Governor Kevin Stitt has appointed retired Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic as the interim commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), following the legislature's late-night vote to remove the previous appointee.

“It is no secret that the Department of Mental Health has long been in need of reform,” Gov. Stitt said in a statement Tuesday. “It is imperative that Admiral Slavonic is allowed to do the hard work needed to remove corruption and conflicts of interest without political interference. There are brighter days ahead for this department and those that rely on its services.”

Slavonic, who previously led the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs under Stitt, is being tasked with overhauling a department the governor has criticized fo

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