Mrs. Strickland, Rep. Ryan focus on uninsured kids

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U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles

The biggest barrier to getting low-income children insured is that parents don’t realize their kids are eligible.

Staff Reports

YOUNGSTOWN — Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan are scheduled to be here this evening to raise awareness about an estimated 7,000 low-income Mahoning Valley children who are eligible for health insurance coverage but are not getting it.

The event, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Youngstown Community Health Center, 726 Wick Ave., comes on the first day of the national Uninsured Week, April 28-May 3, an effort to raise awareness about people without health insurance.

The important message, said Amy Swanson, executive for Ohio Voices for Children, is that there are 156,000 uninsured children in Ohio — 106,000 of whom, including 7,000 in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, are eligible under the federal economic guidelines but are not enrolled.

There are options for families with children, but they need to get informed and apply. “People shouldn’t assume they make too much money. They should check it out. Federal poverty guidelines are upgraded every year, making more and more people eligible,” she said.

“This is really a program for working families,” said Matthew Stefanak, commissioner of the Mahoning County District Board of Health.

Swanson said the Mahoning Valley Covering Kids and Families Coalition was recently formed to help get the word out.

Also, there are other groups working in the Valley with the same purpose.

Jenny Pasha, of the Youngstown-Mahoning Valley United Way, said one of her organization’s areas of emphasis — promoting health and wellness — has as its top priority getting kids who are eligible insured with the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Recently the Youngstown-Mahoning Valley chapter has been joined in the effort by the Trumbull County and Columbiana County United Way organizations, and are now collaborating with Voices for Ohio’s Children in getting the word out to area families, Pasha said.

“We are taking a couple of approaches,” Pasha said.

The United Way delivers funds to social service agencies and organizations that work with children, such as day care facilities, to make sure eligible families are informed. Also, there are plans to do direct mailings of information to social service agencies and public service announcements aimed at families and children, she said.

The biggest barrier to getting these children insured is that parents just don’t realize their kids are eligible, Pasha said.

Organizations involved in the health and wellness vision council include the United Way, Humility of Mary Health Partners, Youngstown Community Health Center, Mahoning County District Board of Health, the Help Me Grow program, Hine Memorial Fund, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Wean Foundation, a funding partner, Pasha said.

Swanson said Ohio is a national leader in providing children’s health care coverage, reducing the percentage of uninsured children from 8.9 percent in 1998 to 5.4 percent in 2004. And, she said, thanks to bipartisan leadership in the state Legislature, in the last budget the Legislature made insuring children a priority by expanding a number of programs.

The best way for families to find out of they are eligible is to log on to the Job and Family Services Web site or call its toll-free hot line at (800) 324-8680, Swanson said.

Others scheduled to speak at tonight’s press conference include Donald Cagigas, president of the Youngstown-Mahoning Valley United Way; Thomas Krysiek, president of the United Way of Trumbull County; Joel Ratner, president of the Raymond John Wean Foundation; and representatives of Ohio Job and Family Services and other social service organizations.