Data Graphics

HPIO released a new policy brief last month that explores the impact of parental criminal justice involvement on the health, safety and well-being of children and families in Ohio.

The brief is the latest in a series of HPIO publications on the connections between criminal justice and health.

The new brief explores the generational cycle of justice involvement and includes a collection of evidence-informed policy options that leaders across the state can act on to prevent and mitigate the impacts of parental justice involvement on children and families.

As illustrated above, data in the brief shows that Ohio has a higher rate of juvenile detention than the U.S. overall, signaling that more can be done to prevent children from becoming justice-involved, including reducing the state’s high adult incarceration rate and supporting families before and after they are engaged with the criminal justice system.

HPIO will host a webinar on the topic at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 12. The event will include HPIO Policy and Evaluation Specialist Jacob Santiago and guest speaker Kim Kehl of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.

Last year, HPIO released a pair of reports designed to assist stakeholders and policymakers in taking lessons learned from promising health and human services pilot programs and developing policy and systems change.

The two reports, which examine how evidence-informed programs can be taken “from pilot to policy,” contain considerations for state and local policymakers and tools for program staff, philanthropy and other stakeholders.

The report for policymakers includes the above illustration of an evidence continuum developed by the state of Colorado that can be used to gauge whether programs are achieving their intended results.

On Friday, February 23, HPIO will host a webinar on the topic of elevating results, evaluation and research in policymaking. More details about the event will be released soon.

Funding for the Pilot to Policy project was provided through a grant from bi3, a philanthropic initiative of Bethesda Inc., and HPIO’s other core funders.

HPIO’s 2023 Health Value Dashboard includes, for the first time, an equity profile for LGBTQ+ Ohioans. Among the data highlighted in the profile is that transgender Ohioans are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, report poor overall health or drink excessively than their cisgender peers, as displayed above.

Research indicates that homophobia and transphobia are primary drivers of poor outcomes experienced by LGBTQ+ Ohioans. Experiencing these forms of discrimination can cause toxic stress, leading to poor health outcomes over time. Policies and practices that limit access to necessary and developmentally appropriate health care and a lack of protections for Ohioans based on gender identity contribute to these disparities in health outcomes.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new Ohio Medicaid Basics update titled “Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision.”

Earlier this year, states that accepted additional federal Medicaid funding during the pandemic began unwinding the requirement that all Medicaid enrollees receive continuous coverage until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The brief details the Ohio process and provides analysis of how unwinding has impacted Medicaid enrollment.

As of October 2023, 74% of enrollees with completed renewals are still eligible for Medicaid and have retained their coverage, while 19% were disenrolled for procedural reasons (e.g., the renewal process was not completed) and 7% were found ineligible for Medicaid, as illustrated above. The Ohio Department of Medicaid found that, in July 2023, more than half (53%) of the enrollees who were disenrolled for procedural reasons were identified as likely ineligible for Medicaid coverage, according to analysis from third-party vendor Public Consulting Group.

Ohio Medicaid enrollment increased gradually from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to March 2023 but decreased by 259,670 enrollees from March to October 2023, including 73,225 children and 186,445 adults.

In Ohio, the process of reviewing enrollee eligibility and returning to the standard eligibility determination process is expected to conclude in March 2024.

For more information about Ohio Medicaid, including enrollment and spending during the pandemic, see Ohio Medicaid Basics 2023.

HPIO has released a new policy brief that explores the impact of parental criminal justice involvement on the health, safety and well-being of children and families in Ohio.

The brief is the latest in a series of HPIO publications on the connections between criminal justice and health.

The new brief explores the generational cycle of justice involvement, illustrated above.

“Incarceration of a household member is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that can cause serious and long-lasting health and economic harms across generations and for individuals, families and communities,” the brief states. “These harms include increased likelihood of children becoming involved in the justice system.”

At the same time, according to the brief, “Children need to grow up in safe communities, free from crime and violence, requiring a balance between community safety, family stability and child well-being in Ohio’s criminal justice policies.”

The brief includes a collection of evidence-informed policy options that leaders across the state can act on to prevent and mitigate the impacts of parental justice involvement on children and families.

Funding for HPIO’s Criminal Justice and Health project was provided by the Ohio State Bar Foundation and HPIO’s core funders.

In just a few days, Ohio State will face that team up north in The Game.

Once again this year, OSU and Michigan are neck-and-neck in the College Football Playoff rankings, with the Buckeyes holding a slight edge.

On health value, though, Michigan ranks better than Ohio. HPIO’s 2023 Health Value Dashboard found that Ohioans spend more on healthcare and have worse health outcomes than Michiganders.

So how can the Buckeye state improve?

Just like in football, teamwork, focus and hard work pay off. We all need to work together to improve health by building on Ohio’s many assets. Ohio can:

• Support and strengthen the workforce, leveraging recent success in attracting employers in high-growth industries
• Foster mental well-being by supporting resilience and recovery across the state
• Reinvigorate approaches to improving outcomes and controlling unnecessary healthcare spending

If leaders in the public and private sector work together, Ohio can be a national leader in health value, just like the Buckeyes are on the football field.