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Ensure Ohio's Children are Well Fed and Healthy
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 Ohio
Policymakers should work to increase the numberof low-income working families who receive food stamps: The Food
Stamp Program serves as the nation's largest federalfood safety net.
Unfortunately, because of lack of awareness and daunting regulations, food stamps, like many federal nutrition
programs, are underutilized in Ohio. Through the implementation of the following recommendations, working families
-- and their children --will be provided with better and more convenientaccess to food.
- Provide three months of transitional benefits to families moving from welfare to work. A transitional food
stamp benefit halo would ensure that clients on cash assistance could continue to meet their nutrition needs after
their benefits have ended. This acts as a stabilizing mechanism for families during the pivotal welfare-to-work
transition. The federal government allows states to offer transitional food stamp benefits for 5 months. However,
Ohio does not currently offer this important benefit.
- Require the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to improve their website by including a foodstamp eligibility
screening tool and by providing an on-line food stamp application. Many eligible individuals and families do not
know or understand that they qualify for food stamps. Providing a state-operated screening or self-assessment on-line
tool, as provided by many other states, can be a very powerful outreach method to those who are uncertain of their
eligibility. Further, on-line applications will help participants initiate the process. Starting the process earlier
is important to low-income families as it can mean extra benefits because applicants will receive benefits retroactive
to the date of their application.
- Support the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services efforts to obtain federal matching funds for food stamp
outreach. Federal matching funds are available to states to expand access to the food stamp program. By providing
a 50% match of state funds, Ohio could provide targeted food stamp outreach to underserved populations.
 Ohio's
policymakers, educators, community leaders, medical professionals and members of the faith-based community should
work to improve children's health by ensuring access to healthy foods and physical activity.
Ohio has the 4th highest number of overweight high school students at 13.9%, and 11.1% of children ages 2-5
are overweight. Obesity is an issue that takes a whole community, aligned in thinking and action, to truly impact
the health and wellness of our children. Ohio's leaders should take steps towards reducing the number of overweight
and obese children so that they can live healthy, productive and active lives. To that end we recommend that:
- Policymakers, communities and educators provide children from preschool years through graduation with access
to nutritious food, opportunities to be physically active and education to support healthy eating and fitness;
- Government assures that an infrastructure is in place to support access to nutritious food and physical activity.
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