Governor Stitt Ends COVID-19 State of Emergency
On Tuesday, Governor Stitt
issued an executive order ending the COIVD-19 State of Emergency for Oklahoma. The end of the emergency triggered changes to emergency provisions around agency hiring and spending as well as Senate Bill 300, passed last year to grant health care facilities and providers immunity from civil liability related to COVID-19 treatment. Temporary amendments to the Open Meeting Act provided through SB 1031 to allow virtual meetings will also expire next month. Health center boards are no longer considered public bodies under the Open Meeting Act thanks to the passage of HB 1690.
Watch Governor Stitt's full video address on the end of the COVID-19 State of Emergency on YouTube.
HHS Eases Restrictions on Administering Buprenorphine
On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released
Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder. The new guidelines exempt eligible physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse midwives from federal certification requirements related to training, counseling and other ancillary services that are part of the process for obtaining a waiver to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine.
Read the press release