7 in 10 parents worry about kids' mental health. Resolving the crisis is crucial. |Opinion
Shannon Jones is the president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio. Nick Lashutka is the president and CEO of Ohio Children’s Hospital...
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OUR PRIORITIES
Vote for Ohio Kids is driving a powerful agenda that puts Ohio kids front and center.
Ohio's children and their families have been and are in crisis.
Now more than ever, it's imperative that our state’s leaders chart a path forward to both prevent and mitigate the impacts of the mental health crisis facing our youngest Ohioans.
With 2022 Vote for Ohio Kids as a driving force, we must ensure that every child in our state could reach their full potential and have the services and supports they need to support their behavioral health needs. Our priorities to improve mental health and well-being and achieve improved outcomes for children in Ohio and their families are:
Ohioans have seen far-reaching, negative impacts to the mental health and overall well-being of their children and families over the past few years. During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of our systems in both responding to and preventing crisis—compounding the challenges facing our youngest Ohioans. While the full extent of the pandemic’s impact will take time to discern, it is clear that Ohio's children and their families have been and are in crisis.
Nearly 50% of Ohio’s children
had been exposed to adversity and trauma in 2019. Among Ohio’s youngest children, ages 0-5, nearly 1 in 5 were exposed to two or more ACEs.
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47% of Ohio parents with children under age 5 have had serious problems meeting work/family responsibilities. Serious problems affording child care, or serious problems with child care that have impacted their work.
(November 2021 poll)
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Nearly 7 in 10 Ohio parents with children under age 5
said they are worried about the mental or emotional health of their children. 1 in 5 children in Ohio have a mental health condition, yet only half receive treatment.
Only 2 out of 5
(41.9%) Ohio children
were ready for kindergarten during the 2020-2021 School Year.
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1 Ohio Medicaid Assessment Survey, 2019
2 Public Opinion Strategies Statewide Ohio Survey, conducted by Groundwork Ohio, November 2021
3 Public Opinion Strategies Statewide Ohio Survey, conducted by Groundwork Ohio, November 2021
4 Groundwork Ohio’s Early Childhood Dashboard Preview, Ohio Department of Education, 2020-2021 School Year
Improving access to quality, timely health care.
Providing access to quality early intervention and early learning opportunities to ensure students are ready for kindergarten.
Promoting family resilience and safe, stable, and nurturing environments.
Supporting economic stability and self-sufficiency.
Developing an integrated child-serving prevention, health, and education workforce.
Elevating and amplifying the voices of families.
PrioritiesAgenda
Priorities:Data
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