[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6554601,"mediaKeyId","5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff","parentId",5022067,"title","Health leaders warn Medicaid rollback and budget cuts could worsen county outcomes","audioSeconds",382,"startMs",2431000,"endMs",2813000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff&start=2431&end=2813","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff/thumbnail_2431000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6554601/Ohio/Health-leaders-warn-Medicaid-rollback-and-budget-cuts-could-worsen-county-outcomes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554601-713261e19af15e407c2b07193aa3b3f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048807&Signature=YcEj1cCL8kB-7pgidpMzB6vZYz-25bnKyOiRiuoCYYZK8Hawz5Uz5RKx~Rqc1dSfqylVeKNeOPoPBpU54qxkSDo3qePA-6bJ1lCFRG~1UyIZtkS2NbzwczcXm9cR-N6JLeeij4WUIphPPoe~xJ6g-EXa38jdqDcxaQigpg0gGiAA9geAPPaRKzqzyQuqeIkGlqLuZykL-IrLYaenCRexuCUlohzynPw5No2bW5jXWR8LFR0PKVY8uSWDIpAMIVIASjZcxv~7SfgXtzpyJbwF2L97O6nPGZGeMTOEEYFMwGorr3g9Q3As~R9hFV9QMMN8XY0-rZSSyPTBrGluqy7kGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbus","date","2025-06-18T19:17:00Z","article","During audience questions at the Columbus Metro Club forum, public-health officials and clinicians warned that proposed or possible rollbacks of Ohio's Medicaid expansion and reductions in state public-health funding could worsen health outcomes documented in HealthMap 2025.

\"Fewer people in our community will have health insurance,\" Dr. Meshika Roberts, Columbus Public Health commissioner, said in response to a question about the effects of rolling back Medicaid expansion. She said reductions could drive people to federally qualified health centers and free clinics and cause some to forgo needed tests and medications. \"We could actually see some of that life expectancy data that I shared earlier get worse,\" Roberts said.

Dr. Andrew Thomas, chief clinical officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said emergency departments typically become the safety net when coverage gaps widen: \"I don't think any of us want to see us get back to\" pre-expansion conditions when ERs were the care of last resort.

Audience members highlighted the stakes. Eric Davies of Transformative Consulting noted state budget discussions that appear to reduce supports and asked whether new local models could offset losses. Ray Bignell, pediatric nephrologist and chief health equity officer at Nationwide Children's Hospital, called the possibility of large-scale Medicaid losses \"a five-alarm fire\" for populations who rely on Medicaid for care and for research capacity tied to children's hospitals and academic centers.

Panelists said they would convene local partners and explore innovative responses, but stressed that county-level mitigation depends on available funding and broader policy choices. Several speakers praised Medicaid managed-care organizations and local provider networks as partners that would be part of any county response, but specific contingency plans and funding sources were not detailed during the forum.

Ending: Forum participants urged local leaders and stakeholders to monitor state and federal budget developments and to use HealthMap 2025 as a planning tool for targeted response if coverage or prevention funding is cut.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbus Metropolitan Club: The New Franklin County Health Map","oneSentenceSummary","Panelists and audience members at the Columbus Metro Club forum said potential cuts to Medicaid and state public-health funding would likely increase uninsured rates, strain hospital emergency departments, and worsen outcomes on metrics tracked in HealthMap 2025.","taxTitle","Columbus City Council, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",75950,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6554606,"Franklin County opens first 24/7 mental-health crisis care center; officials say it will ease ER burden",207,946000,1153000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff&start=946&end=1153","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff/thumbnail_946000.jpg","/articles/6554606/Ohio/Franklin-County-opens-first-247-mental-health-crisis-care-center-officials-say-it-will-ease-ER-burden","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554606-75072b701573bc2b4d82192edd661cab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048807&Signature=V9WRWVJB2D4RO93kq3~aG6wD7-Gw15F-fZlvFt-KwdjTruMaLUahqQr7uZI2J9PQssEJZ4BHV17jOVn~cexPXNE8AwYb6AhMIZozupVkRudv6mtiitT91viWdozNgRamFmFeqZvYnf3uPbGt4glwPkfp1lY0WSTnPs-uXkUO-fC2h5HFhmxW3dnc3ehzOWWAtq5-bVIfJc4Apd1W0F4w7eJiFZRPgZ-iGbQUHo0aqrOBuUApAuNkWMfOEs3CfyXrZfLb8fKDEIbcGJvYFsSsrUmH-nfO72~7j2fPmEClxOr-JOTyP-~jUZGdL-Hx4bsOSt-GW1h9YN77BrPzpixVrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Franklin County health leaders told a Columbus Metro Club forum that the county has opened the state's first 24/7 mental-health crisis care center, designed to provide urgent mental-health assessment and short-term care and to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments.

\"We have opened the first mental health crisis care center in the state of Ohio,\" Dr. Meshika Roberts, health commissioner for Columbus Public Health, said, adding that the center opened last month with support from the four hospital systems, Franklin County, the City of Columbus and the ADAMH board.

Panelists described three components co-located at the center: an urgent-care-like service for immediate assessments, a 23-hour observation unit and a longer-term care area. \"Once it's fully operational, which I think we expect it to be fully operational early 2026, it's gonna take a huge burden off of our hospitals,\" Dr. Roberts said.

Why it matters: Officials said many hospital emergency rooms carry the burden of patients in mental-health crises because outpatient and community-based behavioral-health capacity is limited. The new center is intended as an alternative triage and stabilization point that can free ER resources for other acute care needs.

Operational notes and timeline

- Opened: panelists said the center opened last month (month not specified in transcript).
- Components: urgent-care-style walk-in care for mental-health needs; 23-hour hold capability for stabilization; and adjacent longer-term care options.
- Timeline: officials expect full operations by early 2026.

Partners and financing

Panelists credited coordination among hospital systems, Franklin County, the city and the ADAMH board for standing up the center. Dr. Roberts singled out Erica Clark Jones (director of NMH) for organizing partners; the ADAMH board and hospital systems provided support, though precise funding breakdowns were not specified during the forum.

Ending: County and hospital leaders called the center a tangible step toward expanding mental-health capacity in Central Ohio and said it will be one of several place-based and system-level tools to improve access to behavioral-health services.","Panelists announced that Franklin County, with hospital and ADAMH board support, opened Ohio's first 24/7 mental-health crisis care center last month. The center provides urgent-care-style services, 23-hour observation and longer-term care on one campus and is expected to be fully operational in early 2026.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6554610,"Franklin County HealthMap 2025 spotlights infant mortality, housing and ACEs as top priorities",0,93000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff&start=93&end=93","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5022067-c80ef6f16e636bc975803d1388860dff/thumbnail_93000.jpg","/articles/6554610/Ohio/Franklin-County-HealthMap-2025-spotlights-infant-mortality-housing-and-ACEs-as-top-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554610-0364a24d15f80a448ceda7d50a2cd270/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048807&Signature=kV9u~jdqdHrjzLX3If70H39nxeIlakz-w7NVKzAi8sW0WEAIGiiFbZoCAnrGrzpxau8qn4ndNrMV17b3fYmmzuoko7wIX-fEU6Mv0DfqsB-KQSyzWCRcG~QejMlHYkRPMxP3WRf2h1nZ~qr2lztYJ19Hvwqidj-wBKrgGPPvNkEaCoKl~cGXdQ41si2wOTCli3p1JQigXk7-WkI5F8iw1kcD67pJhUryElOs-k-T3zcNQFuujTFu0JgBHbuSOtqX0-fbj2BCbqKRt5Q8Fuv2FVA3oJOoT4snakuUTrbGViU1x4~rf8ofh1FazP6UnBG06caQAhEEVTm4vSOzy6QH2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Franklin County and regional health leaders on a Columbus Metro Club panel on June (date not specified) released HealthMap 2025, a countywide community health assessment that ranks infant mortality, housing insecurity, mental health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), maternal and infant health, and injury-related deaths among the county's top priorities.

The report, produced collaboratively by Franklin County Public Health, Columbus Public Health and the four hospital systems that make up the Central Ohio Hospital Council, combines quantitative and qualitative data and is intended to guide public-health planning across Central Ohio for the next three years. \"HealthMap 2025 is really a snapshot, but it gives us a good understanding of the health challenges and the health opportunities that we face here in Franklin County,\" said Joe Mazzola, Franklin County health commissioner.

Why it matters: HealthMap 2025 aims to align hospitals, public-health agencies and community organizations behind a set of shared priorities rather than having each hospital pursue separate assessments. \"All four hospitals came together to do jointly the interviews in the community, the data gathering so that all four of us weren't going in and asking the same exact people,\" said Dr. Andrew Thomas, chief clinical officer for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, noting the collaborative approach and that steering committees included more than 30 community organizations.

Key findings and focus areas

- Infant mortality: The report reaffirms infant mortality as a leading indicator of community health and draws attention to persistent racial disparities. \"Black babies here in Franklin County are two and a half to three times more likely to die before their first birthday,\" said Dr. Meshika Roberts, health commissioner for Columbus Public Health.

- Social drivers: Housing, transportation, access to healthy food and economic stability were identified as central social drivers that shape many downstream health outcomes.

- ACEs and prevention: HealthMap 2025 elevates adverse childhood experiences as a primary focus, recommending upstream prevention and community supports. \"ACEs being called out, really for the first time, and getting that attention,\" Dr. Thomas said, calling it one of the document's most innovative emphases.

- Geographic disparities: The report maps outcomes by ZIP code and neighborhood, highlighting substantial variation in life expectancy across Columbus neighborhoods; panelists said some neighborhoods show life expectancy differences of 10 to 15 years compared with others.

Programs and practices cited

Panelists described place-based and cross-sector efforts that use the HealthMap data to target services, including a federally qualified health center run in partnership with Ohio State in the near East Side, the Healthy Community Center (a former library repurposed for free community programming), and targeted mobile units. The hospital systems fund programs such as a medical-legal partnership that provides legal aid to pregnant patients facing eviction or utility shutoffs.

Funding and prevention

Speakers repeatedly urged greater, sustained investment in public health and prevention. \"For every dollar we spend in health care, only a penny goes to public health,\" Mazzola said, adding that local control over prevention funding would allow communities to prioritize interventions identified in the health map. Panelists also warned that cuts to state or federal funding, including reductions to programs now covered by Medicaid, could undermine progress and worsen outcomes.

Nut graf: HealthMap 2025 is intended to serve as a three-year road map that channels hospital, public-health and community resources to prioritized, place-based interventions — shifting emphasis from treating disease to preventing the social conditions that contribute to poor health.

What leaders plan next

Panelists said the next steps include convening community partners around the map's priorities, hosting an ACEs resilience summit (noted as scheduled for July 21 in the presentation), expanding school- and community-based behavioral health services and continuing to use ZIP-code level data to place new clinics and mobile services where they are most needed.

Attribution and scope

The panelists stressed the collaborative nature of the report: representatives of Franklin County Public Health, Columbus Public Health and the four major hospital systems participated in the data gathering and planning process. Participants noted the report is the fifth HealthMap produced by these partners and builds on federal community-health needs-assessment requirements tied to hospitals and Medicare/Medicaid participation.

Ending: Panelists urged community organizations, health systems and local leaders to use the HealthMap as a shared blueprint for prevention and equity, while acknowledging that improved outcomes will require sustained funding and cross-sector action over several years.","Health leaders from Franklin County, Columbus Public Health and four hospital systems unveiled HealthMap 2025, a community health assessment that highlights infant mortality disparities, housing and adverse childhood experiences as leading priorities and calls for cross-sector action and sustained prevention funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Health leaders warn Medicaid rollback and budget cuts could worsen county outcomes

Franklin County opens first 24/7 mental-health crisis care center; officials say it will ease ER burden

Franklin County HealthMap 2025 spotlights infant mortality, housing and ACEs as top priorities