Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Allie Friesen testifies under oath at a meeting April 17 at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City with House lawmakers reviewing her agency’s finances. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY — The state’s attorney general called Friday for Oklahoma’s commissioner of mental health to be fired, a day after the agency she oversees warned lawmakers that it will not be able to pay its employees later this month.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the governor needs to fire Commissioner Allie Friesen, who heads the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, after legislators revealed they had learned that the agency expected to run out of funds as early as Wednesday. On Friday, they said the agency shifted that payroll shortfall date to May 21…