The Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) program, as previously detailed in a report released by The Center for Community Solutions, addresses emergent needs families may experience during a time of hardship. A loss of a job or a sudden illness are only a few examples of issues that could catapult families into poverty. These scenarios...
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Senior levies in Ohio are popular…once they pass: Senior tax levy update
Earlier this year, I wrote an analysis of senior tax levies in Ohio. Seventy-four of Ohio’s 88 counties have tax levies that provide various services to support older adults. These communities rely on levy funding to provide both basic need services, such as congregate meals, and more robust health and wellness programming including well-appointed senior...
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Many questions remain about maternal mortality in Ohio, so what are next steps?
We are reading and seeing personal stories from across the nation of women suffering from complications of pregnancy and families who have lost mothers, babies or both. Back in April, The Center for Community Solutions began to review existing maternal mortality and morbidity data in Ohio. The most recent data available from the Ohio Department...
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What’s Ohio Medicaid’s target growth rate? JMOC meets to discuss
On Tuesday, November 15, the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee (JMOC) heard from its contracted actuary Optumas about the target growth rate for Ohio’s Medicaid program. For a refresher on what that entails, take a look at this blog from a couple of years ago. The major areas driving cost in the program come from the...
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Number of Ohio syringe exchange programs more than doubles in two and a half years
Syringe exchange programs are a public health strategy designed to prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis amongst people who inject drugs (PWID). The programs also connect clients to other services, including substance abuse treatment, HIV testing, and, in some cases, physical and mental health treatment. In March of 2016,...
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5 Ohio Medicaid Policy Issues to Consider Post-Election
I woke up a little bleary eyed on Wednesday, November 7th. I stayed up way too late on election night (and maybe had one Christmas Ale too many) trying to take in the results as they rolled in, forgetting I had an 8:30 a.m. meeting scheduled on Wednesday morning. Probably like many of you I...
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Dear future governor, How will you strengthen the health and human services safety net?
With Tuesday’s midterm election, Ohioans are bracing for the changes new state leadership will bring. In order to better inform Ohioans on some of the policy issues that may be discussed in the future, The Center for Community Solutions has continued its work to provide 18 questions for the 2018 election. A future governor who...
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18 Questions for the 2018 Election: Medicaid
John Kasich’s administration has been marked by some of the most significant and impactful policy changes in Ohio’s Medicaid program during its history. Before the governor took office, there was no Medicaid expansion, Medicaid was under the purview of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the beginnings of the opioid crisis were...
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Council On Older Persons hosts candidates for Ohio attorney general
The Council On Older Persons (COOP) hosted two roundtables with the nominees for Ohio attorney general a few weeks before the election, one with the Democratic nominee, former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steve Dettelbach, the other with the Republican nominee, Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost. Roundtable with Steve Dettelbach...
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State Senator Dave Burke to Receive Award for Public Service
One of the things that has always impressed me during my years working in the human services field is the number of people who have a sincere desire to help others. We hear so much bad news every day, yet thousands of people are giving their all to make lives better. Somewhere in the middle...