OKLAHOMA CITY – House Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement after a report from the United States Department of Justice showed reasonable cause to believe Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, and the Oklahoma City Police Department discriminate against people with behavioral health disabilities.

“The recent findings by the United States Department of Justice on our state's treatment of those with behavioral health disabilities is quite upsetting, but not surprising,” Lowe said. “This past year, I hosted an interim study on mental health treatment in our state's jails, and we heard from several behavioral health experts and organizations affiliated with the criminal justice system. What was learned in that study was that Oklahoma severely lacks mental health resources and often defaults to incarceration of individuals in crisis, instead of connecting them with beneficial resources that could keep them in their communities. The DOJ investigation highlighted all of the deficiencies in our state's handling of those with behavioral health disabilities and showed how we as a state can improve our services. We must do better going forward.”

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