Self-care and substance use disorder, Cincinnati, OH
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Self-care and substance use disorder: A powerful tool

One of the most powerful tools in substance use disorder recovery is self-care. And it works equally well for those on both sides of the equation: the people who are in recovery and their loved ones. Kellen Hicks, Drug and Alcohol Counselor, MS, LICDCCS, Cincy Pride Counseling, says self-care can help those affected by substance…

The myth of the bootstraps.
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You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps

The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” currently means being able to do something by yourself. No matter your circumstances, this phrase implies, you should be able to achieve wealth and success. Often, the phrase is wielded at people who live in poverty. The blame game The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”…

How homelessness affects children in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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How experiencing homelessness affects Cincinnati children

More than 8,000 children in Cincinnati experience homelessness each year. The average person—person, not just child—experiencing homelessness is nine years old. UpSpring, a local nonprofit aiming to break the cycle of poverty, fights these challenges. Lack of stability and consistency affects education Children experiencing homelessness suffer from lack of stability. “They may switch schools two…

Generational poverty and health, Cincinnati, OH
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Poverty passed down from generation to generation

Every parent wants their child to have a better life than they did. They want them to be more successful, wealthier, healthier, and happier. But that doesn’t always happen. If you have experienced poverty as a child, you are “much more likely to be poor in early and middle adulthood than are those who were…

Pedestrian Safety in Cincinnati
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Safe streets, safe pedestrians: an issue of equity

More than twenty percent of Cincinnatians do not own a car. City Council member Mark Jeffreys believes that walkable streets in Cincinnati are “not just about safety but tied to so many other issues. It’s an area of equity.”  If it seems to you that pedestrian safety has become an increasingly urgent issue in the…

Transportation issues getting to the doctor
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“First, you have to get there”: Access to care and transportation obstacles 

Getting to appointments can be the hardest part of staying current with medical care for Kia Davis’ clients. Davis is a Community Health Worker (CHW), who cares for pregnant mothers and children through Mercy Health. Mercy Health is a partner agency of the Southwest Ohio Pathways Community HUB, which Health Care Access Now directs. Davis…

Mental health and transportation
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The link between mental health and transportation barriers

Transportation is a major social determinant of health and health equity. It’s one of the most frequently needed of the HUB Pathways that Health Care Access Now (HCAN)’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) address with clients. The ability to access reliable, convenient, safe transportation is intertwined with mental health. It goes both ways: Mental health issues…

Transportation for medical appointments in Cincinnati, OH
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Transportation to medical appointments: The effect of MCO-contracted rides

Imagine you didn’t have access to a reliable personal vehicle, or that your monthly budget for gas had already been spent. How do you get to your doctor’s appointments? You could call a friend or family member to give you a ride—but they have jobs from which it is difficult to get time off. You…