OPEA

The Oklahoma Public Employees Association fought a valiant effort to stop the privatization of the state’s mental health safety net but fell short after DMHSAS Commissioner Terri White lobbied legislators in support of the scheme.

OPEA was successful in defeating HB 2999 on the first ballot in the Senate, 21-25 but Senator Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa) held the bill on a motion to reconsider preserving the bill and giving more time to turn legislator’s votes.

HB 2999 would amend Title 43A which lists Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services facilities from “Shall be maintained for residents of the state” to “may be maintained for residents of the state.” This allows DMHSAS to close or privatize any or all of their 12 facilities without legislative oversight.

The legislature established the requirements in statute delineating DHMSAS facilities to ensure the state’s safety net for essential services “shall be maintained” and amendments would be deliberated by state policymakers, not an individual non-elected official.

In a letter from Commissioner White to legislators delivered to sway votes, White unveils her intentions.

“Oklahoma is divided into 17 catchment areas each served by a Community Mental Health Center,” she writes. “Those 17 areas will continue to be covered with services, delivered locally, by a CMHC, but the CMHC may or not be state operated.”

While spending her time individually lobbying legislators at the Capitol, White clearly did not want her employees to exercise their free speech. After OPEA informed DMHSAS workers of the agency's backroom deals and employees made calls and sent emails, a threatening e-mail was sent out through the agency from the central office stating, "Recently, there has been an increase in prohibited emails such as emails pertaining to solicitations and also political activities. Emails of this nature are disruptive and prohibited. Please refrain from sending any future emails of this type. Employees who violate this policy will face discipline up to and including discharge.

"OPEA was being disruptive of her agenda to sell off state services," said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. "So Terri White tried to retaliate against her employees' right to free speech and to participate in a democracy."

Senators Crain and Aldelson worked all afternoon with White to turn votes, eventually bringing the bill back to the floor of the Senate for reconsideration. Their efforts were successful in flipping Senators Connie Johnson, Judy Eason-McIntyre and Gary Stanislawski. passing the bill and essentially selling off state jobs.

“This was a very disappointing result, as legislators abdicated their responsibility for the states’ mental health safety net to a non-elected official,” said Zearley. “We truly expect to lose state jobs and facilities in DMHSAS.”