Representative secures over $3 million in state funding to benefit Youngstown
State Rep. Lauren McNally announced Thursday over $3,256,986 in grants obtained for funding multiple organizations in the city of Youngstown.
“These funds will help the City of Youngstown in easing the health burdens on our families by learning more about why some in our community experience these burdens more severely than others,” McNally said. “I’m thankful the state could provide assistance.”
Ending discriminatory health care practices
One noteworthy Youngstown City Health District project is the North End Community Improvement Collaborative.
This project will increase attention on racial disparity in the current healthcare system by conducting research, funded by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.
They’re funding research and conversations to “increase the focus of minority health disparities and/or chronic diseases such as, but not limited to, cancer, diabetes, substance abuse, violence, lupus, infant mortality, or cardiovascular disease,” according to McNally’s release.
They’ll also provide funding in a Local Conversation, which is meant to update policies pushed back by COVID-19 and connect individuals in the community affected by health disparities with organization leaders that can help.
April: Minority Health Month
“The pandemic made our lives stand still for two years. It also impacted our community long-term in ways we are still trying to comprehend,” said McNally. “These funds will allow local leaders to listen, gather information, and make purposeful decisions on how to mitigate those impacts.”
According to the release, more time will be spent updating local policies to “review and update their previous efforts which identified priorities in addressing health disparities and equity, with an expanded focus on the significant impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic populations.”
“The Youngstown City Health District has been a recipient of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health’s funds for the past 15 years. The funding has been a vital piece in helping us address racial disparities and inequities,” said Erin Bishop, Health Commissioner and Local registrar of the Youngstown City Health District. “We will continue to host health fairs, educational summits, giveaways, and awareness campaigns to inform residents and bring equitable care to all.”
Breakdown of recent state grants:
- Youngstown City Health District ($115,000):
$100,000 for the North End Community Improvement Collaborative
$15,000 for the Local Conversation Round 3
Goals: increase attention on racial disparity in the healthcare system, as well as change necessary policies through conversation and research
Provided by: Ohio Commission on Minority Health Department of Development Technical Assistance Grants for Mahoning County ($2,606,417):
$100,000 for the City of Youngstown
$75,000 for the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber
$2,000 for Rural Action, Inc.
$2,356,417 for Utica Shale Academy of Ohio
Goal: development projects in Mahoning and Trumbull countiesProvided by: Ohio’s Appalachian Community Grant Program
“Quality planning and development takes time and expertise. Funding these local partners is how we ensure that this federal investment of ARPA dollars is made in a helpful and beneficial way in our communities,” McNally said.
$75,000 for the Mahoning County Solid Waste Management District
Goals: addressing any contamination and ensuring integrity of the recycling system as a whole and figuring out what to do with household plastics and non-recyclable materials
Provided by: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and The Recycling Partnership’s Drop-Off Recycling Quality Improvement Grant Program$460,569 for Youngstown State University
Goals: manufacturing education, training and up-skilling current and future workers of Ohio and developing a talent pipeline that addresses the skill and workforce; purchasing new equipment for educating students in growing and high-demand businesses and industries.
Provided by: Ohio Department of Education’s Workforce Based Training and Equipment
“YSU is an anchor institution that is committed to giving our region options for growth in manufacturing, which is so important to us all,” McNally said. “This investment, and these efforts, by YSU are how we create access and bring tools to people, allowing them to provide for those that matter most in their lives.”
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