OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed attorney Robert McCampbell as special counsel to begin an independent investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS).

KRMG and FOX23 have brought you coverage for several weeks now on how the state legislature has held multiple hearings to investigate the $60-million shortfall within the mental health agency.

Now, Stitt has granted the attorney full authority to investigate the possible financial mismanagement at the department.

“Robert and his team will leave no stone unturned, because the people of Oklahoma deserve to know exactly what went wrong and who is responsible,” said Governor Stitt. “I want ODMHSAS to earn the public’s trust and operate with the integrity that Oklahomans expect and deserve. These problems didn’t develop overnight and solving them won’t happen overnight either. But we are moving quickly, and we are not looking the other way.”

Stitt sent a letter to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton earlier this month about the special counsel appointment, saying it was part of a larger set of reforms to stabilize the agency. McCampbell will report directly to the the Gov. Stitt’s Office during the independent investigation.

You can read Stitt’s full letter to McCampbell by clicking here.