By Will Tarter, wtarter@communitysolutions.com Adam White, awhite@communitysolutions.com Last week, several staff members from The Center for Community Solutions flew to Washington, D.C. to join a delegation of Ohio advocates and policy thinkers at IMPACT 2018, a state policy conference hosted annually by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). IMPACT is one of...
Category: Strengthening the HHS Safety Net
November 26, 2018
How Ohio helps needy families in crisis, but still encourages a goal of self-sufficiency
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...
November 12, 2018
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,...
November 5, 2018
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...
October 22, 2018
Election Day is coming; will Ohio’s candidates make adolescent reproductive health a priority?
In Ohio, sex education varies among school districts and is often episodic and inconsistent. Research shows that when sex education is comprehensive (builds on itself, is taught Kindergarten through twelfth-grade), age-appropriate, evidence-based, medically accurate and inclusive (of all genders, sexual orientations, race and ethnicities) it can delay sexual initiation. It can also reduce unintended pregnancy,...
September 17, 2018
New Census data offers insight on how work requirements may affect low-income Ohioans’ access to food assistance
Each year, the release of new census data from the year before offers a chance to learn the latest changes in population shifts, poverty rates, insurance coverage and other important indicators within our communities. Data and policy wonks are often quick to point to certain policy decisions and social trends that drive the outcomes shown...
September 10, 2018
A Declining OWF Caseload Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
While Ohio’s economy has certainly been on the upswing since the end of the Great Recession, many Ohioans are still struggling to provide even the most basic necessities for their families like personal hygiene items, clothes, cleaning products and diapers. For very low-income families, Ohio Works First (OWF), Ohio’s cash assistance program under the federal...
August 21, 2018
Analysis of Ohio’s report on Medicaid expansion
On Tuesday, August 21, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) released the second “assessment” of the Medicaid expansion as a follow-up to the first, General Assembly required, assessment from 2016. In this document the ODM found the following: EMPLOYMENT Employment for enrollees went up 15%, meaning 1 in 2 expansion enrollees are working The most...
August 20, 2018
Cuyahoga Job and Family Services Demonstrates Transparency and Commitment to Improving Customer Service at Community Forums
By Rachel Cahill, Community Solutions Consultant Emily Muttillo, Research Fellow Beginning on August 28, the Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (“Cuyahoga JFS”) will participate in a statewide overhaul of the systems used to apply, determine eligibility and manage caseloads for food and cash assistance (SNAP and OWF). In May, Rachel Cahill outlined the upcoming conversion from...
August 20, 2018
Transportation for people with disabilities, older adults takes center stage at HSAN meeting
The August 10 meeting of the Human Service Advocacy Network (HSAN) featured special guest Randy Cole, Executive Director of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. His remarks to the approximately 30 attendees touched on a number of topics that impact the world of transportation, including both the rapid advancement of technology and the change in...