On Thursday, March 06, 2025, Governor Kevin Stitt announced that he has submitted a request to the Oklahoma auditor and Inspector’s Office for an audit of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Governor Stitt calls for the audit after Commissioner Allie Friesen raised concerns about patterns of financial mismanagement spanning years.

“Since taking office, I have been adamant that we get fresh eyes on every aspect of state government,” said Governor Stitt. “In order to serve the people of Oklahoma well, we need to be sure our mental health agency is transparent and accountable. Commissioner Friesen has brought that fresh set of eyes and has uncovered unfortunate patterns of mismanagement. I thank her for making her concerns known and I look forward to finding a path forward.”

“When I took over as Commissioner of Mental Health, I knew the agency faced struggles,” said Commissioner Friesen. “As I’ve spent the last year pulling back the layers, it’s clear that there are systemic issues at this agency that need to be addressed. I welcome this audit, and I will work diligently with the Auditor’s office to ensure she has the information she needs in a timely manner.”

Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services oversees all prevention, treatment, and education of mental health and substance abuse in the state.

Commissioner Friesen’s letter and Governor Stitt’s request can be found here.