The state ranked 18th in economic security, with a grade of “B-.” Among the scores, Oklahoma women overall make 76 cents, African-American women make 64 cents and Hispanic women make 46 cents for each dollar white men in Oklahoma make. We ranked 41st in leadership. Only 36.4 percent of statewide elected executive seats and 13.4 […]
health
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‘No tolerance’ doesn’t teach
In 1999, the committee was shocked to learn that the OKCPS only had 485 alternative school slots for students with behavioral or attendance problems, health conditions, pregnancy or parenting challenges or who were institutionalized. According to the state’s Needs Assessment, the OKCPS needed another 1,205 slots. We also knew that punitive policies, such as “zero […]
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Still fighting
David Green The crafts retailer has until Oct. 21 to file a response to a 251-page appeal filed by U.S. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli and other government attorneys who want the high court to hear more about why the chain should or should not include contraceptives in its required healthcare coverage to employees. Hobby […]
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Health kick
Grant funds will create the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources program, which develops partnerships between the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Native American tribes and physicians across the state. “This gives us access to people and data immediately,” said Courtney Montgomery, Ph.D, an associate member of the […]
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Navigating the maze
Like many nonprofits, the foundation uses its limited funds not for outward appearance but for providing services to people in need. In this case, it offers life skills training, socialization and therapy to central Oklahomans with developmental disabilities who may otherwise have few enriching activities during the day. Available resources at nonprofits also create lower […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Kick asana
In every community — whether fitness, literature, food or sports — a figurehead and esteemed leader emerges. Among those who practice yoga, one such person is Sri BNS Iyengar, hailing from India, the country in which yoga originated in ancient days. “I had no intention of becoming a teacher,” lyengar said with a smile. Even […]
Posted inArts & Culture
New canvas
Art, along with its creation, is a powerful tool that serves as a conduit for human expression. It evolves, and through that evolution, it can be utilized as a means of communication and healing. This September marks the 24th year of National Recovery Month, and in a collaborative effort, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health […]
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Contraception empowers women
It was nearly half a century before the United States Supreme Court, in the landmark 1965 opinion Griswold v. Connecticut, overturned bans on the sale of contraception to married women. Seven years later, the Supreme Court would recognize this same right on behalf of unmarried women. More recently, the Obama administration, under the Affordable Care […]
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A modest proposal
These Republicans, thankfully, have made these decisions for us and have written them into law. I’m so thankful for not having to make these decisions for myself. In fact, I propose that similar laws be passed in Oklahoma to protect men’s reproductive health. How about a law that requires men to visit a sex therapist, […]
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Class act
Mary Kate Henson Credit: Mark Hancock “Childhood obesity in Oklahoma is on the rise in all areas, but in zip codes with lower incomes, lower accessibility to grocery stores and low walkability, poor health trends are even higher,” said Mary Kate Henson, health promotion specialist at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, which established the “Wellness […]