Whether the biennial state budget is being heard in a finance committee or legislators are debating what Ohio’s state cookie should be, speaking at (or testifying) a public hearing is one of the most effective ways to engage with lawmakers who depend on constituent and advocate input for policy decision making. While the COVID-19 pandemic...
Author: Hope Lane-Gavin (Hope Lane-Gavin)
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Fertility and fibroids: The other side of Black reproductive health
During the height of the COVID-19 lockdown last April my biggest concerns were staying home, completing a ‘90s Nickelodeon cartoon puzzle and determining if Joe Exotic’s zoo was still open. Although the future of the virus was uncertain and most days blended together, I enjoyed the opportunity to slow down, be home, take up new...
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SNAP online food purchasing expands
Although the federal 2014 Farm Bill authorized a pilot Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online food purchasing program by early 2020 only a handful of states and retailers were onboarded. This was also subsequently the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In recent years, big box grocery retailers such as Walmart, Kroger,...
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Doulas play crucial role in maternal health
Throughout our coverage of developments in maternal and infant health, policies and initiatives, we have continuously referred to doulas as a key part of a pregnant woman’s support team. In fact, we even testified before the Ohio Senate Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee on why we believe doulas should be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement...
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Ohio is again the focus of federal maternal health funding
Around this time last year, Community Solutions reported on federal grants that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded to Ohio to address and study maternal health. This week, HHS once again announced funding, $360 million, administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for programs that support maternal and child...
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Minority health matters
There have long been disparities in health outcomes between Ohioans of color and white Ohioans, with yearly widening gaps in infant mortality rates, average life expectancy rates, maternal mortality rates and more. Minority health in Ohio has long suffered from poor social determinants of health due to policy and system inequities. The COVID-19 pandemic is...
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Coronavirus affects pregnancy after all
Nearly all pregnant women have had alterations of their experiences because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Since mid-March, much of the country has been confined to strict rules and guidelines to help prevent the spread of the virus which include social distancing, mask requirements and telehealth visits with medical professionals. In short, COVID-19 has changed...
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Struggling Ohioans need relief, not shame
It’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge in need for families across the country who are facing hardship during these unprecedented times. Beginning April 23, the U.S. Census Bureau has published weekly data from a 20-minute online Household Pulse Survey studying how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting households across the country....
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Medical bias, weathering and the deadly impact on Black mothers
For the past several years, The Center for Community Solutions has been committed to examining and improving maternal and infant health for families in our state. By analyzing disaggregated maternal mortality data, infant mortality reports and other critical statistics such as birth records, we’ve developed policy solutions to help combat an escalating maternal and infant...
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Grocery shopping alternatives are great, unless you have SNAP
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began, customers across the country have been utilizing the convenience of online shopping for more than just clothes and shoes. Online shopping has become one of the most popular ways to obtain food and household essentials as it allows customers to adhere to social distancing guidelines and...