§43A-3-502.

§43A-3-502.
   
   A. The Commissioner of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
   shall establish a program to provide comprehensive inpatient and
   outpatient mental health care and treatment for deaf and
   hard-of-hearing individuals, and their families who need such
   services. For purposes of the Oklahoma Comprehensive Mental Health
   Services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Act, the term "individuals"
   shall include adults and children.
   
   B. A director for the program shall be appointed by the Commissioner
   of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Such appointment shall
   be made after consultation with the advisory Committee established
   pursuant to Section 3-503 of this title and with the advice and
   approval of the Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
   
   1. The Director shall be a trained professional from the field of
   deafness or a psychiatrist, physician, licensed clinical psychologist,
   licensed clinical social worker, psychiatric nurse who possesses
   professional training and expertise in the field of deafness or have
   other similar professional qualifications, shall have a minimum of
   three (3) years of clinical mental health, adequate administrative
   experience as determined by the Commissioner, and shall meet the
   qualifications for professional staff established pursuant to
   subsection D of this section.
   
   2. The Director shall prepare, in consultation with the advisory
   committee, a plan for the implementation of the Oklahoma Comprehensive
   Mental Health Services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Act.
   
   The Director shall be responsible for the administration and
   supervision of the program established pursuant to the provisions of
   subsection A of this section.
   
   C. Such program shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
   
   1. Inpatient and outpatient treatment; and
   
   2. Evaluation, diagnostic, and information resource services for
   mental health care for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their
   families; and
   
   3. Cooperation with state-supported community mental health programs
   and other community mental health programs and services in order to
   provide mental health care throughout the state for deaf and
   hard-of-hearing individuals and their families; and
   
   4. Services to aid deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who are
   committed to mental health facilities in making the transition from
   inpatient care to independent existence outside of the facility. In
   counties having a population of not less than two hundred fifty
   thousand (250,000) according to the last preceding Federal Decennial
   Census, the program shall include transitional living facilities as
   well as outpatient transitional services provided through community
   mental health centers.
   
   D. The professional staff of the program shall:
   
   1. Have experience in techniques of assessing the mental health
   problems of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families
   and in individual and group psychotherapy with deaf and
   hard-of-hearing individuals and their families; and
   
   2. Have specialized training in the psychosocial aspects of deafness
   and in therapeutic work with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in
   mental health facilities; and
   
   3. Be fluent in receptive and expressive manual communication
   including, but not limited to, American Sign Language, or reach a
   level of fluency in such communication acceptable to the Director of
   the unit within one (1) year of being employed.