not true and that her department has provided ample staffing and offered funding for more support at the jail.