After staffing the Anisfield-Wolf Memorial Award for 35 years, I’m often asked “Should I nominate my organization? What should I highlight?” Simple questions. But not a simple answer. Nominate an organization today! According to the official award criteria: The “service” may have been a program, or it may have been a single, specific activity. It...
May 28, 2019
Solutions that Chip Away at Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice
It is well-documented that black Americans, particularly black men, are arrested, charged and incarcerated at disproportionately high rates compared to white Americans.[1] The existence of this racial disparity in the criminal justice system has ripple effects in nearly every other system. For instance, having an incarcerated parent is considered an adverse childhood experience, which...
May 28, 2019
Multi-System Youth Frequently Asked Questions
May 20, 2019
Syringe services programs in two more Ohio counties
By: Melissa Federman, Treuhaft Chair for Health Planning Sam Sobul, Community Solutions Policy Intern In March, The Center for Community Solutions released a report on Syringe Service Programs (SSPs) in Ohio. The report profiles programs that were created since 2016, when we wrote on a new legal environment that allowed the services and programs to...
May 6, 2019
What makes a Most Treasured Volunteer?
Every year at this time, Community Solutions invites nominations for the Most Treasured Volunteer Award. This year, nominations will be accepted until June 28; forms and instructions are available here. But what makes a person a “most treasured volunteer? First, treasured volunteers need to give their time freely for a cause that benefits others. While...
April 29, 2019
What does Ohio legislative district data tell us about older adults and people with disabilities?
The Center for Community Solutions’ state legislative district profiles provide a wealth of economic, health, demographic and educational information that can sometimes explain how a state legislator might view the world and the issues they might focus during their legislative service. Last year I was appointed by Governor John Kasich to serve on the Ohio...
April 26, 2019
Human services agency directors testify before Senate Finance Committee
On Thursday, April 25, the leaders of three of Ohio’s largest human services agencies testified before the Senate Finance Committee as the group held its second informal hearing on the state budget bill (HB 166). Given that the House of Representatives has not yet adopted a substitute version of the bill (sub. bill), senators have...
April 25, 2019
Budget testimony before Senate Finance Committee starts, despite Ohio House not yet passing budget
Director Kimberly Murnieks of Ohio’s Office of Budget and Management (OBM) and Director Mark Flanders of the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) testified to the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, as part of the first day of informal hearings on HB 166, the main operating budget. Murnieks went first, providing an explanation of how OBM went...
April 22, 2019
Where’s the data? A look at data collection among the LGBTQ community
One in five LGBTQ people face employment discrimination. That was one of the statistics shared by American Progress’ Caitlin Rooney before a sold-out room of health and human service leaders, advocates and community members. More than 100 people gathered at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank last week to attend The Center for Community Solutions’ event...
April 22, 2019
Data Days CLE: What’s all the data about?
April 15 marked Cleveland’s third year of Data Days CLE, an event for which The Center for Community Solutions is a proud sponsor. As a member of the planning committee for the event, I can honestly say that the folks behind Data Days are some of the coolest, grittiest nerds I know—they are people who...