The appointment places a veteran state health administrator in charge of an agency that has faced years of budget disputes, investigations and management challenges.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed Josh Anderson as interim commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, placing a veteran state health administrator in charge of an agency that has spent the past two years under intense financial and political scrutiny.
Anderson currently serves as chief of staff for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, where he oversees contracting, compliance, communications, legal affairs and legislative relations. He previously served in leadership roles at the Oklahoma State Department of Health, according to the governor’s office.
“Josh Anderson understands how to run government more efficiently while keeping the focus on serving people,” Stitt said in a statement announcing the appointment.
The appointment comes as the mental health agency continues to recover from a prolonged period of leadership turnover, budget disputes and legislative investigations tied to agency finances and management practices.
In a statement released by the governor’s office, Anderson said his focus would be maintaining services while improving accountability and transparency.
“Some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens interact with this agency,” Anderson said. “It is a top priority that we are serving them to the best of our ability while maintaining transparency and accountability in everything we do.”
Anderson replaces retired Navy Rear Adm. Gregory Slavonic, who has served as interim commissioner while state leaders worked to stabilize the agency.
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services oversees the state’s public behavioral health system and administers mental health and addiction treatment programs across Oklahoma.
