At an April state Capitol gathering, Labor Commissioner Mark Costello told advocates they help others understand that when Oklahomans see people in need “we are looking to the image and likeness of Christ and that we must be humane.
Almost exactly four months ago, in now what seems like a chilling speech, Oklahoma State Labor Commissioner Mark Costello thanked mental health advocates for the help they gave to him and his family.
At an April state Capitol gathering, Costello told advocates they help others understand that when Oklahomans see people in need “we are looking to the image and likeness of Christ and that we must be humane.
“And we must be understanding and understand that society cannot ignore this problem, and if it does so, it does so at its peril.”
Only 116 days later, Costello was dead after his son, Christian Costello, 26, allegedly stabbed him at a Braum’s restaurant in Oklahoma City.
For more than five years, the Costello family tried to find quality, consistent mental health treatment for Christian Costello, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has suffered from paranoid thoughts about his parents, a family spokesman and a source knowledgeable about Christian’s medical history said.
Many struggle
Schizophrenia is a chronic, serious and disabling brain disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. People with the disorder might hear voices other people don’t hear, or they might believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts or plotting to harm them, according to the institute.
In most cases, they are not violent to others.
“Most individuals living with mental illness are not violent, but when substance abuse is also present or treatment is not available, risks can increase,” Mary Giliberti, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Traci Cook, executive director of NAMI Oklahoma, said in a joint statement. “Mental illness can involve many challenges, both for individuals struggling with its effects and for families as a whole. There is no one solution.”
Oklahoma ranks No. 2 in the nation for the highest rates of adults with serious mental illnesses, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Meanwhile, the state ranks No. 46 in the U.S. for the amount of money the state spends on mental health, according to Kaiser Health Foundation.
In general, too many Oklahomans struggle to find access to care in the early stages of their mental illness, said Jeff Dismukes, spokesman at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Additionally, after an Oklahoman suffers from a mental health crisis, finding follow-up care at the community level also can be limited.
“This is a situation that impacts all of us, regardless of whether or not we have private health insurance,” Dismukes said.
“We need to address the need for a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment system. These are issues that have long been of great concern among behavioral health advocates and treatment providers. It is a discussion that should be had, but it should be done at a more appropriate time and in a way that does not cause additional pain for the Costello family.”
‘A difficult thing’
Since October, Christian Costello had been in and out of involuntarily commitments at local psychiatric facilities — the crisis center and St. Anthony’s Behavioral Medicine Center, a source knowledgeable of his medical history said.
He had received medication through NorthCare, an Oklahoma City-based community mental health agency. Since 2010, he’s also had multiple run-ins with the police.
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