The Oklahoma secretary of health was 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 served as the chief advisor to the governor on public health issues and needs.
The current secretary of health is Kevin Corbett, who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2020, following the departure of Jerome Loughridge.
Overview The secretary of health was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the public health and mental hygiene activities of the state government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Secretary advises the governor on public health policy and advises the state's public health agencies on new policy as directed by the governor. The secretary also provides the overarching management structure for the state's public health services in order to deliver improved public services while eliminating redundancies and reducing support costs in order to more effectively and efficiently run the agencies in a unified manner. As the state's chief public health official, 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, overseeing state-managed public hospitals, health-related professional licensure, as well as overseeing the state's Medicaid program.
Oklahoma state law allows for Cabinet secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a state agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet secretary. Historically, the secretary of health has also served as either the commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health or the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. However, former secretary Loughridge did not share this role with either position.
Under the administration of Kevin Stitt, the cabinet position is labeled as the secretary of health and mental health, emphasizing its role in overseeing the Health Department and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. In previous administrations, the position is consolidated with the Oklahoma secretary of human services into the position of Oklahoma secretary of health and human services, as was the case under governors Frank Keating and Mary Fallin.
The secretary, unless filling an additional role which carries a greater salary, is entitled to annual pay of $85,000. Loughridge, however, did not take a salary.
Budget The secretary of health oversees a budget for Fiscal Year 2020 of $6.7 billion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows:
AgencyFunding (in millions)Employees (in FTEs) Health ServicesDepartment of Health405.72,184Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services438.71,721Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust51.925Physician Manpower Training Commission5.56 SUBTOTAL 901.8 3,936 Public HospitalsUniversity Hospital Authority121.10OSU Medical Authority16.40 SUBTOTAL 137.5 0 Medical AssistanceHealth Care Authority5,619.3601 SUBTOTAL 5,619.3 601 Professional LicensureProfessional Licensing Boards17.5114 SUBTOTAL 17.5 114TOTAL$6,676.14,651
Agencies overseen The secretary of health oversees the following state entities: Department of Health Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Health Care Authority Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust
List of secretaries
Name Took office Left office Governor served under Secretary of Health and Human ServicesKen Lackey19951997Frank KeatingJerry Regier19972002Howard Hendrick20022003 Secretary of HealthTom Adelson20032004Brad HenryTerry Cline20042006Michael Crutcher20062009Terri L. White20092011 Secretary of Health and Human ServicesTerry Cline20112017Mary FallinSteven Buck20172019 Secretary of Health and Mental HealthJerome Loughridge2019PresentKevin Stitt
References
External links Members of the Governor's Cabinet State biography of Cabinet Secretary Terri White