Oklahoma Secretary of Health

The Oklahoma Secretary of Health was a member of the Oklahoma governor's Cabinet. The secretary is appointed by the governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the governor. The secretary served as the chief advisor to the governor on public health issues and needs.

Oklahoma
Secretary of Health
Great Seal of Oklahoma
Agency overview
Formed1986
Preceding agency
Headquarters120 N Robinson
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Employees4,651 (FY2020)
Annual budget$6.7 billion (FY2020)
Minister responsible
Child agencies

The current secretary of health is Jerome Loughridge, who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2019.[1]

Overview

The Secretary of Health was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the public health and mental hygiene activities of the state government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986.[2] The Secretary advises the governor on public health policy and advises the state's public health agencies on new policy as directed by the governor. The secretary also provides the overarching management structure for the state's public health services in order to deliver improved public services while eliminating redundancies and reducing support costs in order to more effectively and efficiently run the agencies in a unified manner. As the state's chief public health official, the secretary oversees vaccinations, disease prevention, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and emergency health responses. The secretary also is responsible for regulation of the State health delivery system, overseeing state-managed public hospitals, health-related professional licensure, as well as overseeing the state's Medicaid program.

Oklahoma state law allows for Cabinet secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a state agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Health has also served as either the commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health or the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. However, the current secretary Jerome Loughridge does not share this role with either position.

Under the administration of Kevin Stitt, the cabinet position is labeled as the Secretary of Health and Mental Health, emphasizing its role in overseeing the Health Department and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.[1] In previous administrations, the position is consolidated with the Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services into the position of Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services, as was the case under governors Frank Keating and Mary Fallin.

The secretary, unless filling an additional role which carries a greater salary, is entitled to annual pay of $85,000.

Budget

The Secretary of Health oversees a budget for Fiscal Year 2020 of $6.7 billion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows:

Agency Funding (in millions) Employees (in FTEs)
Health Services
Department of Health 405.7 2,184
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services 438.7 1,721
Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust 51.9 25
Physician Manpower Training Commission 5.5 6
SUBTOTAL 901.8 3,936
Public Hospitals
University Hospital Authority 121.1 0
OSU Medical Authority 16.4 0
SUBTOTAL 137.5 0
Medical Assistance
Health Care Authority 5,619.3 601
SUBTOTAL 5,619.3 601
Professional Licensure
Professional Licensing Boards 17.5 114
SUBTOTAL 17.5 114
TOTAL $6,676.1 4,651

Agencies overseen

The secretary of health oversees the following state entities:

List of secretaries
Name Took Office Left Office Governor served under
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Ken Lackey 1995 1997 Frank Keating
Jerry Regier 1997 2002
Howard Hendrick 2002 2003
Secretary of Health
Tom Adelson 2003 2004 Brad Henry
Terry Cline 2004 2006
Michael Crutcher 2006 2009
Terri L. White 2009 2011
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Terry Cline 2011 2017 Mary Fallin
Steven Buck 2017 2019
Secretary of Health and Mental Health
Jerome Loughridge 2019 Present Kevin Stitt

References
  1. "Office of Governor | Kevin Stitt". www.governor.ok.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  2. "OCIS Document Index". www.oscn.net. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
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