October is known for many health awareness causes such as breast cancer and domestic violence, but lead poisoning is a public health issue that more people are noticing. Established in 1999 by the US Senate, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) occurs during the last week of October each year. A collaboration between the United...
Author: Natasha Takyi-Micah (Natasha Takyi-Micah)
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Lessons learned from the National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium
Natasha Takyi-Micah has been accepted into the in Families USA’s 2021 Health Equity Academy, where she will be focusing on maternal and child health issues. The second annual National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium was hosted by the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center (MHLIC) August 30-31, 2021. This free symposium focused on understanding maternal health disparities,...
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How the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition is making an impact in the community
The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (LSCC) conducted its bimonthly convening meeting on May 7 to present the coalition’s progress now that the Lead Safe Ordinance is taking hold. The coalition is comprised of many community stakeholders such as landlords, contractors, pediatricians, parents and teachers. The coalition is moving away from initiating action after children are...
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How midwives help outcomes for women and babies
The United States experiences unprecedentedly high rates of maternal deaths. In a study that compares the United States to 10 other developed countries, women in the United States had the highest ratio of maternal deaths. For example, there were 17.7 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the United States compared to 1.7 maternal deaths...
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The devaluation of oneself: Dealing with imposter syndrome in the Black community
During graduate school, I spent much of my time studying and working both on and off campus. I also participated in meetings hosted by student organizations as I studied public health. One of the meetings that struck me the most was about “imposter syndrome,” which was introduced by a Black-led student organization. That was the...
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Virtual Budget Training Academy Series Reached Larger Audiences
During the first three weeks of November, the policy team at The Center for Community Solutions presented our virtual Budget Training Academy. The webinar series provided information about the upcoming Ohio state budget and how the public can get involved. The series kicked off on November 6, with a webinar titled Setting the Stage for...
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Ohio’s COVID-19 vaccine plan
On October 6, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) announced its plans for the Ohio COVID-19 Vaccine Program. Currently ODH has a working framework for the program in which health care experts, provider organizations, and local leaders will offer input and logistical planning. ODH officials are still working on certain sections of the framework such...
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New Groundwork Ohio report advocates for lead safe child care facilities
On an October 13 webinar, Groundwork Ohio, an early childhood advocacy organization, unveiled its report called Building the Way to a Healthier Future. The report is a tool to advocate for lead safe policies within child care facilities in Ohio across the United States. Lynanne Gutierrez, assistant director and legal counsel for Groundwork Ohio, facilitated...
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Ohio Department of Health provides update to the Ohio Commission on Infant Mortality
The Ohio Commission on Infant Mortality held a meeting on September 16 to discuss changes to home visiting programs due to COVID-19. Led by Senator Stephanie Kunze and Representative Sara Carruthers, the Ohio Commission on Infant Mortality focuses on improving the infant mortality rate in Ohio so that more babies will celebrate their first birthdays....
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Council on Older Persons engaging in social issues during COVID-19
The Council on Older Persons (COOP), an advisory committee of The Center for Community Solutions, held a regular meeting on September 9th. The group, which aims to address the problems and concerns of older adults in Greater Cleveland, discussed a number of topics including state legislation, Cuyahoga County’s upcoming budget and a previous conversation with...