Week 4 of Jakes 66 Days Across the State

Promote voluntary "Family Health Days" through partnerships with churches, local chambers of commerce, non-profits, and private businesses—offering tax credits or recognition for organizers who host community events like family fitness challenges, obstacle courses, walks, or sports days that bring families together for fun, active bonding. 

In public schools, allow districts flexibility to conduct voluntary family-involved health assessments (with parental opt-in), expand fitness classes as electives or extracurriculars, and transition cafeterias to serve whole, locally sourced foods from Oklahoma farms—while phasing out junk food, sugary vending machines, and ultra-processed items through competitive private vendor contracts and incentives rather than top-down bans. 

Offer tax credits for employers who provide family-oriented wellness programs (e.g., gym memberships, on-site family fitness events, or healthy meal subsidies) and for private entities building or maintaining community parks, trails, and sports facilities accessible to families. Encourage faith-based and civic groups to lead free or low-cost family nutrition education, cooking classes with local ingredients, and outdoor activity groups—focusing on prevention through family role-modeling, reduced screen time, and active lifestyles—while keeping government limited to basic facilitation like streamlining permits for community events. 

Empower faith-based and community organizations with targeted incentives
Leverage Oklahoma's strong churches, non-profits, and local groups by offering tax credits for donations or volunteer programs that provide counseling, resilience training, and preventive support focused on family stability and personal responsibility. This civil society-led model addresses root causes like trauma or substance issues cost-effectively, promotes self-reliance over dependency, and keeps government limited to basic oversight rather than direct service provision.

Prioritize rapid, cost-effective upgrades to existing or recently acquired facilities—like converting the former SSM Health hospital in Oklahoma City into operational inpatient beds—by streamlining permitting, focusing on renovations over costly new construction, and reallocating current ODMHSAS funds rather than pursuing large new appropriations or tax increases. Partner with private operators through competitive RFPs to manage and modernize these beds efficiently which would quickly increase capacity, reduce forensic jail backlogs (over 200 people awaiting placement), and lower long-term taxpayer costs by emphasizing privatization and accountability instead of expanding permanent government bureaucracy. 

Deregulate licensing and expand private/telehealth options
Reduce burdensome state licensing requirements for mental health professionals to increase the supply of providers, particularly in rural areas, and allow easier reciprocity with other states for telehealth delivery. This market-driven approach fosters competition, lowers costs, shortens wait times, and reduces reliance on overcrowded state facilities or jails without mandating new public spending or programs.