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DHS says developmental‑disability waitlist narrowed to about two years; requests FMAP and provider‑rate funding
Summary
Department of Human Services Director John Cartmell told the Senate HHS subcommittee that the department has reduced the developmental disability (DD) waiver waitlist from more than a decade to roughly two years and cited continuing needs in child welfare, childcare capacity, and the Advantage Waiver for aging Oklahomans. DHS asked for a $7.7 m
Department of Human Services Director John Cartmell told the Senate Health and Human Services subcommittee the agency has substantially reduced the developmental disabilities waitlist and is seeking two appropriations adjustments for fiscal 2026: a federal‑match (FMAP) shortfall and a provider‑rate uplift to restore a prior one‑time payment.
"We've completed the original seven cohorts. So everyone who was on the wait list before May second of 2022 are now receiving services or are no longer in need of services for a variety of reasons," Cartmell said, summarizing months of program work to place eligible individuals into services.
Nut graf: DHS presented gains on the DD waitlist and improved customer‑service metrics, but the agency also signaled continuing pressures from childcare capacity, an aging population that will increase long‑term care demand, unfilled positions and the need to make provider‑rate funding whole after last year’s adjustments.
Key points from testimony
Waitlist and child welfare: Cartmell said the DD waitlist that once stretched more than a decade has been moved substantially forward; cohorts 8 and 9 were in process. He also reported a continuing decline in children removed to state custody, from just over 6,300 in 2023 to about 5,700 at the most recent count, a trend he tied to prevention and in‑home services.
Budget requests: The department outlined two primary requests: roughly $7.7 million to cover the state share caused by a lower FMAP (federal match) and a $15 million amount the director said would restore a provider rate increase that had been funded with one‑time cash in the prior year. Cartmell said the $15 million insertion was added late to the FY‑26 request to make the prior one‑time payment recurring.
Customer service and operations: Cartmell said the agency has improved customer access in several program areas, noting the Division of Child Care and Development reduced application processing times significantly and lowered call wait times to under two minutes in a recently reorganized unit. He provided a customer service figure of roughly 87 percent first‑contact resolution in one division.
Childcare capacity and rules: Cartmell described licensed child‑care facility counts falling from about 3,100 in July 2024 to about 3,061 in December 2024 and square‑foot capacity declining from roughly 127,000 to about 126,000; he cautioned that the square‑foot measure can be misleading as a proxy for actual available daily slots. DHS plans rule changes intended to restore national accreditation as the top tier in its five‑star model to reduce subsidy costs and align quality tiers.
Workforce and FTEs: The department reported a material number of open PINs (unfilled positions), estimating it was about 550 FTEs below budgeted FY‑25 levels; Cartmell described plans to reduce unused budgeted pins and reallocate funding toward frontline pay and retention where necessary.
Advantage Waiver planning: Cartmell said the agency intends to develop a strategic plan for the Advantage Waiver Program, which provides home‑based supports to older Oklahomans, and cautioned the aging population will increase demand for in‑home care over the coming decade.
Ending: Cartmell asked for continued legislative partnership while DHS tests assumptions and prioritizes requests; he offered to provide more detailed breakouts as the budget process continues.
