THERE, AS THE GOVERNOR TALKED ABOUT HIS CHOICE THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT, NAMING AN INTERIM COMMISSIONER TO THE STATE’S MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SID IS TAPPING RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL GREGORY SLAVONIC TO THE AGENCY, WHICH PUSHES OUT MONEY TO PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE TO HELP OKLAHOMANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. WELL, IN A WILD ENDING TO THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, STATE LAWMAKERS FIRED THE AGENCY’S FORMER COMMISSIONER, ALI FRIESEN, BECAUSE HER AGENCY LOST TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THEY LOST CONFIDENCE IN HER. ITS NEW LEADER, THOUGH, DOESN’T HAVE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE. WELL, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT, IN HIS POST-SESSION PRESS BRIEFING, SAYS THAT’S NOT REALLY A PROBLEM. WHEN THE LEGISLATURE FIRED ALI, YOU KNOW, THAT’S WHEN WE WENT OUT. WE TRIED TO FIND, YOU KNOW, THE VERY BEST PERSON WOULD COME IN AND TAKE THIS JOB. BUT NO, I MEAN, HE’S NOT A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT, AND HE’S MORE OF A BUSINESS PERSON. HE SAYS THE BIG THING IS GETTING THE AGENCY BALANCED. SO A BUSINESS MINDED PERSON THERE IS GOOD. HOWEVER, STITT SAYS IT’S A STRUGGLE TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO SERVE OKLAHOMA WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING PERFECTLY. IT’S HARD WHEN, WHEN, WHEN SOME OF THESE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE, YOU’RE ASKING TO COME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO SERVE, AND I TRY TO FIND THE VERY, VERY BEST PEOPLE BECAUSE THESE ARE BIG, BIG CEO TYPE JOBS. I REACHED OUT TO THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER WOULD BE ABLE TO DO AN INTERVIEW, BUT THEY DECLINED. MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AROUND OKLAHOMA CITY TOLD ME THEY’RE HAPPY STATE LAWMAKERS STEPPED IN LAST WEEK, REMOVING THE FORMER COMMISSIONER, AND THE NEW ONE STARTS NEXT WEEK WITH HOPES TO ENSURE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS WILL HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO HELP OKLAHOM
New Oklahoma mental health agency leader’s lack of experience in the field not a problem, Stitt says
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has been under fire for months after losing tens of millions of dollars, putting mental health providers on edge.
Updated: 12:38 PM CDT Jun 5, 2025
A new leader is starting soon at Oklahoma’s troubled mental health agency after state lawmakers fired its previous leader, and the person Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed does not have experience in that field. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has been under fire for months after losing tens of millions of dollars, putting mental health providers on edge. Earlier this week, Gov. Kevin Stitt named retired Navy Admiral Gregory Slavonic the interim commissioner of the ODMHSAS, which pushes out money to providers across the state to help Oklahomans with mental health issues. The agency’s budget is just short of $1 billion per year. During a wild ending to the 2025 legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers fired the agency’s former commissioner, Allie Friesen, because her agency lost tens of millions of dollars. In turn, they also lost confidence in her. Video Below: Oklahoma’s mental health agency head ousted in dramatic late-night moveThe agency’s new leader, however, doesn’t have mental health experience. Stitt said on Wednesday that’s not really a problem. “When the legislature fired Allie, you know, that’s when we went out, we tried to find, you know, the very best person who would come in and take this job,” Stitt said. “But now, I mean, he’s not a mental health expert, and he’s more of a businessperson.”The governor says the big thing is getting the agency balanced, so a business-minded person in the position is good. Stitt said, however, that it’s a struggle to get the right people to serve Oklahoma when things aren’t going perfectly. “It gets hard when, when, when some of these really good people you’re asking to come from the private sector to serve,” Stitt said. “And I try to find the very, very best people because these are big, big CEO-type jobs.” ODMHSAS officials declined KOCO 5’s request for a comment. Mental health providers around OKC have said they’re happy state lawmakers stepped to remove Friesen. Slavonic starts next week with the hope to ensure mental health providers will have the tools they need to serve Oklahomans. Top HeadlinesDriver dead, another taken to hospital after crash in southwest Oklahoma CityTIMELINE: Oklahoma to see next round of severe storms late Thursday, into Friday morningMarines surprise sister at graduation practicePolice investigating after vehicle crashes into northwest Oklahoma City homeSupreme Court makes it easier to claim reverse discrimination in employment, in a case from Ohio
A new leader is starting soon at Oklahoma’s troubled mental health agency after state lawmakers fired its previous leader, and the person Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed does not have experience in that field.
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has been under fire for months after losing tens of millions of dollars, putting mental health providers on edge.
Earlier this week, Gov. Kevin Stitt named retired Navy Admiral Gregory Slavonic the interim commissioner of the ODMHSAS, which pushes out money to providers across the state to help Oklahomans with mental health issues. The agency’s budget is just short of $1 billion per year.
During a wild ending to the 2025 legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers fired the agency’s former commissioner, Allie Friesen, because her agency lost tens of millions of dollars. In turn, they also lost confidence in her.
Video Below: Oklahoma’s mental health agency head ousted in dramatic late-night move
The agency’s new leader, however, doesn’t have mental health experience. Stitt said on Wednesday that’s not really a problem.
“When the legislature fired Allie, you know, that’s when we went out, we tried to find, you know, the very best person who would come in and take this job,” Stitt said. “But now, I mean, he’s not a mental health expert, and he’s more of a businessperson.”
The governor says the big thing is getting the agency balanced, so a business-minded person in the position is good. Stitt said, however, that it’s a struggle to get the right people to serve Oklahoma when things aren’t going perfectly.
“It gets hard when, when, when some of these really good people you’re asking to come from the private sector to serve,” Stitt said. “And I try to find the very, very best people because these are big, big CEO-type jobs.”
ODMHSAS officials declined KOCO 5’s request for a comment. Mental health providers around OKC have said they’re happy state lawmakers stepped to remove Friesen.
Slavonic starts next week with the hope to ensure mental health providers will have the tools they need to serve Oklahomans.
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