Ohio Health Policy Review

The Ohio 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force announces regional meetings

The Ohio 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force is bringing all Ohioans to the table to explore the broad spectrum of transportation issues facing the state. The Task Force is seeking input from citizens, businesses, and other through a series of regional meetings.  The purpose of these meetings is to gain input on priorities and policy options as the state balances the movement of people and freight, promotes safety and reduces congestion, creates jobs and encourages responsible growth, helps to build sustainable communities, and links all modes of transportation - connecting highways to rail, aviation, water ports, and transit. 

People interested in health care issues related to transportation may want to attend on of these sessions or provide input in other ways.

The Task Force has a website for additional information on its work and to allow for input electronically.

The regional meeting times, dates, and location are below.  All meetings are from 4 to 8 p.m.  There may be additional meetings added later.

Southwest Ohio - May 21st  Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission 1100 W. Third Street  Dayton, OH  45407

Southeast Ohio - June 4th  Walter Hall Room 135, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701

Northwest Ohio - June 10th, Nitschke Hall, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606-3390

Eastern Ohio -  June 11th, Shannon Hall, Ohio University Eastern Campus 45425 National Road, St. Clairsville, OH  43950

Central Ohio -  June 12th, Ohio Building at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, 717 E. 17th Ave, Columbus, OH 43211

Northeast Ohio - June 19th  Independence Civic Center, 6800 Brecksville Road, Independence, OH 44131

Adequacy of Ohio's 9-1-1 system questioned

ColoComm Research LLC will be releasing a report next week that details its findings on the adequacy of the nation's 9-1-1 system, including the situation in Ohio (Source: "Ohio 9-1-1 System Facing Critical Funding Challenges Cited in National Report on Health of Country's 9-1-1 System," Press Release, The Earth Times, May 8, 2008).  On May 14th, Ohio State Representatives Larry Flowers and Steve Driehauss, along with county officials and members of the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance will discuss the importance of these findings for Ohio.

According to preliminary information on the report's findings, a critical lack of funding in Ohio threatens the state's ability to complete its Phase II wireless initiative.  Ohio's wireless initiative's purpose is to make sure that Ohio's 9-1-1 capacity can pinpoint the exact location of any wireless caller.

Representative Flowers, a supporter of continued funding for this effort, states that “The health of Ohio’s 9-1-1 system is already marginal and without funding experts say it will be terminal.  Currently, if you call 9-1-1 from a cell phone, the technology needed to find you may not be in place. If funding is not secured, how many Ohioans are being put at risk"

Representatives Flowers and Driehauss have introduced House Bill 550 to continue funding for this initiative and extend the Sunset provision for the project by an additional three years.  Without this extension, the funding source for this effort will expire at the end of 2008.

Intel developing technologies to promote health for older people

Intel is seeking to develop technologies that could enhance the health and well being of an aging population (Source, "Intel developing ways to monitor health," The Columbus Dispatch, May 6, 2008).  Through its Digital Health Group, Intel is researching and developing tools, many of which are for in-home use, to improve prevention and detection of health problems.

Among its work are projects aimed for people with Parkinson or Alzheimer's conditions. One such tool remotely monitors tremors of Parkinson patients for physicians.  Another tool seeks to help Alzheimer's patients communicate more effectively.  At the same time, Intel is developing a sensor that the company hopes will detect neurological problems that could lead to falls, which are a leading cause of hospitalization for older people.

Bill introduced to eliminate Ohio's tobacco foundation

House Finance Chairman Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, introduced legislation that would end the existence of the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation (Source: "Foundation may be stubbed out in fight for funding," The Columbus Dispatch, April 30, 2008).  This legislation comes about because of the Foundation's refusal to allow the Strickland Administration and Ohio General Assembly to divert $230 million of its remaining $270 million endowment to an economic stimulus package.

While the dispute over that effort to divert the Foundation's funds is waiting for a May 8th hearing in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, the Finance committee plans to hold a hearing on this legislation this morning, with plans for a full House vote this afternoon.

The legislation will transfer the remaining $40 million to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). ODH states that it will use those funds to meet outstanding fiscal year end commitments that end June 30th.  The rest of the funds will go to help people stop smoking.

P.S. The House voted on April 30th, 85-10, to approve this legislation.

Cleveland leaders heeding call to treat violence like a preventable disease

Harvard public health professor Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Smith proposed treating violence like a preventable disease in a speech in Cleveland (Source: "If we treated violence as a disease, would that help us find a cure?", The Plain Dealer, April 28, 2008).  Dr Prothrow-Smith's suggestion is finding support from elected and community leaders in Cleveland, including Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, and Dr. Edward Barksdale Jr., the new chief pediatric surgeon at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital.

Dr. Barksdale stated "I'd like to see the city and even the community in Northeast Ohio address the fact that we are dealing with an epidemic.  We need not to distance ourselves, but to deal with the violence from the level of even bullying."

This growing interest in prevention of violence matches interest that the Health Policy Institute of Ohio is hearing at regional forums around Ohio regarding its recent white paper on family violence.  HPIO is hosting four forums on the issue of preventing family violence during May (Toledo May 2nd, Lima May 9th, Cincinnati May 16th, and Zanesville May 23rd).  Registration remains open for any of these regional forums.

WIC program experience growth in Columbus and Ohio

Enrollment in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has reached an all time high in Ohio (Source: "Women, Infants, and Children: Ohio can't get enough of this nutrition program," The Columbus Dispatch, April  20, 2008). Today 58 percent of infants receive nutrition assistance through this program.  Statewide WIC provides assistance to around 290,000 infants, pregnant or post-partum women, and children up to age five a month.  In Franklin County enrollment has increased 59 percent over the past years, while increasing 11 percent statewide.  The main reason cited for the rise in enrollment in Franklin County is the increase in the areas Somali and Hispanic populations. (The article includes a map that shows changes in WIC enrollment by Ohio county between 1997 and 2007.) 

The WIC program seeks to "improve health by educating recipients about nutrition, promoting breast-feeding and providing foods high in protein or iron."

Conflict over tobacco foundation dollars escalates

As reported on April 7th in the Ohio Health Policy Review, the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation voted to move $190 million of its endowment to three non-profit organizations.  This action was to prevent the Governor and Ohio General Assembly from using those funds for an economic stimulus initiative.

On Tuesday, April 8th, the Ohio General Assembly responded by attaching an emergency measure to a bill on plumbing inspections (Source: "Lawmakers too quick for tobacco foundation," The Columbus Dispatch, April 9, 2008).  This measure prevents the Foundation from shifting funds from its account and gives Ohio's state treasurer authority to liquidate that account and then return $40 million back to the Trust Fund.  Speaker Husted commented that legislators had to act quickly because of the "irresponsible actions" of foundation trustees.

According to the Columbus Dispatch's article, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids condemned the action. Its President, Matthew L. Myers, wrote "In 1998, Ohio's leaders made a public commitment to use a portion of the hundreds of millions of dollars the state would receive under the state tobacco settlement to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. Today's decision … breaks that promise."

On April 9th, the Foundation responded by filing a motion in court to void the emergency law passed on April 8th and to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent the state treasurer from liquidating the Foundation's account (Source: "Anti-smoking groups sues to stop state from appropriating its funds," The Columbus Dispatch, April 10, 2008).  The suit argues that the action is invalid because the legislators included it in an unrelated piece of legislation.

This morning, the two sides presented their arguments to Judge David Fais of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.  Judge Fais indicated that he expected to issue a ruling by 5 p.m. today (Source: "Judge to rule on tobacco money move today by 5 today," The Columbus Dispatch, Up to the Minute, April 10, 2008).

RWJ accepting grant applications aiming to improve health of vulnerable populations

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Local Funding Partnerships program is now accepting proposals for projects that can significantly improve the health of vulnerable people in local communities. "Projects must be new, innovative, collaborative, and community-based. Significant program expansions--into new regions or to new populations--may also be considered." However, the program does not fund existing projects. In all, 14 matching grants of between $200,000 and $500,000 per project will be awarded. For more information, go here. The deadline for applications is July 8.

Ohio Tobacco Prevention Trust Fund to fight transfer of money to fund economic stimulus plan

The recently proposed bipartisan $1.57 billion Ohio economic stimuls plan calls for transferring $230 million from the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation endowment to support the plan.  This proposal would leave $40 million in the Foundation's endowment.  On Friday, April 4th, the Foundation responded by agreeing to move $190 million of its endowment to three non-profit organizations:  Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; the American Legacy Foundation; and the Ohio Hospital Association for Healthy Communities Foundation (source: "Budget Battles in Ohio," Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 5, 2008). 

Senate President Harris, House Speaker Husted, and Governor Strickland issued a joint statement on Friday in response to this action by the Foundation. According to their statement, "We will take every step necessary to prevent the foundation from circumventing a bipartisan decision that has been made for the good of all Ohioans."

Calls grow for adoption of "new CPR"

"Soaring survival rates for Arizona cardiac-arrest victims given the 'new CPR' are receiving national attention, boosting the push to adopt the technique worldwide." "Source: "'New CPR' saves more lives," Seattle Post Intelligencer, March 29, 2008.) "Pioneered by heart researchers at the University of Arizona, the new technique stresses hard and fast chest compressions instead of mouth-to-mouth breathing or mechanical ventilation, when performed by paramedics or untrained bystanders. Known as "cardiocerebral resuscitation," or CCR -- that method has tripled survival rates and dramatically decreased brain damage in Arizona adults rescued by paramedics after suffering sudden cardiac arrest." Results on the new CPR were published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.