Community Solutions’ early analysis of the 2022 data released by the U.S. Census Bureau last week was mixed. Most of the good news came on Tuesday with the release of the Current Population Survey. This source includes statistics on poverty for states and the country as a whole, including both the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) and the Supplemental Poverty Measure...
Assessing social risks and health outcomes in value-based care
In June, we explored how policy dialogue surrounding value-based care often disguises its meaning and purpose. It’s almost as if our ever-present challenge of escalating costs and worsening outcomes in the U.S. will be magically solved by simply uttering the phrase “value-based” as though it’s a spell or incantation that will erode decades-long practices of artificially inflating price for no...
New report finds more than 70 percent of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable
Last week the Ohio Department of Health released the latest report on maternal mortality in Ohio, A Report on Pregnancy-Related Deaths in Ohio 2017-2018. There is a lot to unpack in the report and we’ll spend more time with the details in the coming weeks. However, we identified some key data points that should be driving how we address maternal...
Impact of the state budget on older adults and direct care workers
Now that fiscal year 2024-25 is underway, state departments are anticipating the funding commitments laid out in the state budget. Much of that funding will help Ohioans that need assistance in health, food, housing, etc. Agency allocations in the health and human services sector will be especially helpful for special populations like older adults and workers in this field. Programs...
Weathering ages and harms people of color
Activists like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked tirelessly to ensure marginalized individuals obtain civil rights but are often gone too soon to realize the impact they have made in society. Dr. King was assassinated at 39 years old, but when pathologists completed his autopsy, they reported that his heart looked like one of a 60-year-old. After Eric Garner died...
Reflections on the State Budget Process
When the budget season began, I did not know what to expect. I have done extensive research and advocacy on various policy topics since joining Community Solutions, but this was going to be a new experience. The budget plays a HUGE role in supporting programs across the state and influences administrative structure in different state agencies. Understanding the budget helps...
Record Low Unemployment Statistics Leave Out Millions of Ohioans
Ohio’s unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in July 2023 was one of the lowest on record, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet this number tells only part of the story. Many Ohioans have removed themselves from the labor force completely and no longer count in official unemployment statistics. Many Ohioans have removed themselves from the labor force completely...
What you may have missed in the budget: The State of Ohio’s updated parental leave policy
During the state budget debate over funding, the state’s parental leave policy was changed to allow employees working for the State of Ohio more paid time off upon the birth or adoption of a child. The major changes are highlighted below: State employees will now have 12 weeks of paid time off, at 70 percent of their regular pay rate,...
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services: Final budget overview
On July 5th, Governor Mike DeWine signed H.B.33 into law. The enacted version of H.B. 33 appropriates $1.2 billion in FY 2024 and $1.1 billion in FY 2025 for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), totaling $2.3 billion for the entire biennium. Approximately half (50.4%) of these funds come from the General Revenue Fund (GRF). Roughly a...
Financial challenges in two Cleveland neighborhoods: housing, wages, childcare
By: Ivan T. Conard, Intern, Community Impact and Engagement During my internship with the Center for Community Solutions, I embarked on a journey that allowed me to dive deep into the heart of Cleveland’s neighborhoods. Through surveys conducted via handwritten notes, verbal discussions, and digital links, I gained invaluable insights into the challenges faced by the community. Let’s investigate the...