Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition

The Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition is a membership and advocacy organization that is made up of individuals who believe that families are the primary influence in the lives of children. The mission of the Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition is to strengthen and empower families and communities in order to foster the optimal development of children. This alliance of committed individuals, both professional and non-professional, share their knowledge and expertise with one another in order to address issues affecting families in Oklahoma. By joining forces, they are able to increase their own ability to produce resources, build networks, and gather knowledge to help parents in the important job of rearing their children.

The Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition was formed in 1991 and became a non-profit, incorporated entity in 1992 with yearly membership dues of $20.00. The membership represents a broad spectrum of statewide services, ethnicity, and occupation. A 30-member board is elected to provide direction for the membership. The Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition has six major activities.

Healthy Families Conference

OFRC co-sponsors the “Healthy Families” conference each spring. A “Families Matter” award is presented each year at the conference to an individual or organization that promotes healthy families. By highlighting a person’s or organization’s work that exemplifies our mission, we believe that we encourage others to emphasize family strengths rather than focusing on family deficits.

Family Week

The Family Week Celebration is held each November and the overall goal of this effort is to seek media opportunities to present positive family images, share resource information, and to promote the Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition. Each member of the organization has the opportunity to educate their own community about the positive aspects of parenting and child rearing. This has been accomplished in many creative ways, such as TV and radio spots; newspaper articles; information printed on grocery bags; placemats in fast food chains; and flyers distributed at local fairs and other local functions. The Family Week committee supports the members in this endeavor and provides them with material and information to use at the local level.

Higher Education Curricula

OFRC works to impact college and university curricula in the fields of child and family studies. The majority of the state’s higher educational institutions are represented through membership in our organization and faculty members serve as active board members. As a result, we have seen an increase in the number and variety of courses offered to students interested in becoming parent educators.

Legislation Affecting Families

OFRC encourages and supports legislation geared toward resources that strengthen and empower families. We attempt to keep our members informed about legislative issues that may impact families in Oklahoma. We do not hire a lobbyist but depend on members to use their expertise and knowledge when contacting their legislators about pending legislation.

Newsletter

Our organizational newsletter is published twice a year. The primary focus of our newsletter is to provide our membership with an update of the many activities of OFRC. We also spotlight programs within our state that exemplify service delivery through a model that reflects our mission statement.

Child and Parenting Certification

The Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition directs a certification program for professionals who serve families in Oklahoma. The certification grants recognition to individuals who have met defined criteria indicating a certain level of expertise in child development and parent education. A Child and Parenting Specialist must have a masters or doctorate degree. In addition to the academic requirements, each certified individual must have a specific number of hours of work experience; letters of reference; verification of work experience in an area related to the certification; membership in a relevant professional organization; agree to a code of ethics; pay a specified application fee; and pass an examination. A Provisional Certification is available for the individual who meets all the requirements with the exception of work experience. In order to maintain certification, it is necessary to complete a specified number of continuing education hours per year, maintain membership in a relevant professional organization, and pay a processing fee. The intent of the recertification process is to encourage professional growth among those who are working in this field. It is the Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition’s belief that those who have completed and continue to maintain this certification are highly motivated to deliver quality services to families. Because it demonstrates the individual’s professional achievement, it provides employers with one measure for hiring and evaluation of personnel.