Finally, the Oklahoma State Board of Health issued a policy statement recommending that community-based family resource and support programs be made available to all families who need them beginning before pregnancy. The Oklahoma State Board of Health concludes that community-based family resource and support programs must be enhanced in Oklahoma. The evidence is overwhelming that appropriate interventions have demonstrated positive outcomes. They offer the best source for health, growth, and development for family members. Families, generally, are capable of assuming responsibility for their own healthy functioning.
Families are the building blocks of the larger community in which they live.
Families are strengthened by interacting with their community. The community is, in turn, strengthened by such interaction. Several programs currently in place and not limited to low-income women are designed to improve the lives of Oklahoma's pregnant women and their families. These programs help Oklahoma families focus on their strengths, assist them in fully utilizing their existing skills, and teach them how to access a variety of community resources to maximize their overall functioning. Hedegaard M, et al.