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on reserves from the Rainy Day ing a face-to-face meeting be-

Fund – $3 million will be used tween the governor’s office, the
during the current fiscal year Oklahoma Health Care Authority
to address projected revenues and them, he said.
shortfalls, another half in fiscal Thirty-six House members
year starting July 1 and half of and nine Senate members
what remains in the plan for the signed onto the letter to the
fiscal year starting July 1, 2021. governor. The House members
The budget for the fiscal year included 30 Republicans and six
starting July 1 also uses fund bal- Democrats. The Senate members
ance developed in the first three included eight Republicans and
quarters of the current fiscal year one Democrat. –Staff report
to stabilize the General Fund.
In the current fiscal year, $6.6
million of fund balance will be OKLAHOMA CITY
used to offset unexpected lost 4 Goodwill Industries
revenue and in the next fiscal
year, $9.3 million in fund balance seeks donations
will be used. With unemployment near-
To ensure the city’s reserves ing historic levels, Goodwill, a
remain adequate to meet emer- century-old organization that Variety Care women’s health nurse practitioner Lisa Hays, right, and medical assistant Alma Caldera, left,
gency needs, a $19.7 million helps people find work, is facing are visiting with more patients through telehealth visits at Variety Care in Oklahoma City since the onset
operating reserve is preserved a struggle of its own. of COVID-19. COURTESY PHOTO/COMPSOURCE MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
so the city is still able to respond “We’ve had to close our stores
quickly to unexpected natural
disasters.
and donation centers due to the
pandemic and furlough over
CompSource donates $250,000 for COVID-19 response
Bynum already announced 650 of our employees,” said Jim OKLAHOMA CITY – Comp- to being a reliable partner in be thoughtfully distributed to
city non-sworn employees would Priest, president and CEO of Source Mutual Insurance Co. is our communities’ responses, United Way agencies on the
be taking furlough days every Goodwill Industries of Central donating $250,000 to assist in which we first demonstrated front lines of the COVID-19
Friday in half-day increments Oklahoma. “The revenue from the COVID-19 response. earlier this month by imple- crisis,” said United Way of
from May-December to realize our stores supplies 85% of the Three separate funds in menting measures to help Central Oklahoma President
$4 million in savings, which to- income we need to fund our Oklahoma City and Tulsa are CompSource policyholders and CEO Debby Hampton.
tals 17 furlough days. The hiring mission. That mission – helping receiving donations from who are struggling financially “These agencies are helping
and travel freeze for all positions people overcome challenges to CompSource Mutual. to pay their premiums. This address the full picture of the
funded by the General Fund and employment – is more critical The University of Oklahoma donation is the next step and needs resulting from this cri-
other sales-tax supported funds now than ever. We need help so Health Sciences Center and supports our guiding principle sis, from offering support for
will also continue for the fiscal we can help others.” OU Medicine Fund will receive to improve the communities those dealing with stress or
year starting July 1. There will no Employees who might other- $100,000 earmarked for assist- in which we live and work. I anxiety, to meeting practical,
service level increases in FY21. wise struggle to find meaningful ing medical personnel. am grateful to our leadership short-term financial needs for
–Staff report work because of developmental The Tulsa Area COVID-19 team for approving this vitally vulnerable populations.”
challenges or life circumstances Response Fund, formed by important assistance for three In Tulsa, the donation will
gain skills and independence, the Tulsa Area United Way and organizations who are work- be used to cover meals and
OKLAHOMA CITY earn wages and prepare for jobs the Tulsa Community Founda- ing directly in support of first nutrition resources for medical
4 Humphrey seeks at Goodwill’s 25 retail stores and tion, will receive a $100,000 responders, medical profes- providers and first responders
20 attended donation centers. donation. sionals and affected families in facing unplanned expenses
rural medical help The presence of those centers in Similarly, the United Way of our state.” due to COVID-19.
State Rep. Justin Humphrey, Oklahoma City and Norman and Central Oklahoma’s COVID-19 In Oklahoma City, the do- With the OU Health Scienc-
R-Lane, on Wednesday sent a let- other areas of the state, includ- Response Fund will receive nation will be used to assist es Center, the donation will
ter to the governor concerning ing Stillwater, Shawnee, Ardmore $50,000. United Way organizations be used directly to provide
medical supply provider rates. and Ada, is vital for seniors, vet- “Our policyholders include serving families and those af- food and shelter for medical
Humphrey said rural medi- erans and single parents. many Oklahoma businesses fected by COVID-19, including personnel quarantined away
cal supply companies are shar- Goodwill operates training that are currently experienc- funding telehealth services from home.
ing concerns centers, provides access to ap- ing the emotional, physical for vulnerable populations CompSource provides
about changes prenticeships and coordinates and financial tolls of this through Variety Care, and rent workers’ compensation cover-
Gov. Kevin certificate program attendance pandemic,” said CompSource and utility payment assistance age to roughly 1 in 3 compa-
Stitt is plan- so job seekers can gain cre- Mutual President and CEO Ja- through Upward Transitions. nies in the state.
ning for dentials quickly. Program par- son Clark. “We are committed “Their donation today will –Staff report
medical sup- ticipants provide janitorial and
ply provider unarmed security services to
rates across businesses and 26 state-owned
the state of buildings through state-use con- Oklahoma City-based Cy- cines for patients with chronic over 1 million laboratory tests
Oklahoma. tracts. The organization served tovance Biologics is a contract viral infections as well as pro- and feel uniquely positioned to
Justin
Humphrey “These busi- more than 1,800 vulnerable development and manufactur- phylactic vaccines to prevent join the fight to control the CO-
ness owners Oklahomans in 2019 and helped ing organization and a subsidiary infections. VID-19 outbreak in Oklahoma
are indicating 312 people find employment. of the Shenzhen Hepalink Phar- Cytovance will scale up pro- and particularly within our
the governor’s changes could Although retail stores will maceutical Group Co. Ajsgata is duction using its GMP insect often-vulnerable tribal and rural
possibly result in 40% to 50% reopen as soon as possible, mis- a Canadian development stage cell microbial manufacturing communities,’ said Tribal Diag-
cuts in current provider rates,” sion-critical funding is needed. biotechnology company. platform for evaluation of the nostics CEO Cory Littlepage,
Humphrey said. “This would dev- Donations can be made online at “Our Open Innovation pro- Chimigen technology in hu- who is a citizen of the Chicka-
astate the rural medical supply www.okgoodwill.org/donate. gram has a primary focus of mans for SARS CoV-2 coronavi- saw Nation.
industry and would very likely –Staff report bringing new and state-of-the- rus and chronic hepatitis B. Tribal Diagnostics started the
result in forcing many suppliers art technology into our com- –Staff report first phase of coronavirus test-
to close their businesses. Okla- pany. This collaboration with Ak- ing, which will test for the CO-
homa struggles with providing OKLAHOMA CITY shaya is a great example of our VID-19 antibody, on Thursday.
health care and medical supplies 4 commitment to innovation,” said The serology blood antibody
Cytovance in 4
OKLAHOMA CITY
to the rural parts of our state April Stanley, associate director Tribal Diagnostics test is designed to identify if a
as it is. The governor’s actions agreement with of open innovation at Cytovance. person has previously had the
would mean that rural Oklaho- Akshaya Under the terms of the col- starts virus testing coronavirus.
mans will have reduced access Cytovance Biologics has laboration agreement, the Tribal Diagnostics on Thurs- The second phase, which
to medical equipment and a de- entered into a collaboration companies will focus on using day said it is set to begin ac- is set to start in May, includes
crease in services.” agreement with Akshaya Bio Akshaya’s proprietary Chimigen cepting COVID-19 samples from a nasal swab molecular poly-
The Oklahoma Health Care Inc. to provide rapid access to Platform Technology to execute health care providers across the merase chain reaction test that
Authority has not provided a clinical materials using Akshaya’s bulk drug products of both country. detects the presence of the
clear plan, Humphrey said. Thus, proprietary Chimigen Platform COVID-19 and HBV vaccines to Tribal Diagnostics is a Native virus and identifies if a person
medical supply companies are Technology for vaccine develop- be used in Phase I clinical trials. American-owned diagnostics currently has COVID-19. The test
requesting a clearer and more ment for COVID-19 and hepatitis Akshaya uses the Chimigen Plat- laboratory in Oklahoma City, is currently in development.
transparent plan. They are seek- B vaccine. form to develop therapeutic vac- “We have now conducted –Staff report