Ohio Healthy Homes Network

04/10/2024

Please Join OHHN for our 2024 Annual Conference. Learn and participate in the discussion of how we collectively work to keep the homes in our communities safe from health hazards.

You can register by going to our website, ohhn.org

10/04/2023

In our upcoming October Newsletter, we will dive into the collaboratives that advocate for lead-safe communities in both Toledo and Cleveland - and achieve results.

Lead-safe collaboratives create effective results by working with experts and stakeholders in many different fields such as healthcare, research, legislation, and community engagement. How can Ohio's capital create a similar collaborative and carry out real outcomes for our community?

Link to Toledo Lead Safe: https://toledoleadsafe.com/

Link to the Cleveland Coalition: https://leadsafecle.org/

The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition is working to prevent children from the harmful effects of lead poisoning. We are the community’s lead safe resource center!

05/04/2023

OLFKC Budget Alert!

Restore Lead Funding in State Budget Bill

The Ohio House passed the budget sub bill this week (Sub HB 33). Despite efforts to restore cuts from the Governor's proposed budget in lead prevention funding, the House budget bill flat funded the ODH line used to support key lead investments. As a result, lead abatement funding went from just over $22M over the biennium to $13M -- nearly cutting the funding in half in the House version of the budget bill.

The Senate is now hearing budget testimony. This week, ODH Director Vanderhoff testified in the Senate Health committee noting the urgency of protecting children from lead with these critical investments.

Please join us in calling or emailing your Senator and Senate leadership to urge their support for restoring the lead funding.

Thank you for your help in protecting our most vulnerable from lead poisoning! In addition to reaching out to your own Senator and Senate President Matt Huffman, please make calls or send emails (see links) to the following key members, with a focus on leadership:

- Senator Kirk Schuring; President Pro Tempore (614) 466-0626
- Senator Rob McColley; Majority Floor Leader; (614) 466-8150
- Senator Nickie Antonio; Minority Leader; (614) 466-5123
- Senator Hearcel Craig; Assistant Minority Leader; (614) 466-5131
- Senator Kent Smith; Minority Whip; (614)466-4857
- Leadership of the Senate Health & Finance Committees

WHAT YOU CAN SAY:

"Hi, my name is (your full name), and I am a resident of (insert county name).

I am reaching out to urge your support to restore the funding from the Governor’s proposed budget for lead poisoning prevention. Specifically, to reinstate the proposed $10.8 Million for FY2024, and $11.65 Million for FY2025 in line item 440527.

This nearly $9M in GRF funding over the biennium is critical to:

- encourage local solutions to preventing lead poisoning in their own communities through Ohio's Lead Safe Home Fund,

- ensure lead safe work practices during renovations & repairs in older homes, and,

- provide vital supports to families of children with lead exposure, consistent with the lowering of the EBLL from 5 to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL).

Can we count on your support?"

Key messages you can also highlight in your outreach to legislators:

- Ohio ranks 2nd in the U.S. in the number of children with elevated blood lead levels at 2x the national average!

- With nearly half a million children under 6 at risk for lead poisoning due to living in aging housing, now is not the time to cut back on these critical investments!

- We should not be using our kids as lead detectors!

Help keep Ohio kids lead free. Find your Senator here:

10/11/2022

10/11/2022

OHHN is excited to host two more webinars in the next two days as a part of our Fall series on workforce development and healthy housing. Please see the links below for free registration, and stay tuned for information about our webinar hosted this morning on lead abatement and weatherization.

Tomorrow, October 12th, we welcome Matthew Ammon - the Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. He will be leading a discussion surrounding HUD's role in providing resources to local partners in addition to the importance of workforce development in the area of healthy housing.

9:00am - 10:15am

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlcOmorzMtE9PQ_cJi0IqvPo4zj5ZjoxVT

Thursday, October 13th, Jesse Wyatt of the Ohio Department of Medicaid will be leading a discussion on long-term support methods and aging in the home as it relates to healthy housing. Jesse Wyatt is the Bureau Chief for Long-term Services & Support at the Ohio Department of Medicaid.

9:00am - 10:15am

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkf-2gqDMtE9wYlfigd6qoMzJhQIuhacWi

06/25/2022

The month of June is National Healthy Homes Month as recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH).

This year's theme for Healthy Homes Month is "A Healthy Home @ Any Age". This theme emphasizes the importance of social media and online platforms to connect with community members and stakeholders.

HUD provides a free stakeholder guide with information and tips for outreach and education.

For more information, and to access the stakeholder guide, go to: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/healthy_homes/nhhm