Graphic of the week: Child well-being improving in Ohio, but challenges remain

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One of the key findings from HPIO’s recently released 2026 Health Value Dashboard is policy action is leading to improvement in child well-being in Ohio, but challenges remain.
 
In recent years, Ohio policymakers have dedicated effort and resources to improving child health and well-being. Families are realizing those gains, with Ohio performing well and/or trending in the right direction on metrics related to adverse childhood experiences, high school graduation and disconnected youth. However, some children are still experiencing barriers, including children in families with low incomes, as illustrated above.
 
The Dashboard found that to improve child well-being, Ohio policymakers can: 

• Improve high school graduation rates for students at risk of dropping out through dropout prevention/high school completion programs and/or alternative high schools for at-risk students
• Continue placing more children in foster care with kinship caregivers and provide more support for these caregivers
• Support families, such as through connecting them to needed social support and services through family resource centers or schools with wraparound services

HPIO has posted a recording of a webinar it hosted this week titled “2026 Health Value Dashboard: Using Data to Promote Policy Progress,” which featured HPIO experts reviewing key findings from the Dashboard, highlighting trends across major drivers of health and examining disparities affecting Ohioans with the greatest needs.