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.
