The two-day event fostered collaboration, community, and much-needed morale, helping attendees return to their roles inspired, informed, and better equipped to advance public health across the state together.

View materials from the conference:

Review the detailed agenda to see the many breakout sessions offered. Meeting materials are available and sorted by venue rooms:

Slides from sessions in the Main Ballroom (PDF) including:

• “Mapping Oklahoma’s Food is Medicine Landscape: Current Insights and Future Directions” (starting on slide 25)
• “Teen Voices in Oklahoma: How Engaging Youth Can Make a Larger Impact in Local and State Policy” (starting on slide 148)
• “Strengthening Community Health Through Collaboration: The Collaborative Community Health Model for Cross-Sector Engagement and Shared Action” (starting on slide 174)

Slides from sessions in the Carl Albert Room (PDF) including:

• “Health Empowerment Zones: Advancing Health Through Partnership in Oklahoma City” (starting on slide 32)
• “Policy 101: Getting Comfy with Policy and Advocacy” (starting on slide 50)

Learn more on the 2025 OPHA Conference’s official website.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Did you attend the conference? Or do you see a topic that interests you? Head to the Forum to connect with others and discuss how to strengthen public health efforts in Oklahoma.

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About OPHA

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Did you know?

Adolescents see an estimated 16 to 35 food brand messages per hour.
Younger kids see 3 to 8 food brand messages per hour.

Food marketing to kids raises several concerns – from influencing food choices, food purchase requests, and what foods children are willing to eat – to undermining parental authority. Learn more about food marketing to kids from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

An October 2024 research brief, Evidence-Based Recommendations to Mitigate Harms from Digital Food Marketing to Children Ages 2-17 from Healthy Eating Research (HER) presents evidence-based recommendations to reduce children’s exposure to and/or the power of unhealthy digital food marketing. The Executive Summary offers key policies and systems-level solutions, and a Fact Sheet for Parents explains what parents and caregivers can do to limit the harm to kids.

Read more about how food marketing influences kids’ brand preferences in the HER research publication, Analysis of Relationship Between Brand Advertising and Most Loved Brands by Kids.

Episode 55: TSET: Improving Health in Oklahoma for 25 Years

Listen now or subscribe to updates from the TSET Better Health Podcast.

What’s working to advance health and well-being within your community?

Take a few minutes to submit your story to be featured on OK In the Know, and bring light to policies, practices, and programs that are making Oklahoma communities healthier! Learn more about how to have your community health initiative featured in the “Oklahoma Spotlight” section of this site.

Quit the Hit offers a tailored five-week experience that connects participants with professional quit coaches and peers through moderated group chats on Instagram. The program includes daily educational content, interactive group challenges and tools to build confidence and coping skills for long-term success.

“Teens today are surrounded by messages that make vaping seem normal,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “Programs like Quit the Hit provide a positive space on social media where young people can connect, share their challenges and learn how to take control of their health.” 

Since its launch, Quit the Hit has empowered many Oklahoma youth to quit vaping. Participants praise the program’s relatable approach and supportive community.

“If I didn’t have Quit the Hit, I don’t think I would’ve ever quit,” said Cal P., an Oklahoma teen who used the program. “I probably would’ve gone back to the same ways, but because the Quit the Hit program was there, I think I was finally able to completely quit.”

More than 20% of Oklahoma high school students report using vaping products. Nicotine use by youth can disrupt areas of the brain responsible for attention, learning and impulse control, with effects lasting into adulthood. Youth e-cigarette use is also linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety and addiction to other substances.

Youth interested in quitting can enroll at QuitTheHitNow.com. Spots are limited, and a waitlist is available.

More Resources Available for Support

In addition to Quit the Hit, teens aged 13–17 can access My Life, My Quit, a free, confidential one-on-one quit program offering live text support, web chat and phone coaching. To enroll, visit MyLifeMyQuit.com or text “Start My Quit” to 36072.

TSET also offers resources for parents, educators and caregivers. TalkAboutTobacco.com, a resource from Tobacco Stops With Me, a program of TSET, offers tools and tips to help parents and caregivers talk to kids about the dangers of vaping.

Opportunities with Rolling Deadlines

Hometown Grants — T‑Mobile. Apply for up to $50,000 in funding for “shovel-ready” projects that foster local connections, like technology upgrades, outdoor spaces, the arts, and community centers. Grant applications open every quarter and are open to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations and local government entities.

Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) for Schools – Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), Prevention Division. ODMHSAS is coordinating school-based prevention services for the purpose of increasing the number of Oklahoma youth reached by classroom-based, evidence-based program, Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST), to reduce behavioral health problems. Botvin LST is an evidence-based substance use and violence prevention program that has been proven to reduce the risk of alcohol, tobacco, drug use, and violence among children and teens. The LST provides skills in drug resistance, personal self-management, healthy alternatives to risky behaviors, and general social interactions. Selected school sites will be provided with the necessary training and program curriculum to implement Botvin LST at no cost to the school. Interested schools may submit the Botvin LST Interest Application Form (one application per school). This is an open application for information only – this application is solely for information and planning purposes, it does not constitute a promise or commitment to participate in the project. Please direct questions regarding the Botvin LST program to Katelyn Wilson, Prevention Program Manager,  or Vaneesa Anaya, Prevention Program Field Rep.

FY26 Conference and Training Sponsorships – TSET. You may apply for up to $1,000 for a single-day event and up to $2,000 for a multi-day event. Applications are open for events taking place between July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026. Funding is awarded on a first come, first served basis.

If you know of an open opportunity that may be of interest to the OK In the Know community, post a comment below, add it to the Funding Opportunities thread in the Forum [members only] or contact the OK In the Know team.

Looking for Other Ideas?

Oklahoma Funding & Opportunities – Rural Health Information Hub. The RHIHub, an initiative supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), maintains a list of current and past funding programs available to Oklahoma communities.

Funders of Community Health and Wellness Initiatives – OK In the Know. A list of funders that may offer grant money or other support for improving community health & wellness in Oklahoma.

FY26 Funding Opportunities – TSET. Learn about expected funding announcements. Please note that the release of opportunities depends on the availability of funds, and the timing may change.

The mission of the OCC is to improve the supports and experiences over the lifespan of family caregivers through education, advocacy, and access to resources. To further its mission, OCC hosts the OKCares.org website.

Learn More about OCC and OK Cares

Resources Available via OK Cares

• Search a resource directory of services and organizations for family caregivers
• Locate support groups by city, in-person/virtual, and age group.
• Identify respite programs to provide caregivers a temporary break from caregiving duties.

Are you an individual, organization, or a nonprofit agency that currently provides resources to Oklahoma caregivers? Would caregivers benefit from your services or programs?

Become a Partner to participate in the coalition or list your agency’s valuable resource information to be included in the OK Cares Resource Directory.

Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Funding Opportunities from TSET

TSET hosted a webinar on April 16, 2025 featuring anticipated funding opportunities. Please note that the release of these opportunities depends on the availability of funds, and the timing of announcements may change. Watch a webinar overview to learn more about the funding opportunities. Visit TSET’s website for a list of funding opportunities by FY26 quarters and to stay updated on the release dates.

Scroll down to learn more about funding from TSET.

TSET Targeted Achievement Grants (TAG)

TSET’s Targeted Achievement Grants (TAG) invest in local solutions for healthier communities. Grants support evidence-based strategies that help communities increase access to physical activity, improve healthy food options and prevent youth tobacco use. By empowering local governments, tribal nations, nonprofits, K-12 schools and public entities, TSET ensures sustainable change across Oklahoma.

Learn More

TSET Built Environment Grants

TSET Built Environment Grants fund changes for construction projects that improve Oklahomans’ access to healthy food and clean drinking water. The funding will support projects at farmers’ markets, food pantries and schools that aim to transform public spaces and enhance the built environment. These infrastructure projects should promote nutrition, such as community and school gardens and nutrition for students and employees.

Learn More

TSET Healthy Incentive Grants for Communities

These grants program is designed to help cities, towns, and municipalities adopt and implement best and promising practices for tobacco-free environments, access to healthy and nutritious foods, physical activity opportunities in an effort to improve the health, reduce risk factors for heart disease, strokes, cancer and improve quality of life for residents. Applications will open October 24-November 21, 2025!

View a new resource guide to help you with the application.

Learn More

TSET Healthy Incentive Grants for Schools

Healthy behaviors established during childhood carry through to adulthood. To promote and support those healthy behaviors, the TSET Healthy Incentive program offers grants to school districts that adopt policy and implement best and promising practices in tobacco-free environments, nutrition, physical activity and employee wellness. Policy requirements for these grants help to create a learning environment that establishes and supports healthy behaviors for students, teachers and staff. Every public school district in the state is eligible to apply, regardless of previous awards. Applications are now closed. The next application period is expected to open January 9, 2026. 

Learn More

Conference and Training Sponsorships

TSET provides conference and training sponsorships on a rolling basis. You may apply for a single-day event or a multi-day event.

Learn More and Apply

TSET Discovery Grants

TSET Discovery Grants support new and expanded programs to address Oklahoma’s most pressing health issues. These programs focus in four areas: preventing tobacco use, children’s health, general health improvement or senior wellness. Proposed programs should target 1) large segments of people with strategies to prevent tobacco use or obesity, or 2) populations, regardless of size, with the greatest rates of tobacco use and/or obesity.

Learn More

View more upcoming funding opportunities from TSET here.