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As COVID-19 impacts Ohio, it exposes the populations most vulnerable to the pandemic including currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Most people with a criminal history will find it harder now, more than ever, to find housing due to the broad deployment of criminal background and credit checks.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has provided Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to Cuyahoga County for distribution through the Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (CJFS) Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) program. The funding is designated for TANF eligible families affected by COVID-19.

The staff at Cuyahoga Job and Family Services continues to work to make sure residents eligible for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other cash benefits, are getting the help they need during this time. Our service delivery methods have changed with most of our workforce working from home, but we remain ready to assist.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child advocates across the country work to raise awareness of child abuse and the ways we can all prevent and stop it. Right now, that message is more important than ever. Children are more at risk for abuse and neglect amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Parents are a young child’s first and most important teachers. For the foreseeable future, many will be their child’s only teacher. Invest in Children, Cuyahoga County’s public/private partnership that mobilizes resources and research to promote the well-being of young children is aware that parents need support now more than ever. We have been working with our provider partners to adjust how that support is delivered. Here are some examples of recent changes and new resources -- with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

One of the most critical developments in the Coronavirus pandemic is the need to protect our older adults. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified older adults as being at risk for contracting a more serious version of COVID-19, most likely due to immune system changes and underlying health conditions.