Oklahoma prisons have stopped widespread COVID testing even as cases spike again across the state
The Department of Corrections does not follow most federal guidelines for testing and masking for staff
For many Oklahomans in crisis, help now comes from an iPad
Oklahoma is spending millions to expand its mental health crisis response system.
The money will provide iPads for law enforcement across the state, build new mental health centers and expand mobile crisis services.
More than 9,400 Oklahomans have died of COVID-19
As of Sep. 9, 9,415 Oklahomans had died, according to CDC data.
In rural Oklahoma, suspicions run high while vaccination rates stay low
Dewey County has the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate in Oklahoma. Locals say politics, mistrust of government and Facebook are to blame.
Five years after voters approved landmark criminal justice reforms, counties are still waiting for mental health funding
The money Oklahoma saved from sending fewer people to prison was supposed to finance county mental health programs. But the Legislature has never sent any money to the fund and no rules have been written for how the money can be spent.
School-age children make up Oklahoma’s largest increase in COVID-19 cases
With schools legally barred from enacting mask mandates, data shows cases in school-age children are driving Oklahoma’s surging COVID-19 case load.
Governor largely silent on the pandemic as COVID cases surge in Oklahoma
Outside of a few swipes at cities and states that shut down during the pandemic last year, Gov. Stitt skirted the topic of COVID-19 in remarks to business leaders, instead focusing on economic growth and his social media war with the animal rights group PETA.
Oklahoma City will mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for police and fire recruits
Oklahoma’s largest city has not yet mandated vaccination for existing police officers and firefighters, which would require negotiations with their unions.
