For the first time, Ohio’s state operating budget includes a dedicated line item that will fund harm reduction, including syringe services programs (SSPs) across the state. This funding was proposed and then ushered through budget deliberations by Senators Dave Burke (R-Marysville) and Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood). While many harm reduction initiatives, such as naloxone access and...
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Many of Ohio’s older adults are actively engaged in the workforce
Earlier this summer, the Associated Press released a poll that showed 1 in 4 Americans do not plan to retire. This got me thinking about what older adults in Ohio are thinking about their own employment. Fortunately, we have some data about this very issue handy to look at. In the past four years, The Center...
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Improving data reporting and transparency of data improves but more work left to do
Heading into the 2020-21 state budget, The Center for Community Solutions closely examined the cause behind declining enrollment in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, a larger proportion of the TANF caseload consisting of child-only cases (where children are living with another relative who isn’t their parent and receive cash assistance) and the...
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How proposed USDA rule could affect SNAP eligibility in Ohio
In a move that will result in fewer Americans qualifying for benefits, on Tuesday the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, proposed new rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would eliminate eligibility for households with savings and other assets. Currently, The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 allows for states to use “categorical...
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State makes significant investment in Multi-System Youth
The Center for Community Solutions supports efforts to change the practice of forced custody relinquishment, so families don’t have to give up custody so children can receive needed behavioral health and developmental services. Multi-system youth (MSY) are children and teenagers with complex needs that cannot be met by a single state or local agency. Multi-system youth (MSY)...
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One waiver out, one waiver in
The Center for Community Solutions is committed to monitoring and researching the impact of waivers or other proposed changes to Medicaid eligibility or access. During this biennial Ohio budget process, we kept track of a variety of proposed changes that had the potential to affect this population. After some deliberation, the Healthy Ohio proposal from the House...