I was expecting the flashing light and siren behind me as soon as I passed the police car. I had an anxious feeling that he would be coming after me. I was passing through a small town in Ohio, a state I have lived my entire life, and I did not see a lot of...
ARPA Funding is an Opportunity to Improve OhioWIC
By: Hope A. Lane-Gavin, Fellow, Health Equity, The Center for Community Solutions Katherine Ungar, Policy Associate, Children’s Defense Fund – Ohio The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 has been at the top of hearts and minds since its passage last year as state and local governments prioritize economic recovery following the height of the...
How to be a more prepared, patient, and joyful voter
The Ohio May Primary opened with a glitch: the ballots wouldn’t scan. It became a problem that made Twitter and local news segments, but wasn’t the only interesting or exciting thing that happened that day. As serious as voting is, it is also a day to celebrate, remember, and feel accomplished. Voting is a serious...
Kyle Thompson joins the Policy Team at Community Solutions
Kyle Thompson joins Community Solutions as a Policy Assistant, with experience in policy analysis, community development, advocacy, and diversity education. Based in the Columbus office, he will support statewide policy work and the Greater Cleveland American Rescue Plan Coalition. Kyle will support statewide policy work and the Greater Cleveland American Rescue Plan Coalition. Graduating in...
White House releases Blueprint to Address the Maternal Health Crisis
People who give birth in Ohio and in the United States have worse outcomes compared to other developed nations. This is felt even more acutely by Black and brown people who give birth, for whom the maternal mortality rate is two to three, and in some cases three to four, times that of the maternal...
New Pandemic EBT changes boost food security for Ohio’s children
Low-income families with children across Ohio are receiving a much-needed boost in food assistance this summer, thanks to the continuation of the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program. In June 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two plans by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to...
OhioRISE program goes live
On Friday, July 1, 2022, the OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence) Medicaid program for youth with complex behavioral health and multi-system needs launched after years of development. OhioRISE seeks to bring comprehensive, coordinated care and new and enhanced services to children and youth with the most complex needs. OhioRISE seeks to bring comprehensive,...
Cleveland’s Chief Strategy Officer Bradford Davy Discusses Mayor Bibb’s ARPA Process
In May, 2022, Mayor Justin Bibb unveiled his priorities and process for maximizing the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds through what he dubbed “Mayor Bibb’s Rescue & Transformation Plan.” As part of my work leading the Greater Cleveland American Rescue Plan Coalition, I wanted to dive more deeply into what the process...
Not So Golden Years: Listening to Ohio’s Hungry Older Adults
By: Sarah Hudacek, Policy Assistant, Advocates for Ohio’s FutureHope A. Lane Gavin, Health Equity Fellow, The Center for Community Solutions Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a myriad of temporary health and human service programming was created to help stabilize families facing unprecedented illness, job loss and closures. Much of this programming was targeted at low-income working...
Engaging on ageism in the LGBT community
By: Jax Kelly, AIDS Funding Collaborative Intern/Guest Even prior to Pride, it’s been a busy few months of LGBT events. Jax Kelly, an intern with the AIDS Funding Collaborative, has been making the circuit speaking on HIV, ageism, stigma, and dating. His internship with AFC is part of a practicum as a Master of Public...