Oklahoma State Department of Health


The Oklahoma State Department of Health is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Health. The department is responsible for protecting the health of all Oklahomans and providing other essential human services. The OSDH serves as the primary public health protection agency in the state.
The department is led the State Commissioner of Health, who is appointed by the governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Commissioner is the executive officer of the department and is the lead public health authority in the state. To assist the Commissioner is the State Board of Health, composed of nine members appointed by the governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate, which serves as advisory board to the Commissioner.
The current Commissioner of Health is Colonel Lance Frye, M.d., who was appointed by the Governor Kevin Stitt in May 2020.
The former Commissioner of Health was Gary Cox, J.D., who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in September 2019.
The Department was created in 1963 during the term of Governor Henry Bellmon.

Leadership

The Department is led by the Secretary of Health and the Commissioner of Health. Under Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt, Jerome Loughridge serves as Cabinet Secretary and Gary Cox serves as Commissioner of Health.

State Board of Health

The State Board of Health is the governing body of the Health Department. The Board is composed of nine members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. Each Board member serves a nine-year term. Eight of the nine members represent specific county regions of the state and one member is appointed to represent the state at large.
As of September 2019, the Board is composed of the following members:
NameRegionBoard position
Timothy E. Starkey, MBACimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woodward, Woods, Major, Alfalfa, Grant, Garfield, Kay and NoblePresident
Edward A. Legako, M.D.Blaine, Kingfisher, Canadian, Caddo, Grady, Comanche, Jefferson, Stephens and CottonVice President
Becky PaytonAt-largeSecretary
Jenny Alexopulos, D.O.Ottawa, Delaware, Craig, Mayes, Nowata, Rogers, Washington, Tulsa, Pawnee, and Osage
Terry R. Gerard II, D.O.LeFlore, Latimer, Pittsburg, Atoka, Pushmataha, McCurtain, Choctaw, Bryan, Marshall, Carter, and Love
Charles W. Grim, D.D.S., M.H.S.AAdair, Sequoyah, Cherokee, Wagoner, Muskogee, Haskell, McIntosh, and Okmulgee
R. Murali Krishna, M.D.Logan, Oklahoma, Cleveland, McClain, Garvin, Murray and Payne
Ronald D. Osterhout, M.S.Ellis, Dewey, Custer, Roger Mills, Beckham, Washita, Kiowa, Greer, Jackson, Harmon, and Tillman
Charles E. SkillingsCreek, LIncoln, Okfuskee, Seminole, Pottawatomie, Pontotoc, Hughes, Johnston and Coal

Organization

As of September 2019, the organization of the Department is as follows:

Staffing

The Health Department, with an annual budget of well over $300 million, is one of the largest employers of the State. For fiscal year 2014, the Department was authorized 2,148 full-time employees.

Budget

The divisions of the Department operation with the following operating budgets for Fiscal Year 2019:
ProgramFunding
Public Health Infrastructure$28.8
Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority$10.2
Prevention and Preparedness$61.6
Protective Health Services$62.6
Community and Family Health Services$179.3
Health Improvement$21.5
Data Processing and Public Policy$32.9
Total$392.5

Supporting Agencies