Oklahoma Secretary of Health

Oklahoma Secretary of Health
Great Seal of Oklahoma
Agency overview
Formed	2003
Headquarters	120 N Robinson Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Employees	4812 (FY2011)
Annual budget	$5.2 billion (FY2011)
Minister responsible	Terri L. White, Secretary of Health
Child agencies	Oklahoma State Department of Health Oklahoma Department of Mental Health Oklahoma Health Care Authority
Website
Office of the Secretary of Health

The Oklahoma Secretary of Health is 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 serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on public health issues and needs.

The current Secretary of Health is Terri L. White, who was appointed by Governor Brad Henry in 2009.

History

The position of Secretary of Transportation was established in 2003 when Governor Brad Henry issued an executive order spliting the former position of Secretary of Health and Human Services into the separate positions of Secretary of Health and Secretary of Human Services. The previous position was established, along with the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directs the Secretary of Health to advise the Governor on public health policy and advise the state health agencies on new policy as directed by the Governor.

Dual Position

Oklahoma state law always 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 as the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. As of 2010, three of the four Health Secretaries have served in one of those dual positions.

Name	Other Position Held (if any)
Tom Adelson
Terry Cline	Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Michael Crutcher	Commissioner, Oklahoma State Department of Health
Terri L. White	Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Responsibilities

The Secretary of Health is the chief public health officer of the State. 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 as well as overseeing the State's Medicaid program.

As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Health oversees 4812 full time employess and is responsible for annual budger over $5.2 billion.

Agencies overseen

The Secretary of Transportation oversees the following state entities:

• Department of Health
• Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
• Health Care Authority
• Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust

Salary

The annual salary for the position of Secretary of Health set by State law at $80,000.^[1] Despite this, if the Secretary serves as the head of State agency, the Secretary receives the higher of the two salaries. Incumbent Secretary Terri White serves as the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health. As such, she receives the salary allowed for that position. As of 2010, the annual salary for that position is $124,000.

List of Secretaries

Secretaries of Health and Human Services (1986–2003)

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Governor served under
Ken Lackey	1995	1997	Frank Keating
Jerry Regier	1997	2002
Howard Hendrick	2002	2003

Secretaries of Health (2003–present)

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Governor served under
1	Tom Adelson	2003	2004	Brad Henry
2	Terry Cline	2004	2006
3	Michael Crutcher	2006	2009
4	Terri L. White	2009	Present

References

1. ^ Paragraph 7, Section 10.5, Title 74, Oklahoma Statutes

External links

• Members of the Governor's Cabinet
• State biography of Cabinet Secretary Terri White