Cuyahoga County health board seeks 24% funding increase from Lakewood over two years – Cleveland.com

Public Health Funding Proposal: Strengthening Lakewood’s Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction and Executive Summary

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has submitted a proposal requesting a 12% annual funding increase from the City of Lakewood for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. This request is driven by anticipated reductions in state and federal funding that threaten the continuity of essential public health services. The proposal underscores a critical need to secure local funding to maintain and expand programs that directly support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Failure to secure this funding could jeopardize significant progress made in these areas, especially concerning lead remediation and disease prevention initiatives.

2.0 Financial Overview and Justification

The proposed contract outlines a structured increase in the city’s contribution to ensure the stability of public health infrastructure. This investment is positioned as a strategic partnership (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals) to safeguard community health amidst fiscal uncertainty.

1. Current Funding (2024): Approximately $400,000
2. Proposed Funding (2026): $456,440
3. Proposed Funding (2027): $511,458

The increase is necessary to sustain programs facing grant funding cuts and to support new initiatives, such as a mobile medical unit designed to reduce health inequalities (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities).

3.0 Core Service Alignment with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The Board of Health’s services are fundamental to achieving the targets of SDG 3 by ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages within Lakewood. Key service areas include:

• Disease Surveillance and Prevention: Continuous monitoring and response to prevent the spread of acute diseases, a core public health function aligned with SDG Target 3.3.
• Chronic Disease Prevention: Programs aimed at reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases through community health initiatives.
• Clinical and Nursing Services: Operation of a local health clinic and a mobile medical unit to improve healthcare access for all residents, directly contributing to universal health coverage goals.
• Emergency Response: Maintaining a 24/7 capacity to address urgent public health threats, such as rabies exposures, ensuring community resilience.

4.0 Contribution to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The Board’s environmental health services are integral to making Lakewood a safe, resilient, and sustainable community, directly supporting the objectives of SDG 11.

• Lead Hazard Remediation: A critical program for ensuring safe and healthy housing (SDG Target 11.1). The Board has invested $450,000 in this area over the last five years. The potential loss of grant funding for this work represents a significant threat to the health of residents, particularly children.
• Environmental Health Inspections: Services including food safety inspections and management of public health nuisances like bed bugs and spotted lanternflies contribute to a safe and healthy urban environment for all.

5.0 Communication, Awareness, and Procedural Status

A portion of the requested funding increase is allocated to enhancing communication efforts to improve public awareness of available services. This aligns with the principles of inclusive and participatory societies. Council members noted the need for improved outreach, which the Board aims to address through its new website, IT infrastructure, and a speakers bureau.

The proposal has progressed through the following stages:

• Approved by the District Advisory Council.
• Advanced by the Health and Human Services Committee.
• Awaiting final consideration by the full Lakewood City Council.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The text focuses on the provision of public health services by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to the city of Lakewood. Specific services mentioned, such as food inspections, disease surveillance, lead remediation, chronic disease prevention, acute disease prevention, and the operation of a local health clinic, all directly contribute to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article’s emphasis on addressing urban environmental health hazards connects it to this goal. The discussion of lead remediation work and tackling lead hazards is directly related to making housing and cities safer and more sustainable. The board’s work on other urban issues like bed bugs and spotted lanternflies also falls under the umbrella of managing urban environmental quality.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The entire article is centered on the partnership between two public entities: the city of Lakewood and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. The negotiation of a new contract, the discussion of funding mechanisms, and the collaboration to provide essential services exemplify the domestic partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development. The article highlights the financial challenges due to reductions in federal and state funding, underscoring the importance of strengthening local partnerships and resource mobilization.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article’s significant focus on lead remediation work and addressing lead hazards directly aligns with this target, as lead is a hazardous chemical that causes significant illness.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. The operation of a local health clinic on Detroit Avenue and the launch of a mobile medical unit… to improve outreach are concrete actions toward increasing access to essential health services for residents.
   • Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. The Board’s work in disease surveillance and its emergency response capabilities, including a 24/7 phone line for rabies exposures, directly contributes to this target at a local level.
2. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The lead remediation work is a critical service for ensuring that housing is safe, as lead paint is a common hazard in older homes.
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The Board’s work in environmental health, which includes managing lead hazards, bed bugs, and spotted lanternflies, contributes to reducing the adverse environmental and health impacts within the city of Lakewood.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. The article is a case study of this target in action, detailing the formal partnership and contract negotiation between the city government and the county health board to deliver public services.
   • Target 17.1: Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection. The proposed contract, which calls for Lakewood to increase its payment to the board to $456,440 in 2026 and $511,458 in 2027, is a direct example of domestic resource mobilization to fund essential health services in the face of declining federal and state funding.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators:

• Financial Investment in Health and Environmental Safety: The article provides specific figures that can be used as indicators. The statement that the board spent $450,000 on lead remediation work in Lakewood over the last five years is a direct indicator of financial resources allocated to Target 3.9 and Target 11.1.
• Public Expenditure on Health Services: The proposed contract amounts ($456,440 in 2026 and $511,458 in 2027) serve as a clear indicator of domestic resource mobilization (Target 17.1) and the financial commitment to the partnership (Target 17.17) for providing public health services (SDG 3).
• Availability of Health Services and Infrastructure: The existence of a local health clinic, a new mobile medical unit, and a 24/7 phone line for rabies exposures are qualitative indicators of the capacity and infrastructure available to provide universal health coverage and emergency response (Target 3.8 and 3.d).
• Public Awareness and Communication Efforts: The plan to use part of the funding increase for communication efforts and the mention of a new website, upgraded IT infrastructure, and a speakers bureau are indicators of efforts to improve health education and public access to information, which is a key component of promoting health and well-being (SDG 3).

4. Summary of Findings

Source: cleveland.com