With Oklahoma facing a $900-million budget shortage, Governor Mary Fallin has ordered funding cuts to all state-funded agencies. This includes the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office, which is currently trying to regain accreditation. The Medical Examiner's Office lost its accreditation in 2009 when it was found to be deficient in 22 areas.
Amy Elliott, Chief Administrative Officer of the Medical Examiner's Office, has cited more personel and updated equipment as a major factor in relieving the backlog of cases, one of the areas in which the office was found to be deficient. The next step, she says, is fixing the infrastructure problems currently facing the Tulsa and Oklahoma City branches, which include leaks, mold, and too few examination tables.
Progress may be put on hold, however, while the State budget is on the decline, partially due to falling oil prices.