Oklahoma City - The Oklahoma Senate has approved a class-action lawsuit settlement that promises to deliver justice for crime victims and enhance state mental health services within the criminal justice system. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the Senate's unanimous consent for House Concurrent Resolution 1004, which finalizes an agreement between Drummond and the plaintiffs' attorneys.
The resolution is expected to save the state significant financial resources while addressing long-standing issues in mental health services provided through the criminal justice system. The lawsuit, Briggs v. Friesen, filed nearly two years ago, alleged that the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) violated due process rights by failing to provide timely court-ordered competency restoration services. This failure resulted in some defendants avoiding accountability for extended periods in county jails.
Drummond expressed his satisfaction with the resolution's passage, stating, "The passage of this resolution is a major victory for Oklahoma." He also acknowledged the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Paxton and House Speaker Hilbert in authoring HCR 1004.
The consent decree outlines a strategic plan to improve ODMHSAS restoration services promptly. The plan includes measures such as increasing training for forensic healthcare professionals, reducing incorrect declarations of incompetency, lowering wait times for competency restoration treatment, creating effective in-jail restoration programs, and expanding resources like additional inpatient competency restoration beds.