11/07/2025
McCurtain Memorial Hospital Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Mental Health
IDABEL, OK — On Wednesday, November 5, McCurtain Memorial Hospital President and CEO, Brian Whitfield, convened a roundtable discussion on mental health with key community leaders. Participants included representatives from the Idabel Police Department, McCurtain County Jail, Choctaw Tribal Police, Lift, and Dr. Glynis Watkins.
Every two years, McCurtain Memorial Hospital conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) as required by federal statute. This process identifies the county’s most pressing health concerns through collaboration with local entities and residents. For several consecutive years, mental health, housing, and food security have consistently ranked among the county’s top three health priorities.
Wednesday’s discussion, led by Whitfield, aimed to strengthen collaboration among county partners to address the growing mental health crisis amid limited resources.
Over the past year, the hospital has engaged architects and internal teams to explore options for addressing mental health needs, including the potential development of a new mental health hospital in McCurtain County. During the roundtable, participants agreed that while mental health resources are needed across all age groups, the most urgent priority—or “starting point”—is adults ages 18 to 64.
Representatives from several law enforcement agencies emphasized that the lack of mental health resources often results in individuals with mental illness becoming criminalized and incarcerated.
“We are seeing instances where these folks are being brought to jail on misdemeanor charges like larceny and sit there for extended periods of time, and their mental health issues worsen,” said Darnell Duckett, McCurtain County Jail Administrator.
Duckett noted that the jail environment can cause rapid and significant declines in mental health for these individuals.
Lieutenant Toon of the Choctaw Tribal Police echoed similar concerns, explaining that his department frequently responds to mental health-related calls but is limited by state law. He described repeated cases where residents in need of inpatient services either fail to meet admission criteria or face a complete lack of available beds.
Some agencies reported that individuals who have stopped taking prescribed medications—often antipsychotics—are automatically denied inpatient treatment. Jail administrators also raised concerns that certain state resources are denied based on an inmate’s charges, effectively blocking access to care, which may constitute a violation of federal law.
Whitfield confirmed that McCurtain Memorial Hospital plans to move forward aggressively in 2026 with efforts to establish a mental health hospital in the county. The hospital has begun exploring potential land purchases for the project. While construction and opening may take up to two years, Whitfield emphasized the immediate need for qualified mental health professionals, particularly to provide evaluations within the county jail.
The group agreed to reconvene in January 2026. In the interim, the hospital will begin recruiting Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) to provide 24/7 coverage. These professionals will offer mental health evaluations for hospital patients and telehealth services to the county jail. When patients meet inpatient criteria, the hospital will assist in locating available treatment beds within or outside the state.
The November 5 meeting was open to the community, and future sessions will be as well. All interested residents and city, county, or state officials are encouraged to attend and participate in shaping McCurtain County’s mental health strategy.
