Tulsa mental health agencies are facing more than $8 million in state funding cuts, marking another round of reductions that leaders say will impact critical services as demand rises.

Mayor Monroe Nichols announced on Oct. 1 that Family and Children Services and Grand Mental Health are once again facing funding cuts from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Family and Children Services expects to lose $4.4 million, with crisis care and COPES programs taking the biggest hit. The COPES program is a counseling service that diverts 911 calls from police to mental health professionals.

"We're still looking at about $4 million in cuts, and that is very, very difficult to absorb, especially at a time when demand is rising," said Adam Andreassen, CEO of Family

See Full Page