Capital Update: Freedom for the next generation
On July 3, 1776, John Adams, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence, wrote that he was “well aware of the toil and blood and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states… I can see that the end is more than worth all the means.”
It has taken much toil, blood and treasure to protect our freedom from numerous threats throughout our nation’s history. We fight many battles today, both literal and metaphorical, to maintain our rights. But, as Adams predicted, the end has proven well worth the means.
The Fourth of July represents the freedoms of our country, as well as the veterans who have fought for those freedoms. Without these brave men and women, we wouldn’t enjoy our freedoms every day.
I’m thankful to live in a country that recognizes the importance of upholding our freedoms, but we must ensure these freedoms are preserved for future generations. Independence Day celebrates the birthday of the United States, and we must preserve our heritage against those who seek to attack it.
On Thursday, I attended a Purple Heart City sign dedication in Eufaula. They will soon put up city signs designating Eufaula as a Purple Heart City. It was great to meet several Purple Heart recipients at the event and thank them for their service to our country.
Between the many Fourth of July events throughout House District 15, I also met with a group at the Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center in Poteau to discuss establishing two crisis intervention units in eastern Oklahoma. This is something I’ve worked on for close to a year now, and it’s exciting to see the plans coming together.
The group included Sheamekah Williams from the Oklahoma Dept. of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), as well as several hospital administrators from across the region. We discussed the need for more mental health services and how new stabilization units would benefit people in their communities.
I’m also working with Rep. Collin Walke of Oklahoma City to present a study before a House Committee examining how to provide mental health services as a potential alternative to arrest during a person’s mental health crisis.
The study would consider if a correlation exists between providing more mental health services and decreasing the number of mental health crises law enforcement must respond to.
The goal is to increase mental health services available to those in crisis, especially in rural areas, so they can receive the help they need rather than being arrested and sent to jail. The study would also examine providing more training for law enforcement to help them determine when an individual is experiencing an emotional disturbance or a behavioral issue.
I’m awaiting approval from the House Speaker before proceeding with this study, and I’ll give another update soon.
In the meantime, please contact me about anything I can help with at (405) 557-7375 or randy.randleman@okhouse.gov.
Thank you for the honor of representing District 15.
By State Rep. Randy Randleman. He represents District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes portions of Haskell, LeFlore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg and Sequoyah counties.