Carri Hicks — Expressed concern about systemic failures in child care subsidy access and asked how the request addresses community needs.
Carri Hicks — The director referenced prior discussion with Senator Hicks about capacity.
Carri Hicks — Senator Carri Hicks yielded and then asked about the supplemental budget request for the Advantage Waiver program, specifically whether the request is a one-time need and whether the next fiscal year budget will be sufficient to cover the increased caseload through the full year.
Carri Hicks — The chair recognizes Senator Hicks for questions, and Hicks begins by thanking the chair and raising concerns about the agency's budget presentation, including staffing, payroll, operational costs, and below-market salaries.
Carri Hicks — Senator Hicks continued questioning the agency about budget growth and staffing, first asking whether it is working with other agencies to find efficiencies and partnerships to save money, then returning to the issue of the four FTE added last year and the related workload, especially competency evaluations. He framed the questions as part of his experience serving on the committee for several years.
Carri Hicks — Asked about trends related to disability concerns.
Carri Hicks — The chair says Senator Hicks is the only member not yet back from the break.
Carri Hicks — The chair indicates he will begin questions and then turn it over to other members, with Senator Hicks expected to participate.
Carri Hicks — Raises questions about inflation and asks for an update on the Tulsa-area facility project.
Carri Hicks — Asks for an update on the labor shortage.
Carri Hicks — Asks about the labor shortage, traveling nurses, and the gap between contract staff and FTE state employees.
Carri Hicks — Called on for questions after the ABA update.
Carri Hicks — Offers thanks and praise for expanded capacity and statewide service.
Carri Hicks — Asked questions about concerns regarding the state's lab and whether best practices are being followed.
Carri Hicks — Continued raising concerns about the state's lab and its quality controls.
Carri Hicks — Asked for access to samples and results allegedly tied to the state lab.
Carri Hicks — Was told that misinformation may have been given and was offered a follow-up meeting.
Carri Hicks — Shifted to questions about OMMA staffing levels and the gap between year-to-date FTE and budgeted FTE.
Carri Hicks — Asked to meet with Director Barry following the discussion.
Carri Hicks — Called on in the question queue.
Carri Hicks — Senator Hicks thanks the chair and director for being present, then begins questioning the director about administrative costs and the agency’s goal of keeping them at or below 5%.
Carri Hicks — Senator Hicks raised a follow-up question about the $5.1 million request, asking whether it is a recurring expense or a one-time build-out cost, and the discussion later referenced that same point as part of the ongoing budget conversation.
Carri Hicks — Asked about patient rosters and incorrect patient attribution affecting value-based metrics.
Jeffrey Cartman — Identified himself as director of the Department of Human Services and introduced his team.
Katie DeMuth — Introduced as DHS chief of staff.
Katie Demuth — The speaker briefly answers and then defers to Katie Demuth for the detailed analysis, noting that Katie has the full breakdown in the numbers and can provide the more specific explanation.
Kristen Cox — Identified as leading Epiphany and Associates and having extensive Utah budget/SNAP experience.
Dave Rader — Senator Dave Rader was recognized by the chair and asked whether salary levels for certain positions may be contributing to hiring delays.
Dave Rader — Senator Rader was introduced as the next questioner and then asked whether a tribal member could seek similar services from both the state and a tribe if both entities offered them.
Dave Rader — Asks when the new operating rooms will be operative.
Dave Rader — Senator Rader follows up on the discussion by asking about the payer mix, specifically how many of 100 patients are covered by private insurance.
Dave Rader — Senator Rader asked about current dispensary counts and market trends, then followed up on whether the number of dispensaries would continue to decline as stronger operators remain in the market. A later reference simply called on Senator Rader again, without shifting the topic.
Annette — The director of OCCY is introduced as Annette.
Annette Wisk-Chicobi — Introduces herself as the director of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.
Annette Wisk-Chicobi — Annette Wisk-Chicobi explained that OCCY’s staffing has returned to prior peak levels as workload has increased, and that the agency needs the positions requested this year to handle current responsibilities. She described OCCY’s funding as diversified, with support from multiple state agencies including the State Health Department, DHS, Mental Health, and the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness. She also noted that adding staff has expanded the pool of contract juvenile competency evaluators and improved training capacity, and clarified that OCCY had 16 staff in 2017 while the current evaluators are contractors rather than employees. She then outlined the request for three positions in the Office of Juvenile System Oversight, including two oversight specialists and a director, explaining that a director is needed to identify trends across cases and that the role existed in the past. Finally, she emphasized that OCCY must remain independent to investigate agencies objectively, especially DHS, and noted that OCCY lacks jurisdiction over federal or tribal matters and loses oversight once a youth enters the federal system.
Mark James — Identified as the assistant director.
Marcia Johnson — Identified as the legislative liaison.
Brenda Stanley — Senator Stanley questioned OCCY about its staffing and organizational structure, asking whether the agency should have 17 full-time employees, whether it needs a director position, and whether it could be combined under another agency such as Human Services to avoid duplicating services. The discussion was then picked back up in the same line of questioning.
Brenda Stanley — Called on in the question queue.
Brenda — Greeted by the chair as the next presenter from the Office of Disability Concerns.
Brenda Hafer — Brenda Hafer introduced herself as the director of the Office of Disability Concerns and discussed staffing for the office, explaining that an executive secretary position remains budgeted and that she plans to fill it once she felt it was appropriate as a newly appointed director. The exchange concluded with a brief thank-you and acknowledgment of her testimony.
Eric Pollock — Eric Pollock, CEO of the OSU Medical Authority of Trust, introduces himself and then discusses the organization’s funding request, explaining that the $13 million need tied to full implementation of H.R. 1 is being actively reduced and that additional requests are pending with OHCA for directed payment programs.
Eric Pollock — Addressed directly regarding projected savings from reduced contract labor and later psychiatric residency funding.
Eric Pollock — Explained that the psychiatric residency program has been expanded by one resident per year.
Eric Pollock — Responded with payer-mix percentages for the system.
Paul Rosino — Addressed as Chair Rosino.
OMMA Director Berry — Responded that the agency is following best practices and the law, and invited Senator Hicks to visit the lab.
Director Barry — Thanked for testimony and asked to follow up with Senator Hicks for a meeting.
Melinda Frent — Introduced herself as Executive Director of Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services and named accompanying staff.
Christi Gillespie — Called on in the question queue.