Since March of 2020, life as we know it has changed dramatically. We’ve experienced a flood of problems—some literal, some figurative; some large, some small. For some people, dealing with their personal “flood” may feel more like drowning in an ocean.

This is especially true in the cases of families with young people who have, not just one, but multiple physical, emotional and/or behavioral problems. These youth require help by more than one—sometimes several—different health or human services organizations, like juvenile justice and corrections, child protection, developmental disabilities, mental health and addiction, education and others. Ohio families facing this situation benefit from the commitment of two outstanding public servants working in their behalf.

Ohio families facing this situation benefit from the commitment of two outstanding public servants working in their behalf.

Community Solutions is pleased to present this year’s public service award to The Honorable Mike DeWine, governor of the State of Ohio, and Maureen Corcoran, Ohio’s Medicaid director, for their commitment to bringing coordinated care to children who have complex behavioral health care needs through the introduction and implementation of OhioRISE.

OhioRISE—which stands for Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence—set to begin in mid-2022, is a specialized managed care program that will bring family-centered, coordinated care to these multi-system youth after decades’ long efforts to make these improvements.

OhioRISE will enable families to stay intact while their children receive needed services.

OhioRISE will enable families to stay intact while their children receive needed services. Currently, parents may be required to give up custody of their children so they can get essential care. According to one parent, in order to access a level of treatment not covered by insurance, “We were forced to surrender custody of our son to our county children’s services agency…He was sent two-and-a-half hours away from home. We made that journey to see him every weekend. Twenty-five thousand miles—that is longer than the circumference of the earth—just to be close to him, to have a relationship with him.”

In addition to honoring Governor DeWine and Director Corcoran, Community Solutions thanks them for working closely with our Visiting Fellow Gayle Channing Tenenbaum and Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Tara Britton.

OhioRISE is a 30-year dream becoming a reality.

As John Corlett, Community Solutions’ president and executive director, said, “OhioRISE is a 30-year dream becoming a reality. Families staying together and children receiving much-needed services make all the work worthwhile.”

The Award for Outstanding Public Service Award in Honor of John A. Begala is named after Community Solutions’ former executive director, who dedicated his career to public service.