Mental Health Association Oklahoma: A Living Wage Is a Health Issue
By Carrie Blumert MPH,
Oklahoma’s minimum wage has been stagnant at $7.25 per hour since 2009. I think we all can agree, 2009 was a different time: the iPhone was shiny and new, gas around $1.50/gallon, and the BOK Center had just made its debut in Tulsa. I was finishing up my undergraduate degree and about to learn how the “real world” works.
A lot has changed since then. Grocery prices are up significantly, rents have more than doubled, basic healthcare hasn’t gotten any cheaper. We pride ourselves on being a state that offers a low cost of living, but for our friends and neighbors who earn minimum wage, living is expensive.
At Mental Health Association Oklahoma, we’ve seen that change in the faces of people we serve. Folks living on the margins, holding on by a thread, terrified that one unexpected expense will push them and their families into the unknown. Skipping meals to pay for life saving medication, a notice for eviction court, and then, homelessness.
As one of Oklahoma’s largest affordable housing providers, we see everyday the dramatic impact low wages have on housing stability and mental health outcomes. The need for our services continues to grow each year and we, as a state, cannot continue offering the same answers and expect different results.
That’s why we’re supporting YES on State Question 832 on June 16 to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage for the first time in 17 years.
State Question 832 is an opportunity to create greater stability for working Oklahomans and strengthen the long-term health and stability of our communities. All Oklahoma workers deserve a living wage – and on June 16, we can take a big step towards achieving that goal.
If you work a full time job, you should be able to afford basic rent, utilities, groceries, and transportation. Full stop. This is not negotiable for us and it shouldn’t be for you, either.
Experts consider housing truly affordable when a household spends no more than 30% of its monthly income on rent and utilities. At Oklahoma’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, an employee would need to work more than 16 hours a day, seven days a week, to afford average rent costs. I think we can all agree this is not possible.
The data bears this out. Nearly half of Oklahoma households struggle to afford necessities, and 16% are below the federal poverty line. This is certainly not the Oklahoma Standard.
By the end of 2026, 88 jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states across the country, will raise their minimum wage. 79 of those jurisdictions will reach or exceed $15/hour.
Raising the minimum wage is a proven, common sense policy to help working and middle-class families afford housing, with a higher income and more wiggle room to afford rent and emergency expenses.
With a higher minimum wage floor, everyone benefits – and that means less homelessness, less impact on the social safety net, fewer people worried about evictions, and a healthier state overall.
Raising the minimum wage will not solve homelessness on its own. But keeping it frozen is making it worse. State Question 832 is a chance to break that cycle, to build the kind of stable foundation that healthy communities – and healthy Oklahomans – depend on and deserve.
On June 16, join Mental Health Association Oklahoma and vote yes on this common sense, evidence-backed policy that will lift up all Oklahomans.
As Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, Carrie Blumert is dedicated to expanding access to affordable treatment, safe housing, and supportive communities for individuals living with mental illness and addiction. Before joining MHAOK, Carrie was twice elected to serve as Oklahoma County Commissioner, District 1, from 2018 to 2024, becoming the youngest woman elected to that role in state history.
