Budget Priority Deep-Dive: Publicly Funded Child Care

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Associate

Budget priority: Expand initial eligibility for publicly funded child care from 142% to 200% FPL

Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) provides subsidized child care for low-income families. Unlike most public benefits programs that only have an income ceiling, PFCC also has an income floor. Ohio families must earn less than 142% of the federal poverty level (150% FPL for families with kids with disabilities) to enter the program, and as families’ income increases, their share of the cost of child care increases. PFCC subsidies continue until a family reaches 300% FPL, when their participation in the program ends.

For a single parent with two kids, 142% FPL is just $35,301 per year. Once that family reaches 300% FPL, or $74,580 per year, the family must leave PFCC.

The previous Ohio General Assembly convened a Study Committee on PFCC and Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) to dissect the current state of Ohio’s child care system and the SUTQ quality rating system. This committee’s final report is only the first step in tackling the myriad issues facing child care in Ohio, including:

• Workforce shortages, mostly attributed to comparatively low wages for early childhood educators, averaging $10-13/hour.

• Increases to the costs of operating a child care business

• Limited availability of child care spots across the state, especially for children in the PFCC program, which often reimburses providers at a lower rate than private pay families typically pay.

• Unsustainable funding: Child care is funded through a combination of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) federal funds, Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) federal funds, and state funding. Ohio spends a larger portion of its TANF grant on child care than 46 other states, and the increasing costs in the child care system will soon exhaust the funding available through existing sources as early as state fiscal year 2028.

• Varying approaches amongst legislators towards ensuring quality child care programs while reducing administrative burden and costs for child care providers

With this challenging landscape in mind, increasing PFCC eligibility up to 200% FPL would be one of the quickest ways to improve the access and affordability of child care - a vital work support for Ohio families. This change would allow families with slightly higher incomes, but who still struggle to afford the average $10,000 per year cost of child care, to receive PFCC subsidies.

In the last biennial budget process in 2021, the legislature increased PFCC eligibility from 130% to 142%, and Governor DeWine’s executive budget proposal released last month included an initial eligibility increase to 160% FPL.

AOF Testifies Before the HHS Finance Subcommittee

Kelsey Bergfeld 
Director, Advocates for Ohio’s Future  

Susan Jagers 
Public Policy Chair, Advocates for Ohio’s Future 
Director, Ohio Poverty Law Center  

Will Petrik 
Executive Committee Member, Advocates for Ohio’s Future 
Project Director, Policy Matters Ohio  

Nick Bates 
Co-Chair, Advocates for Ohio’s Future 
Director, Hunger Network in Ohio 

Chairwoman Carruthers, Ranking Member Liston, and members of the House Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee, my name is Kelsey Bergfeld and I am the Director of Advocates for Ohio’s Future. Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of over 500 state and local health and human services policy, advocacy and provider organizations that strive to strengthen families and communities through public funding for health, human services, and early care & education. We work to empower and support nonprofit organizations and the health and human services workforce in the critical work they do, especially as it relates to lifting up and caring for all Ohioans. I am joined today by a number of my Executive Committee leaders. A full list of AOF Steering Committee members is included at the end of our testimony and also available at www.advocatesforohio.org.   

As a coalition of a broad range of health and human service organizations, we unite to identify and prioritize the greatest needs of people and families across the state. We couldn’t agree more with Governor DeWine’s goal of making Ohio the best state to live, work and raise a family. The proposed budget bill before you today includes policies and investments that will help move Ohio towards that goal. In addition to the provisions to be covered by my accompanying members we are encouraged to see: 

• a proposed $4 million per year increase to the adult protective services line item 

• increased funding for the Help Me Grow Program  

• and increased funding for children’s services agencies. 

Though we’d like to think the challenges of the public health and economic crises are far behind us, the impacts are still being felt across our state. Today, hundreds of thousands of children, adults, and families struggle to afford food, rent, utilities, and other basic necessities. Currently, Ohio’s hunger relief network provides take-home groceries, meals, and personal care items to 1 million Ohioans each month, 1 in 4 Ohio renter households spend more than half their income on rent and utilities, and nearly 17 percent of Ohio’s children live in poverty. Growing up hungry or in an unstable family situation have been identified as adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente that can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, as well as life opportunities such as education and job potential.  

AOF is also concerned that thousands of Ohioans who are already struggling to make ends meet will lose resources to keep food on the table and lose healthcare coverage as COVID era flexibilities and enhanced supports unwind. We are thankful for past investments made by the previous general assembly to help support basic needs like food and housing, while also supporting our county jobs and family services agencies who connect people to the help and supports they need to get back on their feet.  

This is why we support public programs that provide economic security, help people get to work, support a strong recovery, and empower Ohio residents. 

Among the proposals that AOF supports adding to this year’s budget are: 

• $50 million per year to help the Ohio Association of Foodbanks meet the increased need at food banks and pantries across the state. With the end of SNAP emergency allotments last month, all SNAP recipients saw an immediate loss of at least $90 per person, per month in fully federally-funded food assistance benefits. Ohio’s network of foodbanks cannot support the increased demand following this loss without additional investment. 

• $2.5 million per year for in-person health insurance enrollment assisters, who will continue to provide free help to Ohioans navigating the Medicaid eligibility renewal process over the next 15 months of unwinding and to assist in connecting former Medicaid members to the federal Marketplace for health coverage. 

• $21 million per year to provide a $50 per month state-supplemented minimum SNAP benefit to all Ohioans age 60 and up. With the end of SNAP Emergency Allotments, older adult households will see a loss of $250 per month in federally funded assistance, or more. Approximately 70,000 of these older adults will return to the SNAP minimum benefit of just $23 per month. A state SNAP supplement would go a long way to ensure Ohio’s older adults don’t have to solely rely on the charitable food network to eat. 

• Up to $350 million per year to provide free school breakfast and lunch to all students in Ohio. During the height of the pandemic, school meals were free for all students. Since the end of this temporary pandemic program, school meal debts have accumulated to record numbers in many school districts and school meal participation is down across the board. When a student reaches a certain level of debt, a hot meal is taken away from the student in the lunch line and a brown-bag lunch is provided. Students can’t learn when they’re hungry, which is why AOF supports free, healthy school meals for all. 

• The creation of a dedicated SNAP Employment & Training line-item and an investment of $10 million per year to support county Job and Family Services offices in helping unemployed and under-employed SNAP recipients find and retain employment. This investment will draw down a federal 50/50 match. 

• The restoration of the Employment Incentive Program for Critical Jobs line item at $5 million per year in flexible funding to counties to help address the benefit cliff and fill gaps between programs, such as helping with health insurance costs if an individual is no longer eligible for Medicaid, or assisting with informal child care arrangements before or after school. 

Any discussion of supporting the health and recovery of Ohioans cannot be complete without addressing the direct care workforce crisis faced by every sector of the home and community-based services spectrum. Different rates and requirements for similar work result in competition for a small number of workers and an imbalance in the system. Although we were encouraged to see an increase in the hourly wage for direct care workers up to $16 per hour in the Governor’s proposed budget, AOF supports our member organizations, disabled Ohioans, and older adults in respectfully requesting an increase up to a minimum wage of $20 per hour for all direct care workers across the Departments of Aging, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities. Direct care work has been undervalued and under compensated for so long that our care systems are hitting a breaking point. Unless Ohio recognizes and rewards direct care workers for the valuable work they provide in communities across Ohio, our care systems will continue to see high turnover, high vacancy rates, long wait lists, and more agency closures. 

In addition to increasing wages, AOF supports investments in programs that remove barriers to work for critical occupations such as direct care, including the new program to establish a child care scholarship for direct care workers that will be further discussed by our panelists. 

Equity should be an explicit consideration in constructing the budget. Laws and policies have institutionalized racism and bias against marginalized groups. Ohio should allocate resources and services to at-risk populations to ensure an individual’s well-being and success are not predictable by race, class, geography, language, gender, or other relevant social factors. Governor Mike DeWine formed the COVID-19 Minority Health Strike Force on April 20, 2020, in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minorities in Ohio. The strike force contracted with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) to develop the “COVID-19 Ohio Minority Health Strike Force Blueprint” which contains actionable recommendations to improve health outcomes and overall well-being for communities of color in Ohio. We recommend that this committee and the full general assembly consider these recommendations and commit to promoting equity and better health outcomes for all Ohioans. 

This budget is an opportunity to invest in improving the quality of life of all Ohioans. AOF and our partner organizations support policies that build an Ohio where all people and families live healthy lives in quality communities with pathways to prosperity for all. 

Susan Jagers, AOF Public Policy Chair and Director of the Ohio Poverty Law Center 

Chair Carruthers, Ranking Member Liston, and Members of the House Finance Health and Human Services Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the portions of the budget that address Medicaid and lead poisoning prevention, treatment, and mitigation.   

My name is Susan Jagers and I am the director of the Ohio Poverty Law Center. Our mission is to reduce poverty and increase justice by expanding the legal rights of Ohioans living, working, and raising their families in poverty. We work with Ohio’s network of legal aid offices that provide free legal services to low-income Ohioans. I also serve as chair of Advocates for Ohio’s Future’s policy committee.  

Medicaid 

Ohio’s Medicaid program delivers healthcare access and related community support services to more than 3.4 million Ohioans, including children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, across the life spectrum. The following statistics highlight this significant role in serving Ohioans: 

• More than 1.3 million children are served by Medicaid.  

• Over half of Ohio births are covered by Medicaid. 

• More than 16,500 children are enrolled and receiving specialized services through OhioRISE. 

We appreciate your investments in the last budget to expand coverage to new mothers for 12 months postpartum and to fund initiatives including OhioRISE which seek to improve care and prevent custody relinquishments for children with complex health care needs.  

Advocates for Ohio’s Future is pleased to support several initiatives included in House Bill 33 including: 

• Proposed rate increases for Medicaid providers to address health care provider shortages. Many of our member organizations have provided testimony and information about workforce shortages and the need for rate increases.  

• Expanding Medicaid coverage to include pregnant women and children up to 300% of the federal poverty level and privately adopted children. This change will cover an additional 30,000 children and an estimated 3,500 pregnant women. 

• Completing the full implementation of the Next Generation of Managed Care Program, which includes the continuation of the OhioRISE Program. The Next Generation of Managed Care Program comes with requirements for improved care coordination, streamlined grievances and appeals, and significant investments in social determinants of health.  

We do ask that you consider complementing Governor DeWine’s proposal to improve eligibility and coverage for children by adding two provisions to the budget: 

• Extend continuous coverage for children up to age six. With continuous coverage, once young children are eligible for Medicaid, their parents would not have to worry about re-enrolling them until they start elementary school making it more likely that these young children will get their regular doctor visits, health screenings and developmental checks.  

• Provide Medicaid reimbursement for doula services to strengthen maternal and infant health outcomes. This body supported coverage for doula services when you passed House Bill 142 last year with near unanimous support. 

Lead Poisoning Prevention, Treatment, and Mitigation 

Lead is a toxin, and there is no safe level of lead in the blood. Childhood lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain and nervous system damage leading to learning and behavioral challenges, lower academic achievement, and other poor outcomes. Ohio has the second highest rate of children testing positive for elevated blood levels in the country.  

The number one source of child lead poisoning is lead dust from old lead paint in houses built before 1978.  

In last session’s House Bill 45, you invested American Rescue Plan dollars for lead abatement, including funding for lead poisoning prevention projects and workforce development for lead contractors—these programs are administered by the Ohio Department of Development.  

This investment is a critical boost to Ohio’s lead mitigation efforts. Thank you.  

House Bill 33 contains several critical investments in primary prevention and treatment, and we ask you to support these investments: 

• $10.8 million in FY24 and $11.7 million in FY25 for the lead abatement fund at the Ohio Department of Health and budget language to support lead prevention programs that provide grants to local communities, ensure lead safe work protocols during renovations and repairs, and provide education and resources for parents. We ask you to support his funding. 

• Funding for Early Intervention for Lead Poisoned Children for supportive, home-based services for children under three years old who test for elevated blood lead levels at $23.4 million each fiscal year. We ask you to support this funding.  

• H2Ohio funding to OEPA for Clean Water to replace lead service lines and support water affordability measures is funded at $31.3 million in each fiscal year. We ask you to support this funding.  

• The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Lead Program for High-Risk Children removes lead hazards in homes built before 1978 with children under 6 years of age or pregnant women. We ask that you increase the current Ohio Department of Medicaid spending authority from $5 million to $10 million per fiscal year.  

Finally, we ask that you create a position within the new proposed Department of Children & Youth to focus on lead issues and streamline coordination and communication between the various agencies and committees working on lead poisoning prevention. This will ensure continuity and collaboration to maximize the impact of public funds dedicated to lead prevention. 

Investments in these prevention programs will reap financial and other benefits for the state of Ohio and most importantly will keep kids safe and healthy. 

Will Petrik, AOF Executive Committee Member and Project Director with Policy Matters Ohio 

Chairwoman Carruthers, Ranking Member Liston and members of the Subcommittee, my name is Will Petrik. I am the Project Director with Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Our mission is to create a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on House Bill 33.  

In my testimony, I will highlight priorities we support in Gov. DeWine’s proposed budget and share ways we can work together to ensure that all Ohioans, no matter where we live or what we look like, have stability, economic security and basic human dignity. 

Budget priorities that support the well-being of children and families 

The proposed budget will prepare more of our youngest children to be ready to start kindergarten and help parents stay in the workforce. It will help an estimated 15,000 children get the care they need by expanding eligibility for publicly funded child care to more working parents.[1] Gov. DeWine’s budget also proposes a significant new investment in public preschool, which would mean an additional 11,525 3- and 4-year-old children in families with low incomes will have an opportunity to get high-quality early childhood education.[2] High-quality early care and education gives children a strong start and improves their long-term health and economic opportunities.[3] 

H.B. 33 appropriates $150 million in SFY 2024 from one-time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to help ensure that child care professionals and professionals in other critical occupations can afford child care for their own children. It will establish a child care scholarship program for critical occupations and direct-service professionals who make up to 200% of the federal poverty level ($49,720 for a family of three), expanding access to child care, including infant and toddler care.[4] 

We support these investments, and we must do more to make sure more Ohioans have the resources to pursue their dreams.  

More than 460,000 Ohio children lived in poverty in 2021.[5] Four of the 10 most common jobs in our state don’t pay enough to feed a family of three without food assistance.[6] Ongoing inflation is making it harder for parents to afford groceries, child care, and heat for their homes. 

Compared to their more economically secure peers, children who are hungry or who grow up in poverty are more likely to do worse in school, have health problems or behavioral issues, and get involved with the criminal legal system as adults.[7] On the other hand, when kids have economic stability and enough to eat, they are healthier and do better at school.[8]  

As my colleagues have highlighted, things are about to get worse for many of our neighbors. An estimated 673,000 households in Ohio will have fewer resources to keep food on the table and 220,000 Ohioans are at risk of losing health coverage.[9] We must expand opportunity for these Ohioans and make sure our neighbors can live with stability and economic security. 

Increase family stability and security: Change the tax code to support families  

The proposed child tax deduction in H.B. 33 won’t support the families who need it most. Under the proposal, a family with two kids making $200,000 a year would save nearly $200 each year. A family with two kids making $29,000 won’t get a dime from the deduction.[10] 

Policy Matters Ohio recently released a report that outlines a new solution: the Thriving Families Tax Credit. This proposal would support nearly a million families making less than $85,000 and benefit an estimated 1.8 million children with an average annual tax refund of roughly $1,000 per family. A state thriving families tax credit would help families pay for the basics. We estimate that 77% of Black children in Ohio would benefit and an estimated 300,000 families in the 32 Appalachian counties would be eligible for the credit.[11] 

A 10% refundable Earned Income Tax Credit would also put more money in the pockets of Ohioans who work hard every day. Ohioans who are paid low wages would have additional resources to help with food, safe housing, health care and other basic family expenses. According to a 2020 analysis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, adding a 10% refundable state EITC would help an estimated 748,000 families in Ohio. It would provide an annual average payment of $324 to families earning between $22,000 and $40,000 a year.[12]  

Instead of more tax giveaways to the wealthiest Ohioans, we encourage lawmakers to change the tax code to make sure all Ohioans can live with security and thrive. 

Expand opportunity: Help more parents participate in the workforce  

State lawmakers can ensure all Ohioans are able to support their families and participate in the economy. The proposed budget takes a step to make child care more affordable for some working families, child care professionals and Ohioans in critical occupations. We encourage you and your colleagues to take a larger step and make child care affordable for all who need it. Under the proposed budget, a single mother with a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old earning $40,000 annually would spend roughly 44% of her income on child care, but she makes too much to qualify for public support. She’d have little left over for housing, groceries, healthcare, and other basic necessities. 

State lawmakers can change that by boosting initial eligibility for publicly funded child care up to 200% of the federal poverty level. At that level, a family of four could make up to $55,500 and be eligible for public support to help pay for child care. Expanding access to child care will help more parents participate in the workforce, and better prepare our children for the future. When families and communities thrive, we all benefit from a stronger economy and a more prosperous state. 

Thank you for your commitment to building an Ohio where all of us can live with dignity and security. Together, we can ensure all Ohioans can thrive. I welcome any questions or concerns you have about the content of my testimony.  

Nick Bates, AOF Co-Chair and Director of the Hunger Network in Ohio 

Thank you, Chairwoman Carruthers and Ranking Member Liston for the opportunity to testify today as part of this very insightful panel.  

My name is Nick Bates. I am a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and serve as the director of the Hunger Network in Ohio. I currently also serve as co-chair of Advocates for Ohio’s Future. I would like to thank my colleagues today for their ongoing research, scholarship, and expertise on how we can improve lives and strengthen communities. As we enter the final weeks of sub-committee hearings, I want to ask you three questions to guide your deliberations in shaping Ohio’s next two-year operating budget.  

The first is if this Budget will be a roadmap toward strengthening communities?  

The old adage says that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When we invest now to reduce poverty, hunger, and long-term health consequences we will save money down the road. For example, 50% of children who experience hunger will need to repeat a grade.[13]  Investments to reduce hunger, expand housing, and lift Ohio families out of the constant crisis of poverty will save Ohio money in the long run and strengthen our communities.  

My second question - does this budget improve the lives of our neighbors?  

In our faith communities and social ministry organizations, families don’t ask for assistance after the first or second crisis. Many families don’t ask for the help they need until the towering pile of crisis moments topples over and begins to suffocate them. 29% of Ohio families live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.[14] These families are working hard to climb out from the pile of crisis moments each day. We have the opportunity to provide the structural supports needed to help families move toward stability. 

My final question - does this budget meet our moral commitment to our future?  

The budget process is filled with line items and legal language, but I encourage you to step back for a moment. Take a step back from LSC notes, analysis, and economic forecasts. Ask yourself what type of community do you want to build up? What type of community do you want Ohio to be and does this budget move us in that direction? 

We can build a state where our children will have better schools and food security. Where our seniors are cared for and loved. We can build a community where those who are suffering with mental and physical health conditions can receive the care they need.  This budget can invest into an Ohio where those who are called the least of these receive their daily bread.[15] None of us know what tomorrow holds. We encourage you to invest in services, structures and supports that guarantees Ohioans, basic dignity, stability, and support. Thank you. 

---

[1] Suveksha Bhujel and Ryan Sherrock, “Redbook, LBO Analysis of Executive Budget Proposal, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services,” Legislative Service Commission, accessed on March 7, 2023, https://bit.ly/41Um1oc  

[2] The State of Ohio Executive Budget, Fiscal Years 2024-2025, Ohio Office of Budget and Management, Jan 21, 2023, Department of Children and Youth, Agency Budget Highlights (pg. 199), https://bit.ly/3LjWv5X; Jaxquelyn Schreoder and Suveksha Bhujel, “Redbook, LBO Analysis of Executive Budget Proposal, Department of Children and Youth,” Legislative Service Commission, accessed on March 14, 2023, https://bit.ly/3lbgglv  

[3] James Heckman and Ganesh Karapakula, “Early childhood education strengthens families and can break the cycle of poverty.” The Heckman Equation, accessed on March 6, 2023, https://bit.ly/3ZOMl0Y  

[4] Suveksha Bhujel and Ryan Sherrock, “ODJFS Redbook,” op. cit. 

[5] Will Petrik, “New census data show Ohio lags most states in median income and childhood poverty,” Policy Matters Ohio, September 15, 2022, https://bit.ly/3T4lN8P  

[6] Michael Shields, “New data show wages up for many, but four of Ohio’s 10 most common jobs pay near poverty,” Policy Matters Ohio, April 28, 2022, https://bit.ly/3Sje5qQ  

[7] “A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty,” National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019, https://bit.ly/3DIKAKT  

[8] Irwin Garfinkel, Laurel Sariscsany, Elizabeth Ananat et al., “The Benefits and Costs of a Child Allowance,” Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, September 23, 2022, https://bit.ly/3Lovga7  

[9] “February 2023 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Extension Approved,” Ohio: COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, accessed on March 8, 2023, https://bit.ly/3J30GA5    

[10] Guillermo Bervejillo, Gov. DeWine’s $2,500-per-child state tax deduction does nothing for those who need it most,” Policy Matters Ohio, February 14, 2023, https://bit.ly/3L5SyBJ  

[11] Will Petrik, “Increase family security and expand opportunity in Ohio,” Policy Matters Ohio, November 14, 2022, https://bit.ly/3ZNT6AI  

[12] Patton, Wendy, “Rebalance the income tax to build a better Ohio for everyone,” Policy Matters Ohio, October 15, 2020, https://bit.ly/3hT5xYE  

[13] https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog/3-ways-hunger-affects-your-body#:~:text=The%20American%20Academy%20of%20Pediatrics,on%20a%20person's%20mental%20health. 

[14] https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/population-up-to-200-fpl/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D 

[15] Matthew 25:32-46 Matthew 6:11 

AOF Announces 2023 Budget and Policy Priorities

Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of over 500 state and local health and human services policy, advocacy and provider organizations that strive to strengthen families and communities through public funding for health, human services, and early care & education. We work to empower and support nonprofit organizations and the health and human service workforce in the critical work they do, especially as it relates to lifting up and caring for all Ohioans.

Today, hundreds of thousands of children, adults, and families struggle to afford food, rent, utilities, and other basic necessities. Currently, Ohio’s hunger relief network provides take-home groceries, meals, and personal care items to 1 million Ohioans each month, 1 in 4 Ohio renter households spend more than half their income on rent and utilities, and nearly 17 percent of Ohio’s children live in poverty. AOF is concerned that thousands of Ohioans who are already struggling to make ends meet will lose resources to keep food on the table and lose healthcare coverage as COVID era flexibilities and enhanced supports unwind. This is why we support public programs that provide economic security, help people get to work, support a strong recovery, and empower Ohio residents.

Equity should be an explicit consideration in constructing the budget. Laws and policies have institutionalized racism and bias against marginalized groups. Ohio should allocate resources and services to at-risk populations to ensure an individual’s well-being and success are not predictable by race, class, geography, language, gender, or other relevant social factors.

The upcoming state budget is an opportunity to invest in improving the quality of life of all Ohioans. AOF and our partner organizations support policies that build an Ohio where all people and families live healthy lives in quality communities with pathways to prosperity for all.

In 2023 AOF, in collaboration with partner organizations will focus our advocacy efforts to:

Ensure coverage protections and strengthen supportive services as enhanced COVID-era benefits and program flexibilities expire. AOF will continue to coordinate and help lead the work of the Ohio COVID Recovery Coalition to ensure state and local government entities, providers, community organizations and public program recipients are prepared for the expected widespread loss of health coverage and nutrition supports.

Maintain and expand Medicaid eligibility so all Ohioans get the health care and coverage they need. AOF will continue to advocate to ensure Ohioans seeking health care and mental health and addiction treatment can continue to access vital services. AOF will work with partner organizations to:

• Expand general Medicaid eligibility up to 300% FPL for families and children

• Allow for continuous coverage for children up to six years old

Convene a dedicated coalition of AOF partners, community organizations and business leaders to develop comprehensive strategies to address the benefits cliff and strengthen work and family supports across public programs. While developing a broader agenda to address the benefits cliff and promote work supports that help parents participate in the workforce, AOF will collaborate with partner organizations to:

• Expand initial eligibility for publicly funded child care from 142% FPL to 200% FPL.

• Increase the minimum benefit for SNAP for older adults without earned income to $50 per month.

• Reward work and make a difference for low-income families by making the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) fully refundable and creating a state-level family tax credit.

We also pledge to elevate and support the following policy proposals championed by our partner organizations:

Support and stabilize Ohio’s growing workforce and address rising costs by investing in affordable housing and easing food insecurity.

Maintain and expand behavioral health, aging and disability services, including home and community-based services, across all populations and systems and increase access to quality providers in all communities. Different rates and requirements for similar work result in competition for a small number of workers and an imbalance in the system. We support prioritizing efforts to retain and expand the direct care workforce and ensure parity across all systems.

Promote quality and equity for all students in K-12 education by fully funding the Ohio Fair School Funding Plan, encourage healthy school meals for all and increase access to wraparound services including physical and behavioral health care in schools.

Increase access to broadband to help all low-income families afford high-speed internet access and incentivize internet service providers to update and improve their networks in low-income areas so all Ohio families and businesses have the ability to participate in education, telehealth and Ohio’s economy.

To support the state’s intention to approach the budget with a focus on results and improved outcomes, clear and available data surrounding programs and investments must be accessible by the public to effectively evaluate the impact of taxpayer dollars. Transparency and opportunity for public input throughout the legislative process must be fortified to foster participation and policies that move Ohio forward.  

Download a PDF of our policy priorities HERE.

Is ARPA Work Over? An Update on Where We Are Now

By Sarah Hudacek, Policy & Communications Associate, Advocates for Ohio’s Future 

Over the past three years, Congress has released an unprecedented amount of pandemic relief funds to state and local governments. Ohio received tens of billions of dollars across six COVID relief bills for everything from PPE and testing supplies to tourism funding to education to child abuse. The largest of these relief bills is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which makes historic investments, not only responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in supporting and strengthening government programs at every level as the country recovers from the pandemic.  

Naturally, funding of this magnitude flowing into Ohio is something that advocates, businesses, policymakers, stakeholders, nonprofits, and government agencies are all watching closely. ARPA funding has spending requirements and certain allowable uses, as well as frequent and intensive reporting requirements. Sifting through all the layers of this funding takes time and often can’t be tracked using a single source. 

To offer a resource to Ohioans interested in tracking the spending of their federal tax dollars through ARPA, the Ohio Poverty Law Center (OPLC) and Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) launched a project to expand and publish our own tracking, culminating in OhioARPATracker.org. On this free and publicly accessible site, government officials, stakeholders and private citizens can find a myriad of ARPA funding streams and track which federal funds are being distributed to their local schools, nonprofits, governments, and more.

When ARPA was passed, it was hailed as a historic opportunity for public input on transformational funding and was often trumpeted as a universal remedy for any and all issues faced across the state. However, with much of Ohio’s funding appropriated already, that has not been the case. There are still limitations on what ARPA funding can be used for and most of Ohio’s allocations were not decided based on public input.  

This leaves us with the questions, where are we now and what role will ARPA funding play in the work of advocates this year?  

State Appropriations 

By far the most-watched ARPA funding stream is the State Fiscal Recovery Fund (SFRF). Not only is it the single largest ARPA funding stream Ohio received, totaling $5.4 billion, it’s also the most flexible fund. Outside of SFRF, all other ARPA funds are programmatic funds, associated with specific programs or uses, and can only be released for spending by the state according to guidelines set by the respective federal agency.  

SFRF, in contrast, is generally up to the discretion of the state legislature and the governor and can be used to replace lost public sector revenue due to the pandemic, to invest in water, sewer and broadband, to provide premium or “hero” pay to essential workers, to broadly respond to the impacts of the pandemic, and even for capital expenditures related to responding to the pandemic. SFRF cannot be used to offset a tax cut and cannot be used for general economic development that does not respond to the impacts of the pandemic. 

Although public input in SFRF actions is a requirement for spending, Ohio has not facilitated public input in the use of these funds. Opportunities for public input could have included an email inbox for advocacy requests, a feedback form, public hearings, townhalls around the state, and more. To date, these opportunities were not offered to Ohioans by the Governor or legislature and very few opportunities for public testimony were allowed over the last two years before any SFRF legislation was passed. 

Following the appropriation of about 27 percent of Ohio’s SFRF in House Bill 45 (134th GA) last December, Ohio now has 8 percent remaining from the $5.4 billion in SFRF received from the federal government, totaling almost $417 million.  

To date, the spending categories of SFRF in Ohio include:

• Unemployment Compensation (UC): Repaying pandemic-era UC loans from the federal government 

• Water and Sewer 

• Parks and Trails 

• Public Safety: School security, first responder grants, crime labs and crime victim justice 

• Mental and Behavioral Health 

• Appalachian Community Grants 

• Food Assistance: Children’s Hunger Alliance, Ohio Association of Foodbanks 

• Lead Poisoning Prevention and Remediation 

• Workforce: County Job and Family Services offices, medical care workforce and workforce housing  

• Provider relief: adult day services, hospitals, nursing facilities, home and community-based services, assisted living and hospice 

• Tourism: Ohio State Fair Funding 

• Meat Processing Plants 

• Dredge Material Processing 

• Animal Disease Laboratories 

• Legal Services 

• Arts Grants 

• Semi-Professional Sport Support 

• Facilities Upgrades 

• Public Health: COVID response 

State Fiscal Recovery Fund in Our Border States 

When compared to Ohio’s neighboring states, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Ohio is largely on-track in terms of the percent of SFRF remaining to be appropriated and major categories of appropriations to date. 

The table below shows the amount of SFRF received, the amount remaining, and the percent remaining among these five states. Because each state received a different amount of SFRF under the federal government’s allocation formula, examining the percent of SFRF remaining is a good marker for each state’s progress in allocating SFRF to its communities. 

Ohio has also chosen to invest SFRF in similar categories as its neighboring states, with unemployment, workforce, water and sewer, and parks and trails all major categories of spending of both neighboring states and Ohio. Notably, Ohio has chosen not to invest in broadband or education, and has made minimal investments in health and human services and nonprofit support.  

Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Pennsylvania, like Ohio, all chose to invest some amount of their SFRF in unemployment compensation, either repaying a federal government loan to sustain their unemployment system throughout the pandemic, or to replenish their unemployment compensation trust funds.  

Ohio has not invested any SFRF in revenue replacement, or replacing lost public sector revenue caused by lower-than-expected tax revenues during the pandemic. West Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania, however, all invested some amount of their SFRF in revenue replacement. Ohio likely will not choose to invest its remaining SFRF in revenue replacement moving forward, as Ohio now has the largest budget sustainability fund in state history.

Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton Counties

As the three largest counties in the state, Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton Counties received the three largest county allocations in Ohio through the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (LFRF), which sent billions of dollars of flexible funds to city and county governments across the country. LFRF has the same spending guidelines and flexibilities as SFRF, and is a unique opportunity for local governments to invest in their communities. Many local governments have never received funding of this magnitude from the federal government. With varying capacity to manage LFRF requirements, many local governments have chosen to engage law firms and consultants to ensure all spending and reporting meets federal requirements, and to avoid penalties for failing to comply with reporting requirements. Cuyahoga and Hamilton Counties both chose to invest LFRF funds in compliance assistance from law firms and/or consultants.

Each of these three counties chose to approach LFRF spending in different ways. Hamilton County planned the spending of 100 percent of its LFRF. To do this, Hamilton County engaged county residents in public input and hearing opportunities and subsequently released a plan that allocated all of its $159 million LFRF across six spending buckets. After the spending plan was adopted, Hamilton County’s LFRF actions have strictly aligned with the spending plan, with little variation.

Franklin and Cuyahoga Counties did not fully plan their LFRF actions before beginning to allocate funds. Cuyahoga County, however, is unique in its decision to set aside $6 million for projects in each of the county council’s 11 districts, totaling $66 million. Setting aside funding for each council district in this way has likely made it easier for smaller projects in certain districts to be approved through the full council.

Cuyahoga County is also distinct in the sheer number of allocations it has made to distribute LFRF. At 221 allocations, it far outpaces Hamilton and Franklin Counties in the number of actions taken. Some of Cuyahoga County’s allocations are for as little as $20,000 in LFRF. Although this could be more difficult for community members to track, these smaller and more frequent allocations could signal to the community that the county is willing to invest even in small projects and open the door to more advocates with smaller needs. Conversely, this could indicate that the council is more hands-on in determining which community entities receive LFRF funding, and that advocates must make it through the council’s gates for funding, rather than being awarded funding in a competitive grant process with the county administration, as might occur in larger allocations for broad categories, such as housing or direct service nonprofits, for example.

County Allocations by Category

To assist with county-by-county comparisons, OPLC and AOF have sorted each LFRF allocation into broad spending categories. As evidenced by the table below, while there are some categories that were present in the allocations of all three counties, there was also a wide range of variation among counties. Full lists of allocations made by each county are accessible at OhioARPATracker.org.

Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati

Among the three largest cities in Ohio – Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati – spending methods aligned much more closely than among their corresponding counties. Only Columbus partially planned its LFRF actions, with about 28 percent announced as part of its plan. The rest of each city’s LFRF was subject to the actions of city council or the major’s office.

City Allocations by Category

What’s next for ARPA in Ohio?

Since March 2021, ARPA has been a major part of the conversation around recovery from the pandemic, needs in communities that existed prior to 2020, and priorities of every level of government in Ohio. Now that ARPA is almost two years old, does it still hold the same focus of advocates, stakeholders and policy makers? At the state level, no. Compared to the levels of funding Ohio state legislators regularly allocate, $417 million is next to nothing. Attention at the state level will now largely transition to monitoring SFRF allocations already made and ensuring funding is released quickly, equitably, and in alignment with the intent of ARPA – to promote recovery from the pandemic.

At the city and county level, there are still millions of dollars of LFRF available. Local advocates and policy makers will continue to focus heavily on allocating these funds this year to ensure funding can be fully exhausted by the September 2026 deadline.

The allocation process is only the beginning of a long process of rulemaking, grant making, reporting and compliance. Most of AOF and OPLC’s work moving forward will be on holding policymakers accountable and ensuring ARPA funds have the broadest impact on recovery possible.

AOF's 2023 Eligibility Resources Now Available!

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Associate

AOF is excited to release three updated resources for advocates:

• 2023 Poverty Scorecard: Review 2023 Federal Poverty Level guidelines and whether Ohio’s 10 most common jobs pay enough for families to live healthy lives.

• 2023 Public Benefits Eligibility Guide: Dive into eligibility for Ohio Works First, SNAP, Publicly Funded Child Care, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

• 2023 Medicaid Eligibility Guide: Break down five eligibility pathways into Ohio Medicaid coverage.

As we approach the end of SNAP Emergency Allotments and the restart of Medicaid eligibility determinations, these resources will be more important than ever to help Ohioans navigate the complicated eligibility requirements of Ohio’s safety net programs.

We’ll keep these resources updated with current program enrollment data throughout the year - keep checking back for updates on our Resources page.

Budget 101: Preparing for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 State Budget

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Associate

Budget season is here again! If you haven’t started preparing for the marathon 6-month process yet, it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about the process and how to prepare.

Blue Book

It all starts with the Governor’s budget proposal. The Governor must release his executive budget proposal by January 31st, also called the Blue Book. The Blue Book is an extensive report of the Governor’s recommended policies, programs and appropriations to be included in the operating budget for Fiscal Years 2024-2025. The Blue Book is formulated using budget requests from each executive agency that were submitted to the Governor in the fall.

Red Books

To accompany the release of the Blue Book, the Legislative Service Commission prepares deep-dives into the budget recommendations for each executive agency, known as Red Books.

House of Representatives

The budget process always begins in the House of Representatives, with the budget expected to be introduced by the Chair of the House Finance Committee by February 14th. Notably, standing committees in the House have not yet been assigned, meaning the legislators who will be undertaking the budget process in Finance Committee (including the Finance Chair) are still unknown. In the Senate, Senator Matt Dolan is returning as Finance Committee chair. In the House, however, former Finance Chair, Representative Scott Oelslager, has been appointed as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House. With this leadership assignment, Oelslager is out of the running for Finance Chair. The division between factions of the Republican party in the House makes predicting committee assignments even more difficult.

Typically, the House will assign Finance sub-committees to focus on specific topics of the budget. Budget committee assignments are up to the discretion of the Speaker of the House, though, and it’s possible that the Speaker will choose a different approach other than sub-committees. However, as a best practice, these subcommittees will begin with budget hearings in early February, including testimony from agency directors on the Governor’s recommendations, as well as opportunities for community stakeholders to testify on the as-introduced budget.

Following weeks of testimony, each sub-committee will submit a report to the full Finance Committee with its recommendations. Based on these recommendations, the Finance Committee will introduce an amended version of the budget, known as a Substitute Bill, or sub-bill. At each step of the process, the legislature can change anything from the Governor’s recommended budget, including adding, removing, expanding, reducing or altering existing items in the Executive budget.

Additional weeks of testimony will be heard on the sub-bill. The Finance Committee will draft additional changes to the bill based on that testimony and on comments from stakeholders in legislative meetings and will introduce an omnibus amendment - one sweeping addition that includes dozens of changes to the bill which are adopted all at once.

Typically, once the omnibus amendment is approved by the Finance Committee, the committee will then quickly vote on moving the bill out of committee and to the House floor, without additional opportunities for public input. Amendments on the House floor can be offered, but typically most amendments added to the budget are done in the committee process. Once approved, the bill moves to the Senate to repeat the same process.

At every step along the way - the as-introduced version, sub-bill, House-passed version, etc. - LSC will release updated comparison documents, or comp docs, comparing every line item of the budget against the different versions.

Spring Break

Typically, between the passage of the budget in the House and the bill’s introduction in the Senate, the legislature takes a week-long spring break, likely sometime around late March or early April.

Senate

The Senate process closely mirrors the process in the House. In the 2021 budget process, Senate President Matt Huffman opted to forgo the typical sub-committee process, and instead tasked Senate standing committees with hearing budget testimony on their assigned topics and submitting recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee. President Huffman has yet to announce if the same process will be followed this year.

Concurrence

Once the Senate passes its version of the budget, the bill is sent to the House of Representatives for a concurrence vote on the Senate’s changes - which are typically extensive. Without exception, the House will reject the Senate’s changes, which will trigger a referral to conference committee.

Conference Committee

An equal number of Representatives and Senators will be assigned to the conference committee, and this committee’s work will happen largely behind closed doors. The conference committee does not accept public testimony and will work privately to reconcile changes between the two versions before releasing a final version of the budget, which is then quickly approved by both the House and Senate and sent to the Governor for his signature.

Because parts of the process, such as conference committee, are not open to public input, it’s even more important to be vocal in your advocacy throughout the preceding process and to meet with legislators from your district and members of the committees focusing on the issues you work on to ensure your message is heard prior to non-public budget decisions.

Governor’s Desk

The Governor must sign the final budget by July 1st, when the next state fiscal year begins. Because the budget is an appropriations bill, the Governor can line-item veto any item in the budget. The Governor cannot, however, add or alter existing budget provisions - only approve or deny them.

There is typically limited time for advocacy on line-item vetoes after the final budget has passed the legislature. It’s vital to be informed on the current version of the budget and speak out against harmful provisions as soon as possible, as things move very quickly in this process.

Green Books

Following the end of the entire budget process, LSC will study the passed budget and produce Green Books, which are deep-dives into the impact of the budget on each executive agency. Green Books are typically released in October or November of budget years.

Preparing

If you haven’t yet, the time to start preparing for the budget is now! Check out this great blog from our partners at The Center for Community Solutions for a five step to-do list to get started.

New Year, New General Assembly

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Associate

As an odd-numbered year, 2023 brings a lot of change to the Ohio Statehouse. Ohio’s legislative sessions run for two years and always begin in odd-numbered years. Last week marked the beginning of the 135th session of the Ohio General Assembly. What does this mean for advocacy? A lot of changes…

New Budget

By far the most expansive work of each GA is the state operating budget every odd-numbered year, which is introduced in the House of Representatives in early February and is the focus of the GA’s work until the finalized budget is sent to the Governor at the end of June. The operating budget allocates billions in state and federal funding to state agencies, existing programs and overall government operations, and also to new programs proposed throughout the process.

The operating budget is the largest policy bill of each GA. Where a government allocates funding shows the heart of its priorities and outlines its work for the next two years. Because of this, the budget is a central focus of AOF’s work at the beginning of each new GA.

New Members

Each new GA comes after a fall election the previous year and brings some new members of the legislature, who are sworn in the first day of the new session. These new members can bring new ideas and new partnerships to the GA, but also may be less familiar with state government operations, programs and funding. This session, there are 25 new Representatives and 7 new Senators.

New Leaders

As new members come in and some incumbent members leave, majority and minority party leadership in each chamber changes. This year, Senate President Matt Huffman returned for a second session in this role, and House Minority Leader Allison Russo returned to her leadership role for another two years. Speaker of the House Jason Stephens and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio were both newly elected. Leadership in both chambers drives the priorities of each caucus and determines which bills are voted on and when, making them the overall authority on the work of each GA. Check out the full line-up of House leadership here and Senate leadership here.

New Committees (sometimes)

Leadership also has the power to convene new committees. This year, Senate President Matt Huffman announced the creation of two new standing Senate committees: Medicaid, and Community Revitalization. Changing the standing committees in a chamber is a good signal of what that chamber’s priorities will be over the next two years.

Standing House committees have not been announced yet but are expected any time.

New Bills

When one GA ends and another begins, all legislation that did not pass during the previous two-year session is scrapped. No matter how far a bill made it through the legislative process, if it wasn’t passed by both chambers and signed by the Governor, the bill must be re-introduced and work through the process all over again. In the initial months of the 135th GA, we can expect to see a number of bills re-introduced in the new session or even amended into the operating budget. Keep in mind that any bills that failed in the 134th GA and are re-introduced in the 135th GA will have different bill numbers, so keep an eye out for the new bill number once the legislation is introduced.

With all of these changes, AOF will be closely tracking the work of the 135th GA as we count down the days before the start of the budget season. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

Deadline nears for temporary changes that make the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program more flexible

By Tara Britton, AOF Co-Chair and Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at The Center for Community Solutions

You have likely been reading a lot about student loans in the news. The next looming date is August 31, 2022, when payments for federal student loans turn back on after a COVID-19 induced moratorium spanning more than two and half years. This deadline has been extended several times, and it’s possible it will be again. At the same time, reports are that President Biden is weighing all options around federal student loan forgiveness, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, a program of significance to anyone working in the public or nonprofit sector has undergone major, but temporary changes that have resulted in 145,000 people receiving debt relief in the amount of $8.1 billion since last October. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives most types of federal student loans for anyone who has worked in the public or nonprofit sector and made loan payments for ten years (a total of 120 payments) while employed in those positions. The 10 total years need not be consecutive. Late last year, I wrote about the problems plaguing this program as people who’d been paying since 2007 (when the program began), first became eligible for forgiveness in 2017. To summarize, it didn’t go well. People were rejected for forgiveness for a host of reasons, and very few were successful in having their loans forgiven. Most of the rejections were due to the chaos and confusion caused by an overly complicated program, and the Department of Education’s general disinterest in the program’s success.

Most payments, including late and partial payments, will count toward forgiveness

In October, 2021, a new director for Federal Student Aid under the Biden administration (former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray) announced major changes to the PSLF program, but noted that many of the changes would be temporary through October 31, 2022. At the same time, the agency would be examining opportunities for major structural changes to PSLF and to federal student loans overall (the administration is beginning to make progress on this front).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver

Importantly, the temporary PSLF would now allow past student loan payments originally deemed “uncountable” to qualify toward the total payment count. It turned out, many people were unknowingly in the wrong type of payment plan for payments to count toward forgiveness. The temporary program allows most payments, including late and partial payments, to count toward the overall 120 required payments. All of these changes will get people closer to loan forgiveness!

What do I need to do to access this temporary Public Student Loan Forgiveness program?

You’ll find some helpful resources linked below along with some helpful tips.

• Confirm you work and/or worked for an eligible employer. If you work or worked in the public or nonprofit sector and have federal student loans (not private loans), it is definitely worth checking to see if your current or past employer counts as an eligible employer. You can do that here. Even if there are gaps in your employment in the public or nonprofit sectors, you should check to see if any periods of repayment are eligible. You may work in the sector in the future and getting past payments counted now can help move you closer toward forgiveness then.

• Utilize the PSLF tool. This helpful tool on the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid website can walk you through the process of identifying eligible loans, eligible payments and notifying you of forms etc. that you may need to submit. You can access the tool here. It is imperative that you start on this process before the October 31, 2022 deadline in order to maximize the flexibility allowed under the temporary PSLF program. PSLF will still be around after this deadline, but the temporary flexibility allow for more types of payments to count.

• There are some helpful resources for employers, too. Employers should know if they’re an eligible employer for PSLF and use this as a recruitment tool and added employee benefit! The resource linked ahead is a little outdated, as it doesn’t recognize the temporary PSLF program, but it’s helpful in describing the program to employers and includes a template for employers to certify employment, which is an important role of employers in this process. You can access the resource here. At Community Solutions, we invited a speaker to join a staff meeting who walked through the PSLF program. That knowledge helped a few colleagues successfully track past payments under the temporary program and receive loan forgiveness!

• Connecting with loan servicers. If you are already repaying federal student loans, you are most certainly working with a loan servicer. Some of you may already be on track toward PSLF, and if that’s the case, your loan servicer should have been sending you information about the temporary program and how to maximize it. If you aren’t connected to PSLF yet, you will likely need to change loan servicers, as PSLF is managed by a specific loan servicer that contracts with the U.S. Department of Education to manage PSLF eligible loans. Start this process as soon as possible to get ahead of the October 31, 2022 deadline. This helpful fact sheet is directed toward loan servicers, but I’ve found it has answered a lot of questions that I’ve had about the temporary PSLF program and what it means for people in various scenarios.

Nine million student loan borrowers are eligible for loan forgiveness

PSLF, and student loans in general remain complex. A recent report from the Student Borrower Protection Center identified more than 9 million borrowers who are eligible to pursue forgiveness under PSLF. Only two percent have received forgiveness and only about 15 percent of eligible borrowers have begun to track payments toward forgiveness. Demystifying PSLF, even a little a bit, will enable more people to take the opportunity to count more payments toward loan forgiveness. Fully utilize the resources linked above and don’t hesitate to ask questions of your loan servicer and the U.S. Department of Education. Hopefully, this all leads to larger structural changes to make student loans less confusing to begin with, and allows people of all backgrounds to access higher education.

The Extra Special August 2nd Special Election

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

On August 2nd, 2022, a rare special election will be held in Ohio in which almost every voter in the state will have a race on their ballot. This year, the special election will serve as the primary election for all Ohio General Assembly candidates, just 13 weeks before the November general election, because of continual delays in the redistricting process.

How did we get here?

Typically, once a decennial census is completed at the beginning of each new decade, data is delivered to states to begin re-drawing their districts for state House, Senate, and congressional officials. Over the last nine months, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has passed various versions of district maps, each of which was struck down as unconstitutional in the Ohio Supreme Court. As the Commission continuously fell short of constitutional standards for new maps, the primary elections for Ohio General Assembly races were continuously pushed back.

Ohio boards of elections officials have since faced delays in mailing absentee ballot forms to oversees and military voters and programming elections software for election day. Voters faced confusion over the voter registration deadline and what races were on their ballot, and candidates were forced to file paperwork to run in districts that were constantly in flux.

The August 2nd primary election was scheduled once it was determined any further delays would threaten the November general election, which will also determine Ohio’s next Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Attorney General, and Treasurer.

Who’s on the ballot?

The August 2nd primary election is the first step in deciding which officials will form the 135th Ohio General Assembly (GA), which will be in session from 2023-2024. This group of 132 legislators will create and pass the state operating budget for Fiscal Years 2024-2025, the largest fiscal and policy legislation of each GA.

The GA also tackles policy issues that impact almost every aspect of the lives of Ohioans. Major policy issues the current GA touched on over the last two years included education vouchers for students to use state funds to attend non-public schools, teaching diverse and equitable topics in public education, access to public benefits, child care access and funding, allocating federal COVID relief funds, responding to COVID-19, redistricting, broadband access, access to healthcare for all Ohioans regardless of gender, and more. The outcome of this year’s elections will impact state policy for the next two years.

This year’s general assembly primary is also unique in that 51 of the incumbents on the ballot have been drawn into a new district, meaning many statehouse districts will have new representation, because the legislator that constituency elected is on the ballot under a new district.

What you need to know to vote this summer

Early voting for the August 2nd primary is underway now. Check early voting hours and find your early voting location here.

Absentee ballots can be requested by printing and completing the state request form, available here. Requests for absentee ballots must be received by July 30th at noon. Absentee ballots returned by US mail must be postmarked by August 1st and received by boards of elections by August 12th. If returning an absentee ballot in-person, it must be turned in to your board of election by the close of polls on August 2nd. If you requested an absentee ballot but choose to vote in-person on election day, you will have to vote via provisional ballot, which is used to record your vote until the board of elections can confirm your absentee ballot was not also submitted.

Your polling location may be different for the August 2nd special election. Confirm your polling site here.

Prepare to vote by viewing your sample ballot here. View the nonpartisan League of Women Voter’s Voter Guide, which includes responses to a candidate questionnaire, here.

The deadline to register to vote in the August 2nd election has passed. If you’re not sure if you’re registered to vote, confirm your registration status by searching here.

Learn what identification requirements might be required for voter identification here.

Get out and vote!

The 411 on 988: New Crisis Help Line Launches

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

A new national suicide prevention hotline, accessible by calling or texting 9-8-8, launches tomorrow, July 16th. By federal mandate, every state is required to launch its own 988 hotline, which won’t immediate replace the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, but once fully implemented nationwide, will be available to every person in every state to respond to those in mental health crisis.

The new 988 line, in addition to being easier to remember than the current 10-digit number, will be able to track the location of 988 callers to reach response teams in their area. In Ohio, callers will be linked to one of 19 statewide call centers. If a call isn’t answered at the closest call center, a back-up center in a different county will receive the call. If again the call is unanswered, Talbert House in Cincinnati will serve as a statewide backup call center, after which the call will be routed to a nationwide backup call center.

Although those experiencing medical emergencies or life-threatening situations should still call 911, the new 988 line is expected to decrease unnecessary police and emergency room intervention of mental health crises. Some 988 calls may be able to be resolved over the phone, without dispatching local responders. When help is sent to callers, responders will be trained in mental health and appropriate clinical response.

Over the last year, Ohioans made 79,358 calls to the existing national lifeline, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) estimates Ohioans will call the new 988 line 179,015 times in the first year of implementation. Capacity to receive these calls, both in call centers and in crisis care centers, is an ongoing concern. Earlier this year, the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers released a report on Ohio’s behavioral health workforce crisis. Read Breaking Point here.

The Arc of the United States also released a statement this week urging for national training curriculum for 988 staff to be better prepared to respond to callers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who are more likely to have co-occurring mental health conditions, more likely to report suicidal ideation than those without disabilities, and who are often misunderstood by law enforcement officers.

Ohio received $3.3 million from the federal government to prepare for the new hotline, and OhioMHAS has dedicated $20 million to fund the initial 988 launch through the end of fiscal year 2023 next June. House Bill 468 is also pending in the Ohio Senate, which would establish a special 988 fund in the state treasury. Depending on HB468’s movement this fall, funding of the new hotline will likely be a discussion in next spring’s 2024-2025 biennial budget process.

Check out these resources for more information on 988:

• OhioMHAS 988 Information Page

• Federal 988 Partner Toolkit

• 988lifeline.org (formerly National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)

• Webinar on July 25th: NAMI Greater Cleveland: Reimagining Crisis Response: Understanding 988

Even after the soft launch of the 988 line tomorrow, those in distress or crisis can continue to reach the current lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255.

Not So Golden Years: Listening to Ohio’s Hungry Older Adults

By: Sarah Hudacek, Policy Assistant, AOF 

Hope A. Lane Gavin, Health Equity Fellow, The Center for Community Solutions

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a myriad of temporary health and human service programming was created to help stabilize families facing unprecedented illness, job loss and closures. Much of this programming was targeted at low-income working families with children including enhanced unemployment benefits, the Pandemic-EBT program, increased and advanced Child Tax Credit, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefit boost, SNAP access to college students and more. While these programs were undoubtedly impactful to those who could access them, (the Child Tax Credit temporarily slashed child poverty, for example) there was little help for non-working older adults without children under 18 in the home.  

As part of temporary COVID-19 programming all Ohio households receiving SNAP have been receiving temporary emergency allotments to bring their monthly benefit to the maximum amount for their household size. When the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends, all beneficiaries will return to receiving their base benefit. While this loss in federal food assistance will undeniably hurt everyone who relies on the program to meet their nutritional needs, older adults, a population that already disproportionately struggles with food security, will face the most severe impacts. 

In April 2022, as part of Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) ongoing Public Health Emergency Unwind Work, AOF collaborated with The Center for Community Solutions and The Ohio Association of Foodbanks to conduct interviews with Ohioans age 60 and older currently participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Pre-pandemic look at senior hunger  

While much of our time was spent on the current state of individuals’ food security, (while receiving emergency allotments), there were many challenges prior to the pandemic in accessing and affording food:  

• All interviewees reported that their base SNAP benefit did not cover their monthly food and nutrition needs  

• All interviewees reported regularly relying on family, friends or foodbanks to meet their food needs 

• Nearly all interviewees reported they’d regularly skip meals or ration food 

• All interviewees described calculated shopping techniques to stretch their benefit longer; including purchasing cheaper, less healthy food, canned goods, discounted foods, and forgoing protein and fresh fruits and vegetables 

• Nearly all interviewees reported forgoing medical essentials or going into medical debt because their discretionary income was being used to supplement their SNAP benefits 

Older adult households see greatest benefit and have the most to lose when temporary benefits end 

Increased SNAP benefits and increased quality of life

Because older adults are expected to lose as much or more in SNAP benefits when temporary pandemic program expansions end, we interviewed 10 older adults across the state currently receiving SNAP to talk benefit adequacy and hear what these emergency benefits have meant to them.

Here are some of their stories:

We spoke with a 60-year-old single woman in Cuyahoga County who relies on a fixed Social Security Disability and pension payment due to being unable to work because of a fibromyalgia diagnosis in addition to being a cancer survivor. Throughout the pandemic, she had been receiving an additional $95 in SNAP benefits, which she will lose at the end of the PHE. Prior to receiving temporary enhanced SNAP benefits, she would purchase food items her doctor advised against because of their higher sugar preservative content, such as canned vegetables, to stretch her $150 benefit throughout the month.

Throughout the pandemic, however, she has no longer needed to wash canned foods before eating them, as she has been able to purchase more expensive fresh and frozen vegetables with her extra benefits. She already participates in extreme couponing groups on social media and will have to rely on coupon sharing and food pantries like May Dugan’s Seniors on the Move to supplement her food needs at the end of the PHE. She noted that her doctor put her on a particular diet to manage more of her health complications without medication. However, food pantries don’t normally have the bulk of the food her doctor recommends.

When asked: “Is there anything you wish elected officials understood about how you get enough wholesome food?” she answered:

““Seniors have limited income and need other medical things or certain diets, medications, diabetic shoes, etc. not just even food. All these programs to help the elderly [are ending], they built the country and now at the end of their lives that they’re supposed to be enjoying they’re getting the short end of the stick. We need better food quality. Some states prescribe healthy food, like WIC for the elderly. When are we going to get that for Ohio?””

We spoke with a 61-year-old single woman in Meigs County who has Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, Stage 1 emphysema, and Stage 3 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).  She tries not to go to food banks to save resources for those in worse situations than she is, plus the nearest food bank is about 30 miles away. Prior to the pandemic, she was receiving just $19 a month in benefits and was never able to get enough food to feel healthy and productive. She described in great detail that she was often unable to function mentally and physically as her brain “didn’t work” when she was hungry. During this time, she never bought meat or fresh food because she couldn’t afford it and primarily only purchased things on sale. Sometimes she would buy marked down “mystery” cans without a label on them.

With her extra benefits, she is able to buy unbleached bread that is better for her diabetes. Fresh fruits and vegetables, however, remain a challenge because of inflated prices and lack of access to variety due to Meigs rural geography. Because she’s spent less of her budget on food costs, she described finally being able to buy a new pair of tennis shoes with diabetic insoles, which aren’t covered by insurance. She can also have a cup of coffee whenever she wants. Her family gave her groceries for her most recent birthday.

When asked “How has inflation (higher costs for food) impacted your food budget and your other household expenses?” she answered:

““I try to get a small thing of milk and make it last for as long as I can. I don’t have fresh fruits and vegetables in the house all the time but I try to get some when I can. Try to buy a little extra bread to freeze. Try and buy the cheapest mayo and ketchup, etc. I know the exact prices of the absolute cheapest condiments at Walmart. I really just try to buy as cheap as I can. Knowing that the cheap stuff isn’t going to be the best for you… but I have to buy whatever I can find. If I can eat two meals a day and try to have enough food for the whole month, that’s good.””

We spoke with an 84-year-old single woman in Summit County who relies on an $841 monthly Social Security Retirement benefit to meet all of her needs. Prior to receiving SNAP emergency allotments, she relied on savvy shopping techniques (visiting multiple stores in one trip for the best deals, coupons etc.) to stretch her benefits but still have enough food to eat her vegetarian diet. Having additional food assistance has allowed her to prepay her funeral expenses so she and her family no longer have to worry about being burdened with an unexpected expense when the time comes.

She describes avoiding food pantries if she can help it due to the food not being as healthy as she would like, as she tries her best to avoid white breads and canned goods. She shared with us that although she lives in what she describes as “exurbs,” transportation to and from food sources is a tremendous challenge, not only for her but others in her community.

When asked “With your increased pandemic SNAP benefit, are you able to get enough food to feel healthy and productive? She answered:

“It makes it easier because I don’t have to worry about running around to each store to get the least expensive food. It’s helped my anxiety because I don’t have to run to a number of stores to save money, I can shop where I prefer because I have more in SNAP benefits.”

We spoke with a 63-year-old man from Athens County who will lose $500 in SNAP benefits and who supports his wife, his son, and two grandkids. Before the pandemic, his wife was diagnosed with diabetes, which he attributes to not being able to purchase enough healthy foods with their SNAP benefits. Prior to receiving enhanced benefits, his household purchased mostly nonperishable and canned foods, and would use coupons and sales to try to stretch their benefits further.

With enhanced benefits during the pandemic, his family has rarely had to ration food like they did before. After benefits return to pre-pandemic levels, he is worried about coping with medical bills from his wife’s worsening diabetes and affording enough food.

When asked: “Is there anything you wish elected officials understood about how you get enough wholesome food?” he answered:

““I think it is terrible news that the extra money is going away. I think the elected officials should do more to take care of their citizens. Not everyone in Athens can afford healthy food. Extra SNAP benefits has had a positive influence to my financial capacity and gives me food courage. My family can confidently have our three daily meals.””

We spoke with a 62-year-old single woman with diabetes and hypothyroidism from Jackson County who will lose $230 in SNAP benefits at the end of the pandemic, and who received only $16 per month in SNAP prior to emergency allotments. Prior to the pandemic, she would visit foodbanks, shop sales, and use online coupons to stretch her SNAP benefits, but still shared that there were times she didn’t pay bills because she needed food or medicine. Based on her doctor’s advice, she also needs protein shakes to stay healthy, which she has to pay for out of pocket because they aren’t covered by insurance. She would sometimes eat only soup and crackers for days to make sure she could afford her medications.

With enhanced benefits, her pantry, freezer and fridge are stocked for the first time. She called the extra help a godsend. She’s been able to eat better and has lost weight during the pandemic. Because SNAP benefits freed up money for bills, she has paid down her medical debt and was able to purchase new clothes. At the end of the pandemic, she’ll go back to visiting her foodbank, purchasing lower quality food, and searching for coupons online to get by.

When asked “In what ways did having increased SNAP benefits have an impact on your health?” she answered:

“I am not as hungry. Better quality food is more satisfying. My mental health has improved significantly. I am not as stressed out about getting the food I need. I don’t have to pick and choose as much. I can get quality meat. I have been able to be healthier and have even lost weight.”

We spoke with a 63-year-old single woman from Cuyahoga County with a Master’s Degree and with diabetes who relies on Social Security Disability Income to get by. With extra SNAP benefits, she has been able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of the canned foods she ate before the pandemic. She used to have to sacrifice healthy foods, like apples, to have enough money left to afford staples like toilet paper, which is not covered by SNAP.

She has worked consistently since she was 14 years old, until she became disabled and lost her job. Her overall health is better because she’s no longer stressing about how she’s going to get food. She shared that it’s not just a caloric issue, it’s about having better mental health, too. Before the pandemic, she had to rely on family and friends to help supplement her monthly grocery budget, and she expects to begin relying on them again when enhanced benefits end. She will also turn to the foodbanks and churches to make up for the deficit in SNAP benefits.

When asked: “Is there anything you wish elected officials understood about how you get enough wholesome food?” she answered:

“Elected officials, unless they grew up close to poverty, they have no idea what being on SNAP means. When I was growing up, you walk to the fridge, there’s always stuff in it. There are times now when that’s not the case. Elected officials don’t know what it’s like to go to the fridge or cabinet and not have things like butter. I want to be able to buy milk, almonds, walnuts, the good coffee. Real food is expensive. Fresh fruits, vegetables are expensive. People don’t get that. The scammers are what make the news. You don’t see me trying to eat bread crumbs to survive. An extra $50 would change my world. $50 would change my reality. If [the government] can do it now [during the pandemic], why can’t they keep doing it?”

Increased SNAP benefits: impact is the same regardless of age, race, geography

To participate in our interview project, respondents had to meet three simple criteria: live in Ohio, be 60 years of age or older and currently participate in the SNAP program. Although our interviewees came from a diverse cross section of age (ranging from 60-84 years old), race, gender, geography, household composition and more, their stories, when boiled down, are vastly similar:

• All interviewees shared how the increased SNAP benefits had a positive impact on their health

• All interviewees shared that the increased SNAP benefits improved their food-purchasing power, improving the quality and quantity of their grocery trips

• All interviewees shared increased SNAP benefits freed up money for other essential bills and household expenses (ranging from prescriptions, appointments, and medical debt to toilet paper and utilities)

• All interviewees relied on at least one other public assistance program in addition to SNAP, such as Medicaid, Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP), Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or the Medicare Premium Assistance Program (MPAP).

Elderly Simplified Application Project

In the last state budget, the Ohio General Assembly recognized the increasing need to address food insecurity among older adults and thus approved of an Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) waiver. Beginning on July 1, 2022, Ohio will join Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and a number of other states that have implemented demonstration projects like ESAP to help increase administrative efficiencies and decrease barriers for older adults and disabled households without earned income in accessing SNAP benefits.

While administrative churn – or cycling off of SNAP because of missed paperwork (and not due to ineligibility) is a problem for many low-income households, it is exacerbated in households headed by older adults. The risk of churn, frequency, duration of churn spells and the value of foregone SNAP benefits vary based on household circumstance but all contribute to older adults experiencing gaps in SNAP benefit receipt. Churn entails costs for county agencies, too, having to spend time recertifying benefits for households whose circumstances generally stay the same by nature of having no earned income.

The ESAP waiver will extend the certification period for these households to 36 months with the goal of improving customer experience and administrative efficiency and boosting SNAP participation among this population. While ESAP does not address benefit adequacy, for many households, getting connected to and staying enrolled in benefits is the first step.

What’s next?

For a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to food insecurity, social isolation and increased risk of infection, older adults were hit particularly hard by the economic and public health crisis caused by COVID-19.  

As these stories make clear, none of the SNAP recipients interviewed are taking these temporary benefits for granted. Not only did these older adults consistently share that temporary benefits helped them feel more secure and confident in their ability to afford a full month of groceries, but these benefits also helped them save more of their income to pay off debt, purchase medical items not covered by insurance, and helped them improve their health.

Older adults typically live on fixed incomes, meaning their income is stable from month to month, but also meaning that their budgets have little flexibility to absorb today’s rapidly rising prices and often food is the first part of their budget to be reduced.

We’re all aging. Ohio’s elected leaders cannot overlook the importance of supporting food benefits for older adults, which is essential to ensuring the health and well-being of all Ohioans. For now, the PHE is expected to be extended through October 15, 2022. The time to prepare for the loss of these benefits and the resulting food insecurity faced by millions of Ohioans is now.

AOF Releases New Ohio Medicaid Eligibility Resource

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

This week, Advocates for Ohio’s Future released a new Medicaid eligibility resource, breaking down the various pathways into Medicaid coverage. As we approach both the Ohio Medicaid Next Generation roll-out this summer, and the end of the federal Public Health Emergency and associated review of the eligibility of all 3.3 million Ohio Medicaid members, Ohio households will be facing a number of changes at the same time. In addition to other resources we’ve created for advocates and Ohioans, we hope this resource will continue to help center conversations around the importance of access to health care in the overall health of Ohioans.

Download our Medicaid Eligibility resource HERE!

10 Days Left: Don't Leave Money on the Table This Tax Season

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

This tax season, it’s more important than ever that every Ohioan file an income tax return - yes, every Ohioan, regardless of income level! Because of flexibilities included in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), many Ohioans and their families will be eligible to receive thousands of dollars back in their federal tax return through the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and any missed third stimulus checks.

Why should every Ohioan file taxes, though? You might be eligible for credits you were never eligible for before, even if you don’t make enough to be required to file taxes. The state and federal tax filing deadline is April 18th, 2022. Here’s what you need to know:

Child Tax Credit

Most families with children under 18 are eligible to receive the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which delivered monthly payments to many families from July 2021 to December 2021. Those payments were just the first half - families will receive the second half of the $3,600 credit when they file their taxes. If you didn’t automatically receive monthly payments, you could still be eligible to receive the full credit in a lump sum when you file. This major expansion of the CTC has not yet been approved by Congress for future years, meaning this is a unique opportunity to receive significant support for families with children.

Earned Income Tax Credit

Also this year, more people are eligible to receive greater returns from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is available to workers, whether or not they are married or have children. The most notable change to the EITC from ARPA was an expansion of the EITC for workers without dependents. Additionally, Ohio offers its own state EITC that can be combined with the federal EITC when eligible workers file taxes.

The main difference between the state and federal EITCs, aside from Ohio’s being smaller than the federal credit, is that the federal credit is refundable, while Ohio’s is not. Ohio’s EITC can only be applied to outstanding taxes due to the state at the time of filing, even if the amount that you owe to the state is less than the total amount of the credit. Any leftover state EITC balance cannot be used. With the federal EITC, any credit balance that is not applied to outstanding taxes due to the IRS is received as a tax refund.

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) is another credit that can help offset child care or dependent care expenses for working families. This tax season, the CDCTC is refundable for the first time. Tax filers can claim more than 2.5 times the cost of dependent care expenses than was previously allowed, and the percentage of dependent care expenses families can receive as a refund is greater.

Stimulus Checks

The third COVID-19 stimulus payment was also issued in March 2021. If you either didn’t receive the third stimulus check, or had a baby in 2021, you might be eligible to receive this $1,400 per person payment when you file taxes.

Don’t Wait to File!

If you make less than $12,550 per year, or $25,100 when filing jointly, you’re eligible for simplified filing, which begins in May 2022. When using simplified filing, filers won’t have to verify their income or provide tax documents, among other differences that make simplified filing a much quicker process. While a great option for many low-income Ohioans, filers who utilize simplified filing are not able to claim the EITC, meaning thousands of dollars of credits could be lost if EITC-eligible Ohioans don’t file by April 18th. If you’re considering taking advantage of simplified filing, be sure it’s the right choice for you.

Filing taxes is a confusing process for almost every household, but this year’s expanded credits mean Ohioans and their families can receive a vital boost to help as they recover from the pandemic. Don’t leave money on the table this tax season! For free virtual tax help, visit GetYourRefund.org/CTCOH.

For more information, check out these resources:

• Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio and Policy Matters Ohio: Get that money now: Expanded tax credits can help families meet their basic needs and thrive

• Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio and Policy Matters Ohio: Webinar: Get That Money! Ensuring Ohio families know about and can access their tax credits

• Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio: Families Deserve a Robust, Permanent Simplified Tax Filing Option

American Rescue Plan Act: What's Next?

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

Over the past year, AOF has been at the forefront of state advocacy on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. We’ve held two webinars, sent a memo to the Governor’s office, held a press conference, led a social media storm, and issued a sign-on letter to Governor DeWine and leaders of the General Assembly. So what’s next for our ARPA advocacy?

ARPA funds are not only impacting current policy and recovery decisions but are set to impact policy decisions for the next biennium and beyond. It’s no surprise, then, that AOF and our members are paying close attention to the allocation of these funds and are working to ensure that every dollar is used to help Ohioans regain stability and recover from the economic and public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passed in March 2021, ARPA has brought billions of dollars of federal relief funds into Ohio, and only half of the most flexible pot of funds - the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) - has been allocated from the federal government to date. SLFRF dollars must be allocated by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.

As a statewide coalition, AOF’s primary ARPA advocacy surrounds the $5.37 billion in State Fiscal Recovery Funds (State FRF) Ohio is in the process of receiving and allocating.

Separate from the strictly state pot, Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are bringing dollars directly to municipalities and counties, as well. Across the state, 38 cities are receiving a total $2.18 billion, all 88 counties are receiving a total $2.27 billion, and non-entitlement units of government, which include villages and townships, will receive $843.7 million. Altogether, state and local governments are set to receive $10.66 billion through SLFRF.

These SLFRF dollars come with very few restrictions on how they can be spent - namely, that they should be used to support recovery from the pandemic and cannot be used as an offset for tax cuts.

SLFRF allocations are split in half, with state and local governments having received the first half, or tranche, in May 2021 and expecting the second tranche in May 2022. To date, the state has spent or is poised to spend $2.15 billion of the first $2.68 billion payment. That leaves $534.7 million until the May allocation arrives and the state will have $3.2 billion at its disposal. Check out our timeline above of how this funding has been spent so far.

Allocations from the State FRF can be authorized through state legislation in the General Assembly or through Controlling Board approval. We’ve seen allocations through each of these vehicles. There have yet to be any public hearings or opportunities for public input on the spending of these massive amounts of federal funding at the state level, which AOF has consistently advocated cannot be adequately done without hearing from Ohioans themselves. Many local governments, however, are doing a much better job of engaging their communities on these dollars.

These $10.66 billion in federal funds coming into Ohio, though, is just one of dozens of funding streams that will bring ARPA money into the state. Some of the many programs and funding streams AOF and our partners are monitoring include:

• Child Care: Through both Child Care Stabilization Grants and a funding boost to the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Ohio is receiving more than $1.3 billion for child care relief. As AOF has testified to the Study Committee on Publicly Funded Child Care and Step Up to Quality, Ohio’s child care providers need support now more than ever. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has utilized this funding to offer Child Care Stabilization Grants, with Phase 2 of at least three funding waves currently underway.

• Housing: Ohio has received $613.5 million in Emergency Rental Assistance second round (ERA2) funds from ARPA to assist renters with rent, utilities and home energy costs, late fees, internet service for rental units, relocation expenses, and more. This is in addition to $560 million ERA first round (ERA1) funding through the CARES Act, and additional ERA1 and ERA2 funds going straight to local communities across the state from both ARPA and the CARES Act. For homeowners, the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was seeded with $280.8 million in ARPA funding to assist with mortgage defaults and delinquencies, utilities, energy costs, and more. ERA funds are distributed through Ohio’s Community Action Agencies and HAF funds are distributed under the Save The Dream Ohio program through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio has a directory with instructions on accessing ERA on their website and Save The Dream Ohio’s website includes more information on HAF funding. As we all know, rent eats first. AOF and our members are working to ensure housing assistance funds get out into communities to stabilize families on their way to recovery.

• Education: Not only are ARPA’s investments in education the largest programmatic funding sources, they even outpace the State FRF amount Ohio is receiving. Across the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), and Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS), Ohio has received an infusion of $5.8 billion in K-16 funding. Learning losses from the pandemic will impact a generation of students for years to come and we have a long way to go to fully support an equitable educational recovery.

• Broadband: ARPA included funding for the first-ever federal broadband assistance program, the Emergency Broadband Benefit program (EBB). The EBB provided discounts of up to $50 per month towards high-speed internet service for eligible households. When the temporary EBB program ended, the FCC offered a replacement program, the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provided discounts of up to $30 per month to eligible households. ARPA’s Capital Projects Fund, of which Ohio received $274 million, was also focused on addressing critical connectivity needs amplified by the pandemic. As AOF recently wrote, we know that need for high-speed internet in Ohio is even greater than previously thought and is a critical issue that will require continuous investment to tackle.

Even though the American Rescue Plan just celebrated its first anniversary, ARPA spending is still in its infancy. From local governments to the Statehouse and every program fund in between, many ARPA allocations are still in-process. Even after funding has been doled out, advocates will continue to monitor implementation and reporting to ensure these funds are fulfilling their purpose: a strong, equitable recovery for all Ohioans.

Governor DeWine's State of the State Leaves Out Low-Income Ohioans

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

On Wednesday, Governor Mike DeWine addressed the General Assembly in his State of the State address for the first time since 2019. DeWine covered a number of topics including law enforcement, state parks, companies such as Intel coming to Ohio, highway safety, and more. Here’s what AOF was most encouraged to hear, and some areas where DeWine’s speech missed opportunities to elevate the urgent needs of Ohioans.

Broadband

Governor DeWine mentioned broadband multiple times in his speech, when talking about its role in economic development across the state and the lack of current broadband service in Appalachia. Although the state has continued to focus on the role of high-speed internet in the lives of Ohioans and has offered funding and other supports, it’s estimated that expanding broadband infrastructure to all areas of the state will cost more than $1.7 billion. This amount does not include vital components of access like digital literacy programs, affordability programs, and device access. Though some plans to extend Broadband access are underway, Ohio has a long way to go to ensure high speed, affordable connectivity for everyone.

Mental & Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder

DeWine spent more than 20 minutes discussing mental health and substance use disorders in his remarks. From expanding telehealth services, increasing stabilization services, increasing training for first responders, focusing on prevention, expanding community-based and outpatient treatment options, and growing the behavioral health workforce, it’s clear that mental and behavioral health and substance use disorders will be a major focus of the DeWine administration. Over the course of the pandemic, the mental and behavioral health workforce has been strained like never before, at a time when the demand for treatment is growing. AOF and our partners were encouraged by the Governor’s commitment to build the behavioral health and home and community-based services infrastructure and look forward to working with agency officials and the General Assembly to strengthen the behavioral health workforce and expand access to services for all.

Opportunities

American Rescue Plan

Over the past year, AOF has consistently advocated for a transparent, public planning process for the billions in American Rescue Plan funding that Ohio is receiving. To date, there have been no public hearings or opportunities for public input. Despite the historic funding that is coming into Ohio, DeWine’s speech did not mention the American Rescue Plan or any COVID-19 federal funding. AOF will continue to advocate that Ohioans know what their communities need to recover from the pandemic, and all Ohioans deserve a say in how ARPA funds are spent.

Food and Nutrition Aid

We know that Ohio’s foodbanks are facing incredible need, at a time when supply chain disruptions, rising prices, and low donations are making it harder and harder for Ohio’s food support system to serve Ohioans in need. Ohioans are starving, but DeWine’s speech didn’t mention hunger or food aid. The future end of the pandemic will bring changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), along with decreased benefits. We can’t leave struggling, low-income Ohioans out of our vision for the state’s recovery.

Child Tax Credit

The expanded Child Tax Credit, which provided monthly payments to Ohio families with children from July to December 2021, ended at the beginning of 2022. Data has shown that not only did the CTC lift children out of poverty last year, but that 3.7 million children fell back into poverty when payments ended. Ohio must invest in children, and AOF would have liked to have seen DeWine address the need for a family support program to replace the CTC.

Child Care

The first three years of a child’s life are the most important developmental years of their lives. Throughout those three years, children need quality child care to set them up for success. Ohio’s child care system is facing a workforce crisis, a funding crisis, and an accessibility crisis. Child care providers are losing educators - who are working demanding jobs for poverty-level wages - and Publicly Funded Child Care reimbursement rates don’t fully cover the cost of services. Due to these challenges, Ohio is coming up short on available Publicly Funded Child Care seats, meaning even children who are eligible for the program may not be able to receive quality child care. Child care is an essential work support for families to recover from the pandemic and establish long-term stability, and Governor DeWine missed an opportunity to address it in his speech.

Workforce Initiatives

Ohio is facing a labor shortage, with many job vacancies lasting for several weeks and businesses desperate for workers. Ohioans need investments both work supports that allow them to return to work, and training for in-demand jobs that pay a living wage with benefits. Our elected leaders need to re-frame the way they think about workforce and help ensure that our front-line workers who kept grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, doctor’s offices and hospitals open and who maintained our roads, collected waste, and delivered essentials, at great risk to themselves and their families, can afford to live, save, and invest in their futures.

COVID-19

The Governor’s address celebrated the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. Though AOF is grateful for the DeWine administration’s response to the pandemic and their swift actions to protect the health and stability of Ohioans and their families, the Governor’s remarks framed the pandemic and associated challenges as if they were over. We know that many Ohioans continue to struggle to find stability, and that a future variant isn’t out of the question. Now is the time for our state leaders to commit to improving and strengthening our public health systems to be better prepared to weather future variants and other health threats. Investing in long-term prevention and safety measures, like indoor air quality systems in public spaces, now will pay off long in the future.

AOF Sends ARPA Sign-On Letter to Governor, General Assembly Leaders

This week, Advocates for Ohio’s Future sent a letter signed by 50 organizations and concerned constituents across Ohio asking Governor Mike DeWine and General Assembly leaders to institute a public, transparent planning process for American Rescue Plan funds. Check out our full letter here!

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Governor DeWine and Leaders of the Ohio General Assembly:

We are grateful for your actions to protect the people of Ohio and provide emergency assistance and resources early in the pandemic. These programs, resources and investments held families together and supported their most basic needs.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allotted $5.36 billion in flexible State Fiscal Recovery Funds to recover, repay, restore and rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic. State elected leaders have allotted more than three-fourths of Ohio’s first payment of $2.7 billion, leaving more than $3.3 billion to be assigned by December 31, 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

As the impact of the virus continues, earlier allocations of federal and state support, resources and assistance are dwindling and Ohioans continue to struggle to meet their basic food, housing and health needs while trying to work and keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.

While current levels of need across communities are significant, we need to also address the most pressing issues that will keep individuals and communities from a fair and equitable recovery from the pandemic. We have the opportunity to address housing affordability, increase access to health care, close the digital divide, and support workers and businesses to ensure long-term community resiliency.

These ARPA recovery funds represent an opportunity to support and invest in the health and safety of Ohio families now and for years to come.

We—the leaders of Advocates for Ohio’s Future, the undersigned organizations and concerned Ohioans—urge you to implement a public, accessible, transparent planning process to inform a thorough investment plan that supports strong, equitable recovery for all Ohioans from the ongoing health and economic pandemic.

With more than a year and a half to encumber the funds, state leaders have the time to seek out meaningful public input and proposals for a robust state recovery plan. Precedent exists for public hearing processes on the best, most effective uses for large sums of money from various settlements awarded to Ohio. A task force should be assembled to review, deliberate and make recommendations for a recovery plan and should include state officials, stakeholders, community leaders and those who have been disparately impacted by the pandemic.

Over $3 billion in recovery funds presents a historic opportunity for the state to make investments that have long- term impacts on the security and stability of families as they recover from the pandemic. Working together with the people of Ohio to identify and prioritize the needs of their communities through an open, public, transparent process will strengthen our state’s recovery and put us on firm footing to move forward from an unprecedented public health and economic crisis.

Sincerely,

Leaders of Advocates for Ohio’s Future

New BroadbandOhio Maps Reveal Greater Need Than Previous Maps

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

Earlier this month, BroadbandOhio, the state office dedicated to improving access to high-speed internet across Ohio, released a new set of broadband access maps that show that even fewer Ohio households have access to broadband than previously thought.

The previously used Federal Communications Commission maps were compiled using data reported from internet service providers, but the new BroadbandOhio maps use speed test records from a period of 15 months to show the internet coverage Ohioans actually receive in their homes on a daily basis.

Check out the two maps side-by-side:

BroadbandOhio’s new map

The previously used FCC map

The most striking difference between the two maps above, the new one on the left and the old on the right, is that the FCC map vastly overestimated broadband access in Northwest Ohio.

Since 2015, the FCC has defined broadband as 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload. As the COVID-19 pandemic made clear, Ohioans need consistent access to fast, reliable video streaming for telehealth appointments, work meetings, school, visiting with friends and family, and more. As you can see from the BroadbandOhio map legend, 25/3 internet speeds are not the pinnacle of service, but the bare minimum of quality, high-speed internet access.

BroadbandOhio considers households that receive less than 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload unserved, and households that receive greater than 10/1, but less than 25/3 underserved.

The state of Ohio has for years estimated that 300,000 Ohio households lack broadband access. These new maps paint a much starker picture:

In Ohio, 841,647 households are underserved, receiving less than 25/3 internet speed.

Of those, 475,328 households are unserved, receiving less than 10/1 internet speed.

With a slow push at the federal level to increase the broadband definition to 100Mbps upload and 20Mbps download, more and more of the state could soon be considered underserved. Last year’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect broadband program both only funded broadband projects with a minimum speed of 100/20.

These maps are a vital step forward in addressing Ohio’s broadband gaps. Most importantly, because maps determine funding. These new maps will be used to determine how much federal funding Ohio is eligible to receive, at a time when last year’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will soon dole out $65 billion in broadband funding.

These maps also elevate broadband advocacy across the state. Without data like this, Ohio’s elected leaders would be making policy and budget decisions on data that underestimated the number of households without broadband access by more than 60 percent.

But these maps come with an important caveat: access does not equal affordability. A monthly internet service plan of $60 or less is considered low-cost, but a $60 monthly charge is a barrier for many families. And, we know in reality that many high-speed plans cost much more. There are certainly households in areas with access to 100/20 speeds, but who are only able to afford 25/3 or lower. Access and affordability must be addressed together in order to comprehensively address the broadband funding gap.

Medicaid Managed Care Plan Selection Begins March 1

Starting March 1, 2022, Medicaid enrollees will be able to select a new managed care plan as part of the Ohio Medicaid Next Generation rollout. Selections made beginning March 1st will go into effect on July 1, the go-live date for Medicaid Next Generation.

Members have seven managed care plans to choose from: Buckeye Community Health Plan, CareSource, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, AmeriHealth Caritas, Humana, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Starting March 1, members can choose their plan by visiting the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline Portal at members.ohiomh.com, or by calling the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 800-324-8680.

If members are not ready to make a plan selection yet, members should be sure to update their contact information so they receive important notices. Here are the ways members can update their information:

· CALL: Call (844) 640-6446. After selecting the option for their preferred language, members should select option 2 and they will be prompted to enter their zip code.

· CLICK: Individuals with an existing Self-Service Portal (SSP) account can report changes online at https://ssp.benefits.ohio.gov. After logging in, they will click the Access my Benefits tile, then click Report a Change to my Case from the drop down and follow the prompts.

· CONTACT: Contact their County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS). Ohio Medicaid members can find their CDJFS by viewing the County Directory at https://jfs.ohio.gov/County/County_Directory.stm.

Using SNAP & PEBT Online in Ohio

Households that qualify for SNAP and P-EBT benefits (food assistance) can use their Ohio Directions Card to purchase groceries online at select retailers including Aldi, Giant Eagle and more.

Our partners at the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and The Center for Community Solutions recently released this clickable resource detailing which Ohio retailers accept SNAP & PEBT benefits and share more about the program.

Throughout the pandemic, retailers have even promoted one-time discounts and special offers for remote shopping, including covering delivery fees. Check with your local retailer of choice to find out more. Additional retailers will be joining the program in the future.

Access the Guide to Shopping Online for Groceries with SNAP/EBT in Ohio

AOF Releases 2022 Resources: Poverty Scorecard and Eligibility Infographic

This week, AOF is releasing our 2022 Poverty Level Scorecard and Public Benefits Eligibility Infographic! At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is raging at its worst and families continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, we hope these resources will help spread the word about these crucial public programs and center conversations around strengthening these safety net programs that have supported more Ohioans than ever during these challenging times.

Download our Eligibility Infographic HERE and our Poverty Scorecard HERE!