OU Health will receive more than $39 million worth of COVID-19 relief money for mental health care, but the funding comes with a controversial stipulation.| MORE | Bill requires OU Children’s Hospital to stop performing gender-affirming care to get relief money Oklahoma lawmakers on Thursday voted to require the hospital group to stop requiring some services for transgender people. Senate Bill 3 allocates more than $39 million to OU Health for a children’s mental health center. That money, according to the bill, comes with the requirement that OU stops providing gender reassignment or affirming care to children – even though the funding was never going to that specific department. Following Thursday’s vote, several Oklahomans provided their different perspectives, arguing the legislation protects children while others say it does just the opposite.”Who would do that? Who would take away a doctor from a child, especially, I mean, trans youth have some of the highest percentage of suicide rates,” said Shay Wilson of Oklahoma City. Shay and Sara Bell-Wilson, who learned about the legislation Wednesday night, have a 10-year-old who is transgender. They said they are horrified by Thursday’s vote.”They watch the news with us. So, they’ve seen you guys talk about it. They were angry about it last night. They’re going to be angry about it today,” Wilson said. “There are other doctor’s offices because this is mainly for OU, but it’s still limiting where they can go.” Others at the state Capitol argue Senate Bill 3 prevents children from permanent harm.”We just want to protect kids so that they can get to an age to make those decisions on their own and not be coerced into it or groomed into it,” Karen Flack said. Karen and Joe Flack drove from Stillwater to listen to Thursday’s morning debate.”We are taxpaying citizens, and we do not want our money going to that ideology, and we should have a say so in that,” Karen Flack said. Both the House and Senate passed Senate Bill 3. It goes into effect as soon as Gov. Kevin Stitt signs it.OU Health officials told KOCO 5 that they will cease some of their gender-affirming care.
OU Health will receive more than $39 million worth of COVID-19 relief money for mental health care, but the funding comes with a controversial stipulation.
| MORE | Bill requires OU Children’s Hospital to stop performing gender-affirming care to get relief money
Oklahoma lawmakers on Thursday voted to require the hospital group to stop requiring some services for transgender people.
Senate Bill 3 allocates more than $39 million to OU Health for a children’s mental health center. That money, according to the bill, comes with the requirement that OU stops providing gender reassignment or affirming care to children – even though the funding was never going to that specific department.
Following Thursday’s vote, several Oklahomans provided their different perspectives, arguing the legislation protects children while others say it does just the opposite.
“Who would do that? Who would take away a doctor from a child, especially, I mean, trans youth have some of the highest percentage of suicide rates,” said Shay Wilson of Oklahoma City.
Shay and Sara Bell-Wilson, who learned about the legislation Wednesday night, have a 10-year-old who is transgender. They said they are horrified by Thursday’s vote.
“They watch the news with us. So, they’ve seen you guys talk about it. They were angry about it last night. They’re going to be angry about it today,” Wilson said. “There are other doctor’s offices because this is mainly for OU, but it’s still limiting where they can go.”
Others at the state Capitol argue Senate Bill 3 prevents children from permanent harm.
“We just want to protect kids so that they can get to an age to make those decisions on their own and not be coerced into it or groomed into it,” Karen Flack said.
Karen and Joe Flack drove from Stillwater to listen to Thursday’s morning debate.
“We are taxpaying citizens, and we do not want our money going to that ideology, and we should have a say so in that,” Karen Flack said.
Both the House and Senate passed Senate Bill 3. It goes into effect as soon as Gov. Kevin Stitt signs it.
OU Health officials told KOCO 5 that they will cease some of their gender-affirming care.