Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: 2025 Operating Budget for the Health, Human Services, and Equity Committee Hearing
Contact Name: Haley Gerken
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-0076
Contact Email Address: HEGerken@columbus.gov
Body
Health, Human Services, and Equity Committee Hearing
Date: January 16, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: Columbus City Hall, Council Chambers, 90 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215
Subject: 2025 Operating Budget Hearing for Health, Human Services, and Equity, including presentations from Department of Development, Columbus Public Health, CelebrateOne, Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, Human Services Chamber of Franklin County, Community Shelter Board, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, BESA and members of the public.
Councilmembers Present: Council President Shannon G. Hardin, Councilmember Melissa Green, Councilmember Christopher L. Wyche, Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy, Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, Councilmember Nancy Day-Achauer
Summary of Minutes:
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTION
Call to Order: 5:06 P.M.
Present: Council President Shannon G. Hardin, Councilmember Melissa Green, Councilmember Emmanuel Remy, Councilmember Christopher L. Wyche, Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, Councilmember Nancy Day-Achauer, Haley Gerken, Tigist Zemene, Brad Bader, Mark Carter, Jessica Clinger,Department of Development Deputy Director Hannah Jones, Department of Development - Kim Stands, Department of Development - Samuel Masters, Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts, Columbus Public Health Assistant Health Commissioner Anita Clark, CelebrateOne Executive Director Danielle Tong, CelebrateOne Director of Operations Asha Basha, Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging Administrator Katie White, Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging Government & Community Relations Manager Grant Ames, Office of Mayor Andrew J. Ginther Assistant Director of Community Affairs Marshall Troxell, Michael Corey, Lauren Sands, Steve Skovensky, Mike Hochron, Charmaine Drake-Johnson, Chuck Gehring, Mike Dean, Carol Argiro, Oyauma Garrison, Ryan Phillips, Rhea Debussy, Doug Wolf, Dr. Jermaine Kennedy, Monica Cerrezuela, Brandi Al-Issa, Laura Sullivan, Nichole Gomez, Amy Klaben, Kim Campbell, Tasha’La Alls, Alex Abrokwa Clottey, Glen Tuomaala, Yolanda Owens, Susan Beaudry, James White
Introduction:
[Chair Green] Purpose of this committee hearing is to discuss the proposed 2025 operating budget. We will begin by hearing presentations from the Administration including the Department of Development, Columbus Public Health, CelebrateOne and the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. Next we will move to our invited speakers, including Executive Director Michael Corey and Policy Associate Lauren Sands from the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County, Chief Program Effectiveness Officer Steve Skovensky from the Community Shelter Board, Senior Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs Mike Hochron from the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and CEO Matthew Goldstein from BESA. Lastly we will have public testimony from many of you that provide direct services to our community members in need. To our Directors and external partners, I appreciate you being here, your knowledge and insight.
I would like to do level setting, the moment we are currently in has a backdrop that includes our Ohio General Assembly that is exploring a $650 Million funding cut to our public education system. Our schools are the best place to provide early interventions and services. At the same time, the General Assembly is looking to add work requirements to the state's Medicaid program, if that were to happen, it would result in over 61,000 Ohioans losing their health insurance pretty much overnight. That would be detrimental to the person and the systems of support and care. As we celebrate wins in our community and see the growth, we are still seeing stark disparities throughout our city. 24% of Black households and 19% of Hispanic households are living below the federal poverty line, and we see further disparities by zip code. 34% in the 43211 and 43201 and 52% in the 43222 zip code living below the federal poverty line. The data is troubling, we know even using that marker as the sole indicator of whether or not someone is having their basic needs met is incredibly problematic, because it does not capture any of the realities of increased costs associated with healthcare, housing or childcare. The cost to live in this economy is 3x greater than the federal poverty line. We see one in four adults experience mental health conditions each year, 3 out of 4 people experiencing a substance use disorder could not access treatment last year, adolescent anxiety and depression has risen 61% and 45% respectfully, students with social and emotional and mental needs are 3x more likely to repeat a grad and 2x more likely to drop out of highschool. We have a lot of work to do. It's a simple supply and demand issue, we know the needs keep rising as our community continues to grow and the funding to support those needed services are becoming more scarce. We must plan and prepare. Columbus is a city that cares about people. Caring about people means investing in people and people that care for people. We must invest in our human infrastructure. With that, I would like to turn it over to my colleagues to see if they have anything to say.
[CM Barroso de Padilla] Thank you Chair Green. I want to thank all of you for doing the work of the people and ensuring we are making the right investments in our people. From our youngest residents to our oldest residents. You ensure folks and our needs are taken care of. I cannot agree with you (CM Green) more with the statements that you made. This is the time for us to double down as a city on what our values are. And put resources towards our values. There is no value greater in the City of Columbus than our people. I want to thank you all for the work you do every day. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for the advocacy and thank you Chair Green for your leadership.
[Chair Green] Thank you. With that, I would like to invite Department of Development Deputy Director Hannah Jones to present on the 2025 Operating Budget Request from the Department of Development.
Full minutes attached.