Oklahoma Public Health Association

POLICY DAY

OPHA's mission is to protect and promote public health in Oklahoma through education, practice, and advocacy. Our policy activities – especially our annual Policy Day – combine all three modes of action into one event in Oklahoma City each spring! OPHA's annual Policy Day is held at or down the street from the state Capitol one day during Oklahoma's legislative session, typically during National Public Health Week, to learn about evidenced-based policy in community with one another, discuss front burner bills that are moving (or should not be moving) through the legislative session, and speak with legislators about public health bills important to them.

2026 Policy Day

OPHA's 2026 Policy Day will be held during National Public Health Week on Thursday, April 9th, 2026! Like last year, this year's Policy Day will be split between education-only activities at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) and advocacy-based activities at the state Capitol. The education portion at OKCNP will be hybrid, while our activities at the Capitol are in-person only All public and allied-health people and organizations are welcome to participate. Please stay tuned for a finalized schedule to be posted in spring 2026.

Organizations interested in tabling at the education-only portion of the event at OKCNP may email Executive & Policy Director, McKenzie Cowlbeck, to reserve a table at no cost!
Interested in supporting OPHA's annual Policy Day? Donate to us directly or reach out to McKenzie Cowlbeck!
Continuing education credits will be available at no cost to OPHA members and CHWs.

2025 Policy Day

OPHA's 2025 Policy Day was awesome! More than 70 public health students and practitioners from across Oklahoma convened virtually and at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and the Oklahoma State Capitol on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. We heard from eight policy experts or advocates across nine policy topic areas, learned the basics of Oklahoma's legislative process and the differences between education, advocacy, and lobbying, and enjoyed tasty local treats from Not Your Average Joe, Elemental, and Catalyst Cookies. You can review the day's packed scheduled on the event flyer and below!

@ OKCNP – thank you TSET & Oklahoma Turning Point Council for your generous sponsorships & support!

- 9:30 am – Arrive, check in, sip on Not Your Average Joe coffee, and mingle with fellow attendees and partner organizations sharing their priorities. Tabling partners include American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), ACLU of OK, DCCCA, Metriarch, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), Take Control Initiative (TCI), Teen Empower, TSET, YAHL & YWCA OKC!
- 10:30-11:00 am – Policy 101 Presentation by McKenzie Cowlbeck (OPHA)
- 11:00-11:30 am – Bill Updates
- - Representative Daniel Pae on HB 2012, extending state harm reduction services
  - Cindy Nguyen (ACLU of OK) on housing, immigration, & voting bills
  - Priscilla McFolling (midwifery advocate) on HB 2298, independent APRN prescribing
  - Lauren Carter Ford (TSET) & Matt Glanville (ACS CAN) on tobacco control bills
- 11:30 am-12:00 pm – Light lunch from Elemental & treats from Catalyst Cookies!
- 12:00-12:30pm – More bill updates!
- Tommy Yap (Tommy Yap Advocacy Support, LLC) on women’s public health bills
- Lauran Larson (Hunger Free Oklahoma) on SB 806, Food is Medicine Act
- Representative Jacob Rosecrants on HB 1493, requiring ≥30 minutes of recess for preK-5th
- 12:30-1:30pm – Advocacy 101 Presentation to learn the differences between education, advocacy and lobbying, dos and don’ts, and practice talking about policy! Presented by Irissa Baxter-Luper (TCI) and McKenzie Cowlbeck (OPHA)

@ OK State Capitol

1:45-2:00pm – Game plan & divide into groups based on activity – exploring the capitol, meeting your legislators, or advocating with legislators on public health bills!
2:00-4:00pm – Engage & go do your thing! Spend the rest of the afternoon getting comfortable in the capitol building, watching discussion on the chamber floors, meeting your legislators, or putting what you learned during the advocacy 101 training into practice to make asks with legislators.