Oklahoma’s mental health system continues to struggle with rising waitlists for court-mandated treatment in county jails, despite ongoing reforms mandated by a consent decree. According to a new report from independent consultants, the number of people waiting for mental health treatment has grown by 58% in the last two months, rising from 138 people in November 2025 to 218 people as of Jan. 13.
Mounting Violations and Missed Deadlines
The consultants monitoring the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services identified significant compliance failures. Most critically, the department has failed to create a mandated “plan” to speed up wait times and improve the competency restoration system—a requirement that was supposed to be submitted in June. Additionally, the department has not documented efforts to develop two pilot programs designed to treat people in jails rather than forcing them to wait for beds at the state mental hospital in Vinita. The initial deadline for these pilot programs was also in June.
The consent decree, which settled a 2023 class action lawsuit alleging civil rights violations, required the agency to reduce wait times to 45 days by Jan. 10. As of Jan. 13, the median wait time was 77 days. Consultants warned that “if unchecked, this increase will soon result in a waitlist at or exceeding the number of people on the waitlist when the [consent decree] was entered.”
Financial Strain and Leadership Changes
The Department of Mental Health has faced significant obstacles, including a budget crisis that left it unable to pay its 2,000 state employees last May. Interim Commissioner Greg Slavonic has led the agency since June following the dismissal of former Commissioner Allie Frierson. While consultants acknowledged some improvement under Slavonic’s leadership, they determined the department still is not meeting “best efforts” standards.
Since November, the state has been fined more than $3.1 million for failing to reduce wait times and make required improvements. Paul DeMuro, a lawyer for plaintiffs, stated that “after seven months of missed deadlines and rising wait times, the Department has still not implemented the Plan it agreed to.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://oklahomavoice.com/2026/01/28/despite-court-orders-report-shows-growing-waitlist-for-mental-health-treatment-in-oklahoma-jails/