The Washington County Health Department is proud to announce that seven local entities have been awarded Certified Healthy status for 2020. Certified Healthy Oklahoma is a free statewide certification that recognizes entities going above and beyond to make health and wellness a priority for all. The program is open to businesses, campuses, communities, congregations, early childhood programs, restaurants, and schools.

A crucial factor in improving the health of Oklahomans is providing a variety of opportunities for residents to make healthier choices where they live, work, learn, play, and pray. Certified Healthy Oklahoma meets this challenge by recognizing a wide variety of entities which encourage health-focused behaviors and policies.

These certifications provide opportunities for Washington County to create environments which support health policies and individual health decisions which ultimately improve Oklahoma’s health outcomes,” James Thompson, District 4 Regional Director states, “We applaud all Certified Healthy Oklahoma recipients for making the healthy choice the easy choice, and for helping to create a culture of wellness in their communities.”

Certifications are awarded at the Basic, Merit and Excellence levels, depending on the number of criteria fulfilled. The following entities received recognition by the Certified Healthy Oklahoma program:

Certified Healthy Business

• Ascension St. John Jane Phillips -Excellence
• Dayspring Community Services a Division of PFH - Excellence
• Washington County - Excellence

Certified Healthy Early Childhood Program

• Careese Hallett - Excellence
• Jennifer’s Family Childcare Home - Merit

Certified Healthy School

• Woodrow Wilson Elementary - Merit
• Hoover Elementary - Merit

The Certified Healthy Oklahoma program is a joint effort of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, The State Chamber, The Oklahoma Academy, Oklahoma Turning Point Council, and additional partners who are helping to shape a healthier future for Oklahoma.

The application process for 2021 opens Aug. 1. More information including criteria details and the application can be found at certifiedhealthyok.com.