PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTIONS THEY SUGGEST A NEW NATIONAL REPORT FINDS OKLAHOMA DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WORKING TO HELP YOU. IF YOU HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. THERE ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO MEET DEMAND. THE REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ADVOCACY GROUP INSEPARABLE FOUND OKLAHOMA IS MEETING ONLY 21% OF ITS MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE NEED MEANING PATIENTS ARE WAITING WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS FOR CARE. THE SHORTAGE ISN’T JUST HAPPENING HERE. RESEARCHERS SAY IT’S PART OF A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM DRIVEN BY LOWER PAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS COMPARED TO OTHER MEDICAL FIELDS. OKLAHOMA HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE INTO THE WORKFORCE, AND PARTICULARLY GETTING THEM INTO RURAL COMMUNITIES. I MEAN, THAT’S A HUGE SHORTAGE ISSUE AT THE OKLAHOMA CAPITOL RIGHT NOW. LAWMAKERS ARE DEBATING SEVERAL MENTAL HEALTH BILLS. SENATE BILL 1646 WOULD REQUIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER MEDICALLY NECESSARY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION TREATMENT RECOMMENDED BY A DOCTOR. SENATE BILL 1794 WOULD CREATE A STATEWIDE ONLINE REGISTRY TO TRACK OPEN MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT BEDS, HELPING HOSPITALS, COURTS AND CRISIS TEAMS FIND AN OPEN BED FOR A PATIENT. INSTEAD OF CALLING MULTIPLE FACILITIES. THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY SAY LEGISLATION IS KEY TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM
Oklahoma faces mental health workforce shortage, report reveals
A new report highlights Oklahoma’s struggle to meet mental health workforce needs, with only 21% of demand being met.
Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Mar 10, 2026
A new national report reveals that Oklahoma is meeting only 21% of its mental health workforce needs, resulting in patients waiting weeks or even months for care. The report comes from the advocacy group Inseparable.”There are simply not enough mental health providers to meet demand,” Caitlin Hochul, senior vice president of policymaker relations at Inseparable, said. The shortage is part of a nationwide problem caused by lower pay for mental health providers compared to other medical fields. >> Video Below: New head of Oklahoma mental health agency addresses budget shortfall, contract cuts”Oklahoma has done a great job of trying to attract more people into the workforce and particularly getting them into rural communities—that’s a huge shortage issue,” Hochul said. At the Oklahoma Capitol, lawmakers are debating several mental health bills.>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter Senate Bill 1646 would require insurance companies to cover medically necessary mental health and addiction treatment recommended by a doctor. Senate Bill 1794 would create a statewide online registry to track open mental health treatment beds, helping hospitals, courts and crisis teams find an open bed for a patient instead of calling multiple facilities. The authors of the study say legislation is key to solving the problem states have.Top Headlines TIMELINE: Oklahoma may see storms with tornadoes and large hail on Tuesday Hour-by-hour forecast: When will Oklahoma see severe storms with tornado risk Tuesday? US and Iran dig in and ramp up threats as war rages with no end in sight From blacksmithing to needlepoint, young people are embracing ‘grandma hobbies’ Woman dies after she was struck by car in northwest Oklahoma City
A new national report reveals that Oklahoma is meeting only 21% of its mental health workforce needs, resulting in patients waiting weeks or even months for care.
The report comes from the advocacy group Inseparable.
“There are simply not enough mental health providers to meet demand,” Caitlin Hochul, senior vice president of policymaker relations at Inseparable, said.
The shortage is part of a nationwide problem caused by lower pay for mental health providers compared to other medical fields.
>> Video Below: New head of Oklahoma mental health agency addresses budget shortfall, contract cuts
“Oklahoma has done a great job of trying to attract more people into the workforce and particularly getting them into rural communities—that’s a huge shortage issue,” Hochul said.
At the Oklahoma Capitol, lawmakers are debating several mental health bills.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
Senate Bill 1646 would require insurance companies to cover medically necessary mental health and addiction treatment recommended by a doctor. Senate Bill 1794 would create a statewide online registry to track open mental health treatment beds, helping hospitals, courts and crisis teams find an open bed for a patient instead of calling multiple facilities.
The authors of the study say legislation is key to solving the problem states have.
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