OKPOLICY.ORG
First, a correction: Last week, I mistakenly reported the Office of Juvenile Affairs had requested an additional $7 million in their proposed budget for next fiscal year for level E group homes . The level E group homes are for youth in OJA custody who need intensive behavioral health treatment while living outside their homes. They provide a non-secure alternative to Central Oklahoma Juvenile Treatment Center which is the OJA secure treatment facility located in Tecumseh.
The actual amount requested was $2,358,338. Interim OJA director Sharon “Shel” Millington told the House Appropriations and Budget Human Services Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, that the request was made so OJA could increase the contract rate for providers who operate the level E group homes. The funding is needed to competitively compensate direct care staff for the demands of their position.
These are challenging jobs for behavioral health clinicians and others who often have other less stressful employment options. The funding should allow the group homes to recruit and retain quality staff. Millington said OJA has requested additional level E funding for the past 3 years, but the legislature has not funded the request. She fears that without the funding this year some of the providers will be required to close their doors.
OJA is requesting approximately $5.4 million in total additional funding for next year, including $1 million for Family Functional Therapy to match expected Medicaid funds, $2 million for salary adjustments, and $2.4 million for the level E group homes.
The 2026 legislative session began at noon Monday and will end no later than May 29. The first legislative deadline of the session will be March 5 when substantive bills (bills that create new or amend existing laws) must be reported out of committee in their chamber of origin. From there they go to the floor for a vote.
If a measure passes it must go through the same committee and floor process in the opposite chamber. If it’s amended in the opposite chamber, it may require a conference committee to iron out the differences and be voted on again in both chambers before reaching the governor’s desk.
Meanwhile, the appropriations and budget process moves at a separate pace. The appropriations and budget subcommittees and committees meet throughout the session preparing for a series of votes near the end of session on the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The appropriation committees will also hear substantive bills that may have a fiscal impact on the state budget.
The appropriations bills are assigned to the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget where the final state budget is put together to match the available funds. From there they go to the floor of each chamber, then to the governor. The OJA budget discussed above is just one small piece of the puzzle.
It’s a simple yet complicated process that seems intended to make it difficult to pass a bill. At every step of the way there are negotiations among legislators and interested parties with agreements to be made — or not. Sometimes it’s messy and noisy, but it’s designed to give everyone the opportunity to be heard. It’s not perfect, but it’s worked so far for our state and country.
