Health

Director of Oklahoma's juvenile affairs office leaves to lead Human Services department

By Emma Murphy of Oklahoma Voice

Published August 29, 2024 at 5:05 AM CDT

Two men talk outside a Department of Human Services office in Oklahoma City. The agency plans to open 80 new offices across the state over the next year.

An executive at Oklahoma’s juvenile affairs agency will now lead the Oklahoma Human Services department.

Jeffrey Cartmell was appointed as the next executive director of the human services department Wednesday by Gov. Kevin Stitt. He’s served as executive director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs since his appointment in October 2023.

Jeffrey Cartmell was appointed as the director of the Oklahoma Human Services department Wednesday.

Cartmell’s first day will be Sept. 16. The current director, Deborah Shropshire, announced she was resigning Aug. 20. Her last day is Sept. 13 but the agency said would be available to aid Cartmell in his transition to the agency.

“It’s an honor to continue to serve the State of Oklahoma under Gov. Stitt’s leadership,” Cartmell said in a statement. “The Department of Human Service serves hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans every day, many of them facing some of the most challenging and vulnerable circumstances. I’m eager to continue building on the momentum at DHS and investing in programs and resources that support the Governor’s top ten vision.”

Prior to his appointment at the Office of Juvenile Affairs, Cartmell worked as general counsel for Secretary of State Brian Bingman and as deputy general counsel to Stitt and former Gov. Mary Fallin. He has also worked as an attorney in the private sector and in leadership at the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.

“Jeffrey goes above and beyond to help Oklahomans – that’s who he is,” Stitt said in a statement. “The Office of Juvenile Affairs flourished under his leadership, and I’m confident he will bring the same level of excellence to Human Services.

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services did not immediately respond to a question about Cartmell’s salary and benefits.

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