Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services

10/22/2026

Event Brings Together County Leaders, Policy Experts, and Community Partners to Discuss Major Changes to SNAP and Medicaid

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Cuyahoga Job and Family Services hosted a countywide community forum titled “A Look at House Resolution 1: One Year Later,” convened at Cuyahoga Community College’s Jerry Sue Thornton Center. The event brought together leaders, advocates, and service providers to examine the impacts of federal reforms on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.

Opening remarks were delivered by Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, who emphasized the county’s commitment to supporting residents through unprecedented federal program changes.

The program featured a detailed presentation on federal policy changes from David Merriman, Director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services, and Kevin Gowan, Director of Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (CJFS). Their briefing highlighted the significant local effects of House Resolution 1 (Public Law 11921), including expanded work requirements, new citizenship-related provisions, administrative funding reductions, and new Medicaid Community Engagement Activities (MCEA) beginning in 2027.

To coordinate a comprehensive response, Cuyahoga County launched two major cross-sector Taskforces in 2025:
• The Hunger Response Team (HRT) – A 50organization network addressing SNAP-related impacts.
• The Medicaid Access Team (MAT) – A 36organization collaborative supporting residents navigating new Medicaid rules.

Both groups include partners representing health systems, community-based organizations, education, legal services, business, philanthropy, and workforce agencies. Their work is further supported by three committees focused on advocacy, community awareness and navigation, and work activities and career enhancement.

The county also highlighted the creation of the Coordinated Response Taskforces webpages, designed to provide clear, accessible information about HR 1 reforms, available at: cuyahogacounty.gov/taskforces

A panel discussion moderated by Emily Campbell, President and CEO of The Center for Community Solutions, brought forward perspectives from leaders across the hunger, health, and social services sectors. Panelists discussed early trends in SNAP participation, Medicaid rule implementation, challenges facing organizations assisting residents, and opportunities to strengthen the countywide safety net.

10/22/2026

10/20/2026

Happening Now: DSAS is hosting a Return-to-Work Event for Older Adults. Whether the goal is returning to work, seeking a career change, or simply an interest in learning something new, this event is designed to help Older Adults be prepared in today's workforce.

10/20/2026

Do you work with children ages 5 and younger and their and families? “Roots to Resilience: Every Role Nourishes Early Relational Health,” a one-day, Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Conference, will bring together early childhood professionals from across disciplines on Friday, Nov. 20, in Independence, to discuss how every role —from medical professionals to social workers to early childhood educators and more— can help young children and caregivers develop critical healthy relationships.

At this conference you will learn:
• About the field of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health
• The signs that an infant, toddler or young child is struggling or in need of additional emotional support
• How to connect families with help
• Strategies to build trust and meaningful connections with young children and families.

The conference is presented by Cuyahoga County’s Office of Early Childhood, Invest in Children, in partnership with the Association for Infant Mental Health in Ohio (AIMHiOhio). Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4sg9w3O

10/19/2026

DSAS, Forget‑Me‑Nots, once again participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. They raised around $3,650 to help advance Alzheimer’s research. A heartfelt thank‑you to everyone who donated and to all who joined us at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Saturday. We greatly appreciate our team leads, Lizz Dregne and Taiyier Parks, for guiding this effort. Thank you all for standing with us in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

10/15/2026

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end, DSAS celebrated with a special performance by James Carlos, the grandson of our own team member Lizette Mendez. He performed several traditional Puerto Rican songs on the cuatro, Puerto Rico’s national instrument. Thank you, James, for sharing your talent and culture with us. What a wonderful way to honor and celebrate the richness of Hispanic heritage!

10/14/2026

Join us for an important community conversation!
We're taking A Look at H.R. 1: One Year Later to understand what’s changed, what’s ahead, and how it affects Cuyahoga County residents.
📅 Thursday, October 22
⏰ 2:00–4:30 PM
📍 Cuyahoga Community College – Jerry Sue Thornton Center
🎥 Prefer to join online? Watch the livestream at: youtube.com/CuyahogaCounty
Hear from local leaders and join the discussion. Light refreshments provided for in person attendees.
👉 Register today to attend in person—registration is closing soon!
https://bit.ly/CommunityConversationHR1

10/14/2026

Calling all HR, Payroll, and Benefits teams! There's still time to join us for a free Employers Workshop on October 29 at Tri-C Corporate East.
Learn tips, tools, and best practices to make child support processing easier and more efficient. Breakfast is on us!
Register today to secure your spot: go.cuyahogacounty.gov/EmployersWorkshop2026

10/14/2026

The Business Boost Initiative is a new program designed to provide targeted financial assistance to the County’s smallest businesses, while connecting entrepreneurs with resources that can help them modernize and grow. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 19. Learn more: cuyahogacounty.gov/development/businesses/office-of-small-business