The Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure on July 16 voted to remove practice restrictions from the license of Dr. James Wooten and grant him an unrestricted license conditioned on completion of a board-approved reentry plan and affiliation with the state Physician Health Program (PHP) for a minimum of five years.

The board’s action follows testimony from Dr. James Wooten, who described repeated difficulties obtaining employment after a prior suspension and reinstatement and detailed treatment and remediation steps he has taken. "I made a terrible mistake. What I did was immoral and unethical and unprofessional," Wooten told the board. "I beg you to please lift these restrictions. Personally, I agree with them, but they've forbidden the ability to move forward professionally." Lorraine Boykin, Wooten’s attorney, asked the board to remove formal license restrictions to allow him to obtain work that would enable him to complete required reentry steps.

The vote came after the board met in executive session to consider the petition. Doctor Givens, the board secretary, announced the board’s decision on returning from closed session and said the unrestricted license is conditional on a reentry agreement and PHP monitoring. Board members instructed Dr. Wooten to follow up with the executive director for specifics and for Doctor Cleveland to arrange the reentry plan and PHP affiliation.

Why it matters: The board’s decision removes a formal barrier that Dr. Wooten said prevented credentialing and billing with Medicare, TRICARE and commercial insurers and blocked opportunities with several employers, including a recent short stint at Northwest Mississippi Regional. The conditional unrestricted status allows the physician to pursue work while remaining subject to monitoring and a formal reentry plan.

Key facts and context: Dr. Wooten said his license had been suspended in 2023 and reinstated in March 2023 with restrictions requiring a preceptorship, a psychosexual evaluation and other oversight. He testified he worked about three weeks for Northwest Mississippi Regional before billing-privilege issues led to termination and that other prospective employers — including Indian Health Service, the VA and a Biloxi AIDS clinic — required an unrestricted license. Wooten said he has sought counseling, completed CME on prescribing and recordkeeping, and spent nine weeks in a professional-program placement at Pine Grove in Hattiesburg. He said financial hardship followed the disciplinary process.

Board direction and conditions: The board’s announcement named three conditions: (1) execution and completion of a board-approved reentry plan, (2) enrollment and affiliation with the PHP for monitoring for at least five years, and (3) follow-up coordination via the executive director for plan specifics. During the hearing Paul Barnes, who presented the board’s staff overview, indicated the board can enter reentry agreements that result in an unrestricted license on the board’s records while preserving monitoring and other requirements through written reentry plans.

What the board did not decide: The board’s order does not eliminate monitoring or rehabilitation obligations; it converts formal license restrictions into conditions attached to an unrestricted license through a reentry agreement and PHP monitoring. The board did not provide a timeline in open session for each step in the reentry plan; members directed the licensee to coordinate implementation details with staff.

Evidence in the record: Wooten’s testimony and counsel’s requests were taken on the public record during the hearing. The board placed the matter in executive session before issuing the conditional approval and instructed staff to finalize the written reentry agreement.

Looking ahead: Dr. Wooten and his counsel are to work with the board’s executive director and Doctor Cleveland to finalize the reentry plan and PHP affiliation. Board staff said additional questions about reentry specifics should be directed to the executive director.