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lead abatement Cleveland
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What it takes to become lead-safe certified

Cleveland City Council passed an ordinance in 2019 requiring residential rental units built before 1978 to obtain a lead-safe certification to ensure that families, especially children, are able to live in safe environments. Landlords and property managers can engage in either one of the two inspections: a Lead Clearance Examination or a Lead Risk Assessment...

Juneteenth, slavery, and the origins of health disparities
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Juneteenth, slavery, and the origins of health disparities

While Juneteenth has been recognized over the last two centuries as Black Independence Day—a celebration commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans—it also serves as a cruel reminder of how long our country has to go before overcoming entrenched systemic racism. It is widely accepted that the first kidnapped Africans to reach European colonies in...

Local efforts to address racism as a public health crisis in Northeast Ohio
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Local efforts to address racism as a public health crisis in Northeast Ohio

Since 2020, many municipalities across Northeast Ohio either declared racism as a public health crisis or condemned racism. According to an article from The Land, 10 towns and cities across Cuyahoga County declared racism as a public health crisis (RAPHC) and six cities passed resolutions to condemn racism. Cuyahoga County, for example, established the Citizens...

ohio statehouse at night
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Ohio’s Capital Budget includes over $6 Million for Cuyahoga County Health and Human Service projects

The behind the closed doors state capital bill process finally came out into the open on May 24 when both the Ohio Senate Finance Committee and the Ohio House Finance held hearings on Ohio Senate Bill 343 and Ohio House Bill 687. Both committees heard testimony from Ohio Budget and Management Director Kimberly Murniecks. She...

There is no Other anymore: our community engagement and racial equity work
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There is no Other anymore: our community engagement and racial equity work

Ninety days ago, I left my role as President-CEO of the historical and effective East End Neighborhood House. After two decades working in the Buckeye neighborhood, the assignment became clear, I wanted to elevate the voice, value, and engagement of our community to be part of policy and advocacy efforts. The opportunity to serve as...

cleveland skyline looking east
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Final Federal ARPA Rules Give Cuyahoga County Greater Flexibility in Spending the Funds

Cuyahoga County calculated a revenue loss of $264 million in 2020, according to a presentation by Maher Duessel, the County’s consultant advising on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Representatives from Maher Deussel presented at County Council’s May 16 Finance and Budgeting Committee meeting and shared that according to their calculations, the total actual revenue...

Prioritize Black and brown women when addressing maternal mortality and morbidity
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Prioritize Black and brown women when addressing maternal mortality and morbidity

The United States is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth. This is a frightening sentence to write as a pregnant woman. Impending childbirth and parenthood are anxiety-inducing enough (even though I’ve been through it all before), but the work that my colleagues and I have been doing over the...