Tag: Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Where the Affordable Care Act fits into the gun control debate

Since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the debate surrounding gun violence, gun control, and mental health has gained renewed prominence. Last month, President Obama laid out proposals to reduce gun violence which include increasing access to mental… Read more [More...]

Five reasons not to drug-test welfare applicants

Two bills that would require applicants for TANF benefits to submit to and pay for a drug test, HB 2388 and SB 1073, have cleared their first committees and are moving through the legislative process.  TANF stands for ‘Temporary Assistance… Read more [More...]

How Oklahoma is falling behind

Even as the economy recovers, it’s become increasingly apparent that there is no end in sight to Oklahoma’s budget woes. Oklahoma has seen three straight years of budget cuts, and according to one House leader, we may be in for… Read more [More...]

The pseudoephedrine debate: Available with or without a prescription?

The question of whether to require a prescription for the purchase of pseudoephedrine (the main ingredient in medications such as Sudafed) as a means to help combat the production of methamphetamine,  promises to be one of the  hotly contested issues… Read more [More...]

The buck stops anywhere but here

Last week I participated in a StateImpact Oklahoma forum on the state budget with Rep. Earl Sears, the Chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee (R-Bartlesville),  and Sen. Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa).  An audience member asked the legislators what they… Read more [More...]

Making more bricks with less straw: Agency heads share thoughts on operating in hard times

At last week’s Fall Legislative Forum organized by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, a panel of state agency directors discussed some of the accomplishments and continuing challenges facing Oklahoma government. Taking part in the panel were leaders from the… Read more [More...]

Trevor Shanklin: Should we increase the tax on alcohol?

Trevor Shanklin recently completed a summer internship at the Oklahoma Policy Institute. He is a decorated disabled veteran of the Oklahoma Army National Guard where he served as a Recruiting and Retention NCO and a Combat Medic with the 1/279… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk

Since it’s such a busy time for Oklahoma Policy Institute, we’ve decided to dedicate a blog post to this week’s events, publications, and blog posts. In state budget news, Tuesday’s blog reviews the latest monthly report of General Revenue (GR)… Read more [More...]

Guest blog (Shelley Cadamy): Spending on mental health services earns a substantial return on investment

Shelley Cadamy is a native Oklahoman and adoptive/foster parent who has done economic development work in Oklahoma since 1994. During a Leadership Oklahoma City session several years ago, I had the opportunity to ask the Oklahoma City Police Chief and… Read more [More...]

Health Care Reform (6): Implementing Insurance 'Exchanges'

This is the sixth in an ongoing series of posts examining the Affordable Care Act, including previous posts on the Temporary High Risk Pool and tax credits for small businesses.  You can also visit the health care reform page on… Read more [More...]