The Oklahoma Turning Point Council (OTPC)
OTPC formed in 1997 to help transform public health in Oklahoma by working directly with community partnerships on health improvement initiatives. Rather than a top down approach to public health, Turning Point seeks input from communities to help identify community priorities and implement local solutions. For over 20 years, Turning Point has partnered with communities all across Oklahoma to work on local innovations such as community health centers, extensive walking trails, community gardens, improved school health activities and advocacy for health improvement policies. Moreover, OTPC continues as an independent statewide consortium focused on policy issues aimed at improving Oklahoma’s health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely effected the lives of citizens throughout the United States, with minorities disproportionately impacted by the disease. Data illustrates that “black people are being admitted to hospitals and dying in disproportionate numbers from the COVID-19 pandemic” (Thebault & Ba Tran, 2020). Current evidence suggests that underlying medical conditions (i.e.hypertension, diabetes, asthma, etc.) exacerbate COVID-19, and are attributable to the increased burden of COVID-19 among minorities. The prevalence rates of these underlying medical conditions are known health disparities among minority populations (Office of Minority Health, 2020). Given the differential rates of diagnoses, hospitalization, and death by race according to both National and State-level data, additional innovative programmatic efforts are needed to address high rates of vaccine hesitancy among populations affected by COVID-19. OPHA has partnered with Guiding Right, Inc. (GRI) and Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease to enhance COVID-19 outreach, education, and vaccination uptake among African Americans in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Lawton.  The partnership will target African Americans, with specific services, and focus on the unique health needs of all individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and HIV.