Policy in Pink

In the first-ever LIVE episode of Policy in Pink, recorded at the OPHA Conference, we tackle STI criminalization in Oklahoma—because nothing says “public health” like criminalizing health. Tommy teams up with Jeremy Simmons from HOPE Testing to break down how century-old laws still turn common infections into crimes, and how a recent bill nearly made having HPV a felony that could cost you your right to vote. (Yes, that HPV—the one almost everyone gets.) Join a room full of public health pros for a sharp, snarky, and very real look at how bad policy from 1910(!) keeps getting in the way of good health.Learn more about Jeremy and HOPE Testing at hopetesting.org. And checkout the Oklahoma Public Health Association at okpublichealth.org. 

In parts of Oklahoma, pregnant women who ask for help with substance use risk being jailed instead of getting proper care. Eliza Washington-Harris and Caitlin Beasley from Metriarch explain how locking up moms doesn’t fix addiction—it just tears families apart and makes women too scared to be honest with their doctors, putting prenatal health at risk. Their research shows that support, early care, and harm reduction lead to better outcomes than punishment ever could. According to them, if we want healthier moms and babies, we need treatment, not jail cells for pregnant women who need help. Find more information at metriarchok.org. 

In this episode, we chat with Kelsey Mishkin Gardner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative Raúl Grijalva. Kelsey discusses her journey from Oklahoma to Congress, her work on health policy and environmental issues, and the importance of tribal sovereignty and Medicaid expansion. She offers advice on securing federal grants, emphasizing coalition-building and strategic communication. We also touch on her role in initiating a GAO report on incarcerated pregnant women and navigating federal grants under the current administration.

In this episode, Kimberly Molitor, the Executive Director of Teen Empower, sets the record straight about sex education: it definitely needs a rebrand because it's so much more that that! We talk about how Teen Empower helps teens navigate healthy relationships, manage risky situations, and understand their bodies and health—while avoiding legal trouble for STI transmission. In Oklahoma, where sex ed is often outdated and inconsistent, there’s a clear need for evidence-based, expert-led programs. Someone needs to tell teens that Mountain Dew is not a plausible birth control method. Kimberly also highlights the strong parental support for Teen Empower and their peer educator program, which empowers high school students to teach each other about healthy relationships, risk reduction, and pregnancy prevention.Find Teen Empower at teenempower.org 

Have you ever thought about what fuels your passion for "public health"? Co-chairs of the Policy Caucus of the Oklahoma Public Health Association (OPHA), McKenzie Cowlbeck and Stephanie Mansour, hadn't until they sat down for this interview. Ironically, they are among the few who didn't stumble into the policy field by accident. Join us as two dedicated public health advocates discuss their public health origin stories, what public health means to them, and how they're helping put OPHA back on the map. Join our journey us as we explore the driving force behind all of our passion. Find out more at www.opha.net or search for Oklahoma Public Health Association.

According to Linley Faye Smith, ending period poverty is simple. Just get products into the hands of those who need them, duh. However, if visible sweat on a humid Oklahoma day is any indication, it isn't that easy. Period OKC started with Linley giving out tampons and pads from her car during the pandemic. Now, the organization provides thousands of products to anyone who can reach their OKC location. Now dubbed an expert, she has taken her passion to the #GIRLDADS in the Capitol to discuss ending period poverty. Her message: "Periods aren't gross. They're normal. Let's not make it weird. If people didn't think it was weird, it wouldn't be so complicated when it comes to funding." She is really good at one-liners. www.periodokc.org

What's one way to improve maternal health outcomes? According to Omare Jimmerson, it's community doulas and a fiercely passionate team (and probably a couple of calming breaths). Omare and the Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative have long espoused the benefits of community doulas, and last year they achieved a milestone many had only hoped for: SoonerCare coverage for doula services. (party fog horn noise). Listen in to find out what a doula is and learn all about the initiatives underway by TBEI to improve maternal health in Tulsa (and hopefully throughout all of Oklahoma).

Oklahoma's 5-year long will-they-won't-they relationship with cutting the grocery tax is exhausting. But now that it's passed, is cutting the tax all rainbows and sunshine like it sounds? Of course not. When is policy ever that easy? But that's why Emma Morris (formerly with OK Policy) graciously sat down with me to "check-out" the budget impacts of cutting the taxes and how targeted alternatives can better help Oklahoma families.

The Oklahoma capitol is a full-on Monet. Picturesque from afar, but it's a big old mess up close and inside. And who better than to glide through the bustle than your favorite hot pink women's health policy enthusiast–Metriarch! Every other week (mostly), we'll bring you the context of proposed bills and policies by asking…wait for it…the people doing the work! Legislators are making crucial decisions, yet public input is only possible via an email to our elected leaders. Policy in Pink is the megaphone to blast the full story of policy issues from experts' mouths. Catch up with the recent women's health policy news in Oklahoma and soak in the expertise on the most discussed issues in the state. It's a policy podcast, it's pink, it's scented, and it's definitely got something a little extra.