Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services explained

The Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services is 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 serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on public health and public assistance.

History

The position of Secretary of Health and Human Services was established in 1986 by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directed to the Secretary to oversee all agencies in the State relating to the public health and assistance programs. The position was dissolved on February 1, 2003, by Governor Brad Henry when he split the post into two separate positions: the Oklahoma Secretary of Health concerned with public health protection and the Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services concerned with providing public assistance programs.

The position was re-established by Governor Mary Fallin on January 27, 2011, when she dissolved the separate positions of Health Secretary and Human Services Secretary.

Responsibilities

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is the chief public health officer of the State. 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 as well as overseeing the State's Medicaid program. The Secretary has jurisdiction over most public assistance programs offered by the State. Such programs include child care services, senior citizen assistance, child custody services, disability vocational services, and services to the blind and deaf. The Secretary also oversees services to juveniles, both treatment and corrections.

As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Health oversees 15,591 full-time employees and is responsible for an annual budget over $8 billion.

Agencies overseen

The Secretary of Health and Human Services oversees the following State agencies:

Seal	Agency	Employees	Budget (in millions)	Function
		2368	$373	Protects the health of all Oklahomans by providing essential public health services
		7300	$2,300	Provides help to individuals and families in need through public assistance programs and managing services for seniors and people with disabilities
		2192	$311	Provides public health services relating to mental illness and substance abuse.
		1079	$136	Provides people with physical, mental and visual disabilities with counseling and job training
		416	$4,600	Provides health insurance benefits for the state's "SoonerCare" (Oklahoma's Medicaid program) members
		1056	$127	Responsible for planning and coordinating statewide juvenile justice and delinquency prevention services

• All numbers represented Fiscal Year 2011 levels

List of secretaries

An incomplete list of secretaries:

Secretaries of Health and Human Services (1986–2003)

Name	Took office	Left office	Governor served under
Ken Lackey	1995	1997	Frank Keating
Jerry Regier	1997	2002
Howard Hendrick	2002	2003

Secretary of Health (2003–2011)

Name	Took office	Left office	Governor served under
Tom Adelson	2003	2004	Brad Henry
Terry Cline	2004	2006
Michael Crutcher	2006	2009
Terri L. White	2009	2011

Secretary of Human Services (2003–2011)

Secretaries of Health and Human Services (2011–2019)

Secretaries of Health and Human Services (2019–Present)

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Name	Took office	Left office	Governor served under
Jerome Loughridge	2019	2020
Kevin Corbett	2020	Present	Kevin Stitt