2021 Webinars
October 7, 2021
State American Rescue Plan Fund HHS Priorities
Advocates for Ohio's Future hosted this webinar about Ohio's $5.36 billion allocation of State Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Since these recovery funds were announced on both the state and local levels, we've seen many local governments reach out to their residents to identify and prioritize the needs of their communities through an open, public, transparent process before deciding on an investment/recovery plan.
In June, Governor DeWine and the General Assembly spent more than two-thirds of Ohio’s first payment of $2.7 billion. They did this with no opportunity for public input. With $850 million remaining of the first payment and $2.7 billion more yet to come, Ohio needs to have a robust state recovery plan. Since there are no plans from the Administration or the General Assembly to hold hearings, we thought we would have one of our own.
AOF members have a lot to say on what everyday Ohioans need for health and economic recovery. Our friends from: Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Children's Defense Fund Ohio, Ohio Poverty Law Center, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Enterprise Community Partners, The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers, Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice, Policy Matters Ohio, and Ohio Workforce Coalition shared their priorities, why investments in their proposal is needed and what impact they will have for the populations they serve. The full webinar recording is available below and the full slide deck is available here.
Please also see a letter to Governor DeWine here outlining proposals the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) discussed in the presentation.
July 16, 2021
AOF Budget Webinar: Final Budget Review
In this webinar, AOF and a group of our policy experts offer a comprehensive review of the final state budget bill as enacted, including what provisions remained in the bill and Governor DeWine's vetoes. Speakers included: Tim Johnson, Ohio Poverty Law Center; Susan Jagers, Ohio Poverty Law Center; Beth Kowalczyk, Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Hope Lane, The Center for Community Solutions; Loren Anthes, The Center for Community Solutions; Will Petrik, Policy Matters Ohio; Zach Schiller, Policy Matters Ohio. The full webinar recording is available below and the full slide deck is available here.
June 28, 2021
AOF Budget Webinar: What’s In, What’s Out, What’s Next
In this webinar, AOF Director Kelsey Bergfeld reviewed which provisions AOF is monitoring in Conference Committee, what happens after the Conference Report is released, and what opportunities for advocacy still remain to contact the Governor before the budget is signed and the new fiscal year starts July 1st. The full webinar recording is available below.
June 4, 2021
AOF Budget Webinar: Senate Sub-Bill Review
In this webinar, AOF and our member organizations detailed the the first round of changes made to the budget bill in the Senate. We also discussed timelines and what to expect in the final weeks of the budget process. Our speakers included: Loren Anthes, The Center for Community Solutions: Medicaid Procurement & OhioRISE; Wendy Patton, Policy Matters Ohio: Tax Cuts; Darold Johnson, Ohio Federation of Teachers: K-12 Education; Kelsey Hopkins, Groundwork Ohio: Childcare; Susan Jagers, Ohio Poverty Law Center: Broadband; Tim Johnson, Ohio Poverty Law Center: Lead Abatement. The full webinar recording is available below.
May 14, 2021
AOF special edition webinar: the american rescue plan
AOF convened a roundtable of 13 expert members to share how much money is scheduled to come to Ohio for many health and human services issues, what it can be used for and what we think is the best use for these dollars. Here’s our roster of excellent speakers and the topic they covered: State Government Funding: Wendy Patton, Policy Matters Ohio; Local Government Funding: Graham Bowman, Ohio Poverty Law Center; Food Assistance: Joree Novotny, Ohio Association of Foodbanks; Medicaid: Loren Anthes, The Center for Community Solutions; TANF: Kelsey Bergfeld, Advocates for Ohio’s Future; Broadband: Susan Jagers, Ohio Poverty Law Center; Child Care: Will Petrik, Policy Matters Ohio; Housing & Homelessness: Gina Wilt, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio; Older Adult Funding: Beth Kowalczyk, Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Home and Community-Based Services: Jordan Ballinger, Disability Rights Ohio & the Ohio Home and Community-Based Services Coalition; Behavioral Health: Soley Hernandez, The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers; Education: Darold Johnson, Ohio Federation of Teachers; Workforce: Rebecca Kusner, Ohio Workforce Coalition.
Click here to download a copy of the slides. Full webinar recording is available below.
April 30, 2021
Aof budget webinar: house-passed bill, behavioral health, and home & community-based services
AOF members cover where behavioral health and home & community-based services funding and policy stands in the House-passed budget and opportunities to impact the budget in the Senate. Presenters include: Soley Hernandez, Associate Director of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers; and Jordan Ballinger, Policy Director of Disability Rights Ohio and Leader of the Ohio Home and Community-Based Services Coalition. AOF Director Kelsey Bergfeld gives an overview of the House-passed HB 110, the State Operating Budget Bill, and the path forward as the Ohio Senate begins the first official hearings on the budget. Click here to download a copy of the slides. The full recording is available below.
April 16, 2021
AOF Budget Webinar: House Sub-Bill and Black Maternal Health
AOF partners stakeholder organizations review the latest round of changes to HB 110, the State Operating Budget Bill, and give presentations highlighting Black Maternal Health Week focusing on Black maternal health policy in Ohio and nationwide, recent strides that have been made, and how Ohio measures up with other states. We also cover Black maternal health in the state budget and the American Rescue Plan, the importance of midwives and doulas, share opportunities for advocacy and involvement in Black maternal health efforts. Presenters include: Hope Lane, Public Policy and External Affairs Associate, The Center for Community Solutions, Kelsey Hopkins, Policy Associate, Groundwork Ohio, Kelly Vyzral, Senior Health Policy Associate, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, Jessica Roach, Chief Executive Officer, Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) and Dorian Wingard, Chief Operations Officer, Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT). Click here to download a copy of the slides.
March 19, 2021
Executive Budget Review: Child Care and Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) Update
AOF members Will Petrik, Policy Matters Ohio Budget Researcher and Rachel Cahill, Center for Community Solutions Consultant review child care policy and funding provision in the As-Introduced version of HB 110, the Fiscal Year ‘22-’23 State Operating Budget and provide an update on the Pandemic EBT program that has been vital in stabilizing nutrition support for kids. Both presenters also provide a summary of how policies and resources recently passed in the American Rescue Plan will impact child care providers and families who rely on support programs like SNAP, WIC and child care subsidies. Click here to download a copy of the slides. The full recording is available below.
February 26, 2021
Executive Budget Review: Multi-System Youth, OhioRISE & Children’s Services
AOF dives into the children's services and multi-system youth budget line items and upcoming initiatives. We saw some big changes in these line items and programs in the Governor’s proposed budget and our experts have the scoop. We also give a brief overview of the new OhioRISE (Ohio Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence) program kicking off in the Department of Medicaid which will focus on a population of children and youth with serious behavioral health needs, who are often involved in multiple public youth-serving systems, and their families. Presenters include: Tara Britton, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Center for Community Solutions and Scott Britton, Assistant Director, Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO). Click here to download a copy of the slides. The full recording is available below.
February 12, 2021
Executive Budget Review and Senate Bill 17
AOF Director Kelsey Bergfeld gives a brief review of health and human services provisions in Governor DeWine’s budget proposal. Then we switch gears to Senate Bill 17. SB 17 (Schaffer, R-Lancaster) has had two hearings in the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee. SB 17 will hurt Ohio’s recovery. It will worsen food security and health outcomes and prevent millions of federal dollars from flowing into Ohio communities. It punishes workers and creates more barriers for children, families, working adults and seniors to get the help they need. Presenters include: Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Loren Anthes, The Center for Community Solutions, Zach Schiller, Policy Matters Ohio, and Regina Campbell, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati. Click here to download a copy of the slides. The recording is available below. *Due to a technical error, the first few minutes of the webinar were cut off
January 29, 2021
State Budget Outlook, Federal HHS Actions and AOF Budget and Policy Priorities
AOF’s Executive leadership team share their state operating budget outlook, explain the impact federal actions and Executive Orders from the Biden Administration will have on state health and human service programs and planning, and reveal AOF’s 2021 budget and policy priorities. Speakers include: Steve Wagner, AOF Co-Chair, Executive Director, UHCAN Ohio, Susan Jagers, Executive Director, Ohio Poverty Law Center, Dr. Tracy Najerá, Executive Director Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, Tara Britton, AOF Co-Chair, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Center for Community Solutions, Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Executive Director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, Gina Wilt, Advocacy Director, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). Click here to download a copy of the slides. Watch the full recording below.