Gov. Stitt pushes back on mental health cut claims, defends shift in vendor contracts

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt addressed concerns Wednesday over claims that the state is cutting mental health funding, saying the total budget remains unchanged and that recent changes reflect an effort to redirect funds to more effective service providers.

Speaking during his weekly press briefing, Stitt criticized recent news coverage and public discourse that suggested the state is reducing its commitment to mental health services.

“We have grown the mental health budget. There’s about $800 million that we spend on mental health every single year,” Gov. Stitt said. “We’re going to spend the same amount this year. I don’t think the Legislature is going to cut mental health.”

Stitt clarified that the state distributes this funding through various vendors and nonprofit organizations, and said the goal is to ensure funds are reaching Oklahomans in need, rather than supporting what he described as inefficient or excessively costly operations.

"We have some nonprofits whose CEOs make $1.3 million,” Gov. Stitt said. “If one vendor is billing the state $6,700 per patient and another is charging $2,700, we may want to take some of the assets there and put them into the one that can serve more people.”

The governor acknowledged that some vendor contracts have been altered, but said those changes mostly involve performance-based, discretionary bonuses, not the core terms of service agreements.

"A contract is a contract. If they change anything, it was a discretionary bonus,” Gov. Stitt said. “Nobody was checking on outcomes. I want [agencies] using money efficiently.”

Stitt said the public perception of cuts is being fueled by vendors who stand to lose state funding, accusing them of “running to the media” to create alarm.

“You scare people. What happens is the bureaucracy takes care of itself,” Gov. Stitt said. “The same dollars are going to mental health… We’re just trying to get that money on target and more efficiently.”

Gov. Stitt urged the media and public to “do your homework” and not conflate vendor transitions with actual cuts in funding or services.

“When my mom watches TV and asks, ‘Are you cutting mental health?’ — No, Mom, we’re not,” he said. “We’re trying to serve more Oklahomans better.”

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