November is here, our year 2023 nearly in its completion, and a time of reflection for many of us as we prepare reports to close out the year. One of the highlights of my role with Community Solutions is the opportunity to interact with leaders in our communities. Many of these leaders commit to serving...
Category: City of Cleveland
Post
Ohio public policy developments we’re grateful for
By: Staff, Public Policy We are excited to share our inaugural blog post on what we are thankful for…the policy edition. We often share updates on health and human services policies, but they aren’t always positive. With this blog, we focused on a few of (but not all) the policy developments that help move Ohio...
Post
Community stakeholders offer updates on Cleveland’s lead crisis
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week was October 22-28, 2023, where many individuals and organizations across the US held various events to increase awareness about lead poisoning prevention in order to decrease childhood exposure to lead. Organizations in Cleveland participated in this weeklong campaign, including the Lead Screening and Testing Commission, which held its quarterly meeting...
Post
Cleveland is again the second poorest city, but there is some good news on race and gender
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)...
Post
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...
Post
Governor DeWine supports local bans on flavored tobacco products in the state budget
On July 4, 2023, Governor Mike DeWine vetoed numerous provisions from the state budget, including the preemptive language that would prevent local regulation on tobacco and alternative nicotine products. Originally, the Ohio Senate included the preemptive language about tobacco regulation and retail licensing in its version of the state budget along with other plans to...
Post
Cleveland’s current and future prosperity may rest on the shoulders of older workers
Workforce development efforts often target young people, focusing on the next generation of workers and the transition from school to career. These efforts will pay dividends down the line. But the fastest way to meet employer demand and fuel our economy today is to unleash the potential of the existing labor force. Older workers present...
Post
ARPA in Cleveland: an update on the landscape
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law by the Biden Administration in 2021. This legislation is meant to address the negative economic and health effects that were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Community Solutions, we have shared our policy asks related to ARPA and what we hope these funds will...
Post
How can we lift an Invisible Child out of poverty?
The Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Andrea Elliot Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City follows one homeless family in New York City during the 2010s. The book describes experiences of Dasani and her family as they navigate school, shelters, and the social service systems which are meant to be the safety net...