Welfare Agencies Are A County Govt. Matter

In a previous post we discussed the role of county commissioners in establishing an orphanage & other functions.

The founders and leaders of our state govt. also direct the counties to deal with the other social welfare needs of their own county. 

Very little of these tasks are actually being provided by Oklahoma's 77 county governments. Tulsa County reports that they do run a County Pharmacy which provides some very low-cost medications which were provided to the county from participating medical facilities who donate remaining unused meds that current & former patients were prescribed. They only dispense what they have in stock, at the time.

§56-31.  Overseers of the indigent.

The county commissioners of the counties of this state shall be overseers of the indigent for their respective counties, and shall perform all the duties with reference to the indigent of their counties that may be prescribed by law and under such restrictions as the county commissioners shall consider most advantageous for the interests of their respective counties and the welfare of the people therein.

R.L. 1910, § 4525.  Amended by Laws 1994, c. 87, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

§56-32.  Duties of overseers.

The overseers of the indigent in each county shall have the oversight and care of all the indigent persons in their county so long as such persons remain a county charge.  Such overseers shall see that the indigent are taken care of in the manner provided by law, and under such restrictions as the county commissioners shall consider most advantageous for the interests of their respective counties and the welfare of the people therein.

R.L. 1910, § 4526.  Amended by Laws 1994, c. 87, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

§56-32.1.  Authority to establish county department.

In all counties of this state having a population in excess of two hundred thousand (200,000), as shown by the last Federal Decennial Census, the boards of county commissioners are hereby given authority in their respective counties to establish a department which shall be known as the "Human Services Center" or "Social Services Center," wherein may be housed the "Indigent Care Facility" and any other services for the care of the indigent which the board of county commissioners may deem to be in the best interests of their respective counties and the welfare of the people therein.

Added by Laws 1994, c. 87, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.