Molinalogo

01/13/2021

Initial $150,000 commitment to improve health outcomes of pregnant women and children

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 13, 2021 – The MolinaCares Accord today announced financial support for Groundwork Ohio (“Groundwork”) designed to engage families in wellness programs and policies, with coordination for the grant provided by Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc. This support will provide Groundwork the needed resources to launch the Center for Family Voice. Through this new program, Groundwork will explore best practices across the state and nation that successfully engage families in public services delivery to inform state, local, and programmatic policy development.

Using its findings, the Center for Family Voice will work with local partners across Ohio to implement unique engagement models that meet the diverse needs of local communities. Ultimately, the Center will drive programmatic, policy, and practice changes at local, regional, and state levels by integrating the Center for Family Voice into the decision-making process of Ohio’s family-serving systems.

“We are thrilled to support Groundwork Ohio to launch the Center for Family Voice,” said Ami Cole, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Ohio. “Ensuring we have authentic insights from Ohio families about health care and social service delivery models is critical to understanding what changes are needed to remedy health inequities and help families thrive.”

“Our deep commitment to equity and engagement across the state has unequivocally instructed us that parents and families are seeking deeper relationships with the systems intended to serve them,” said former Ohio Senator Shannon Jones, executive director of Groundwork Ohio. “Their voices deserve to be heard. The vast health inequities in our state based on race, geography, and poverty demand we truly listen and integrate the lived experiences of families into programs, practice, and policy. We are grateful for MolinaCares Accord’s commitment to Ohio and for sharing in our vision of authentically empowering families with young children to be their own best advocates.”

The Center for Family Voice is starting research on best practices of organizations nationwide and across Ohio. Implementing these engagement models will begin later in the year.

About MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.

About Groundwork Ohio
Groundwork Ohio is a committed, nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization formed in 2004 that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age five, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families and communities. Learn more about Groundwork Ohio at groundworkohio.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Molina Healthcare of Ohio
Since 2005, Molina Healthcare of Ohio has been providing government-funded, quality health care to low-income individuals. As of September 30, 2020, the company serves approximately 348,000 members through Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals) and Health Insurance Exchange programs across the state.