StateImpact Oklahoma

25/07/2024

“Summer slide” is the phenomenon of students losing ground academically during the summer break.

StateImpact visited two Oklahoma schools that provide free, multi-week summer programming to see how districts hope to make a dent in learning loss:

“Summer slide” is the phenomenon of students losing ground academically during the summer break.

24/07/2024

The National Institutes of Health awarded an Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist $2.4 million to study disease-causing genetic mutations.

The $2.4 million grant will be used to study genes related to neurological disorders, hearing loss and musculoskeletal diseases.

17/07/2024

OU Health was selected as the only medical provider in Oklahoma among 400 sites nationally to participate in a new program, meant to support people with dementia and their caregivers.

The GUIDE Model from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will build on the services OU Health provides in its memory care clinic.

16/07/2024

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported its first human case and death from the West Nile Virus, which spreads through mosquito bites. Here’s how to protect yourself.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported its first case and death from the West Nile Virus. Here's how to protect yourself from it.

11/07/2024

Through the mandate, the Biden administration aims to tackle the issue of chronic staffing shortages, which can impact the quality of care seniors receive.

But Oklahoma nursing homes say it asks them to find staff they can’t afford and that doesn’t exist.

Oklahoma nursing homes are preparing for staffing rules finalized in April by the Biden administration, meant to improve safety and quality of care in long-term care facilities.

03/07/2024

An estimated 4,000 Oklahomans traveled to Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Illinois to obtain an abortion in 2023.

A study found an estimated 4,000 Oklahomans traveled to Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Illinois to obtain an abortion in 2023.

28/06/2024

State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced a mandate Thursday to put Bibles in every classroom and for every educator to teach from them. But despite making splashy national headlines, the details about the policy grew murkier throughout the day.

In followup clarification, Walters said the mandate will apply only to fifth through twelfth grade social studies and English classes. And adding more confusion, the state attorney general's office says it doesn't read the memo as a requirement to teach the Bible. Walters says more details are forthcoming.

We break down what we know and how the mandate would work within the current academic standards framework:

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said during opening comments of Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting that “every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom.”

26/06/2024

Oklahoma seniors will outnumber children in the next ten years, meaning more services will be necessary to meet their needs.

Oklahoma Human Services unveiled a plan Tuesday to handle the shift based on input from stakeholders.

Oklahoma Human Services unveiled a plan Tuesday to support the state's growing number of seniors based on input from stakeholders.

25/06/2024

Two years ago, Roe v. Wade was overturned, triggering a near-total abortion ban in Oklahoma. Oklahomans and advocacy groups from bordering states gathered outside the state capitol Monday to rally against these restrictions.

In tandem with strikes held across the country, advocates at the OKC Women’s Strike commemorated what they said is the somber anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling.

25/06/2024

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the state’s contract with the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School was unconstitutional and must be rescinded. St. Isidore would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school:

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the state’s contract with what would be the first publicly funded religious school is unconstitutional and must be rescinded.

21/06/2024

Democratic lawmakers say they have "more questions than answers" after a LOFT report on the State Department of Education's federal grant spending showed $1.4 million was left on the table due to an exodus of employees from the agency and poor record-keeping:

The Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency presented its report to lawmakers Thursday on federal grant funding for the State Department of Education and on the agency’s authority in student testing rulemaking.

18/06/2024

The settlement is meant to improve the ODMHSAS’ delivery of court-ordered mental health treatment to county jail inmates.

But Gov. Kevin Stitt said it “is not in the best interest of the state or the patients the agency serves."

Oklahoma's attorney general filed a proposed settlement with plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit against the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

17/06/2024

Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed parts of a budget bill Friday that would have put guardrails on State Superintendent Ryan Walters' public relations spending.

But minutes later, he issued an order to ban taxpayer spending on self promotion for all state employees and curb PR contracts. Read more here:

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the budget bill for the State Department of Education into law Friday and vetoed two sections that would have put guardrails on State Superintendent Ryan Walters. But shortly after, he issued an executive order that covered some of lawmakers’ concerns.

14/06/2024

An Oklahoma reproductive rights group says although it’s happy the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a case that would have restricted access to the abortion pill mifepristone, there will likely be more battles surrounding the issue in the future.

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a case Thursday that would have restricted access to mifepristone. An Oklahoma reproductive rights group commented on the case.

14/06/2024

OU Health completed Oklahoma's first liver transplant to treat an aggressive form of bile duct cancer.

The new service could provide options for some patients who will no longer have to leave the state to receive care.

OU Health completed Oklahoma's first liver transplant to treat an aggressive form of bile duct cancer.

07/06/2024

StateImpact Oklahoma education reporter Beth Wallis and health reporter Jillian Taylor spoke with managing editor Logan Layden about some of this year's legislative highlights.

StateImpact education reporter Beth Wallis and health reporter Jillian Taylor talk with managing editor Logan Layden about some of this year's legislative highlights.

07/06/2024

Oklahoma Sen. David Bullard invited health care providers from his hometown and beyond to discuss the challenges they're experiencing in the state’s transition to managed Medicaid, or SoonerSelect.

Oklahoma Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant) invited health care providers from his hometown and beyond to discuss the state’s transition to managed Medicaid, or SoonerSelect.

06/06/2024

“This school is not appropriate for all students, so it should not get public funds,” said plaintiff lawyer Alex Luchenitser after the hearing. “It should be a private school. It should not try to be a public school.”

Plaintiffs in one of the cases against what would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school beat one hurdle Wednesday:

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against what would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school, the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School, beat one hurdle in their case Wednesday.

05/06/2024

The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board awarded $11 million in grants to 71 cities, counties, school districts and public trusts, to help them address the state’s opioid crisis during its Tuesday meeting.

03/06/2024

Oklahoma’s largest community health center Variety Care is partnering with the behavioral health services provider NorthCare effective June 15.

The goal is to enhance the group’s collaboration and improve Oklahomans’ physical and mental health.

Oklahoma’s largest community health center is partnering with a behavioral health services provider effective June 15 to enhance the group’s collaboration and improve Oklahomans’ physical and mental health.

30/05/2024

More than 600,000 Oklahomans on Medicaid are now seeing their care coordinated by private insurance companies.

Proponents say the rollout has been going well, but some providers and the people they serve are experiencing challenges.

More than 600,000 Oklahomans on Medicaid are now seeing their care coordinated by private insurance companies. Proponents say the change incentivizes preventative care, and its rollout has been going well. But, it has caused problems for some Oklahomans on Medicaid and smaller providers.

24/05/2024

Thursday's State Board of Education meeting debuted a new randomized public comment process. Supt. Walters said the changes were made to address "out-of-state activists" paid to "hijack" the meetings - a claim he says he'll later provide proof for:

Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting featured a new public comment process, a sizable number of teaching certificates suspended and new supports announced for the state’s largest school district.

23/05/2024

Keeping kids active and healthy can be an uphill battle, especially in the age of smartphones, video games and other distractions. A new volunteer initiative in Edmond is getting kids’ hearts pumping — and their wheels turning.

20/05/2024

Oklahoma public schools are dealing with bus driver shortages by upping pay, canceling trips, packing buses, doubling up routes, staggering start times, and getting administrators and teachers to fill the gaps. More on SIOK's analysis of the problem here:

Statewide, Oklahoma public schools are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers — and they’re struggling to adapt.

15/05/2024

An analysis of national data found that only 12 child and adolescent psychiatrists are available for Oklahoma City’s 173,700 youth, nearly 35,000 of whom are considered “at-risk."

Oklahoma City has one of the most significant needs for child and adolescent psychiatrists, according to a review from a national nonprofit representing these professionals.

07/05/2024

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law intending to reduce Oklahoma’s growing maternal death rate by requiring hospitals to make a reasonable effort to report all maternal deaths to the Chief Medical Examiner within 72 hours.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law intending to reduce Oklahoma’s growing maternal death rate.

06/05/2024

Most of Oklahoma’s Medicaid population is transitioning to managed care, where the OHCA pays private companies to coordinate some enrollees’ care.

StateImpact's health reporter, Jillian Taylor, spoke with Lou Carmichael, the CEO of Variety Care, to learn more about the move.

The transition to managed Medicaid has been decades in the making. StateImpact’s Jillian Taylor spoke with Lou Carmichael, the CEO of Variety Care, about how it all happened.

30/04/2024

Mercy Health Love County hospital in Marietta is transferring patients and temporarily suspending services after Saturday night's deadly tornado outbreak. Officials say the hospital is trying to set up virtual appointments in the meantime:

Health care services at Mercy Health Love County in Marietta are temporarily unavailable after a deadly tornado Saturday night left severe damage.

29/04/2024

Sulphur Public Schools’ superintendent says there's been an "outpouring of support" after a deadly tornado that left the district's entire bus fleet destroyed. He's working with nearby schools to provide transportation for the rest of the school year:

Sulphur Public Schools is working to get students back into the classroom later this week after Saturday night’s deadly tornado outbreak. The storm destroyed its bus fleet, but it’s working with nearby schools to find transportation for the remainder of the school year.