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Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: February 10, 2010
Sen. Debbe Leftwich
Bill to Expand Mental Health Courts Awaits Appropriations Committee
Vote
Legislation to increase access to mental health courts
throughout Oklahoma is awaiting action by the full Senate Appropriations
Committee. Senate Bill 2153, by Sen. Debbe
Leftwich, was approved by the Subcommittee on Health and Human
Services on Monday. Leftwich said although the bill wouldn’t
kick in until there is available funding, passage would be an important
step toward cutting millions of dollars in public safety costs in
the years to come.
“We have thousands of people with mental illnesses in prison
and in county jails that probably would not be there if we had been
able to intervene, and the majority of them are nonviolent offenders,”
said Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City. “That’s the idea behind
Mental Health Court. It is far less expensive and much more productive
to help these individuals instead of perpetuating the revolving
door of arrest and incarceration.”
Leftwich said approximately 12,600 offenders held by the Department
of Corrections have a mental health need, including 79 percent of
all women offenders and 46 percent of males. The Oklahoma County
Jail has up to 500 with mental illness at any one time.
“Right now people in only 14 Oklahoma counties have access
to mental health courts, but in those counties, the results have
been dramatic. There’s a 79 percent drop in unemployment for
those who complete the program. One year after graduating, arrests
fell by 92 percent and the days spent in jail dropped by 90 percent,”
Leftwich said. “What this means is that these individuals
are becoming more productive members of society and using far fewer
public resources as a result.”
Senate committees have until February 18th to complete hearings
on bills filed by members of the upper chamber.
For more information contact:
Sen. Leftwich: 405-521-5557
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