link to Rural Assistance Center Homepage skip navigation
Funding Information
Guides
News &
Events
Experts &
Organizations
Publications
& Maps
Success
Stories
State
Resources

Ohio

On this page
  State Contacts
Organizations
Tools
Maps
Funding
Documents
Success Stories
News
Events
 

Ohio is known as the "Buckeye State" for its many buckeye trees. It is located in the Great Lakes region, with shoreline on Lake Erie and is bordered on the south by the Ohio River. The state has produced eight presidents, earning it the name "The Mother of Presidents." Ohio covers 40,948 square miles, with a 2006 estimated population of 11,478,006 people–2,233,235 living in rural Ohio (USDA-ERS). Columbus, the capital, is located in the central part of the state. The state’s largest cities are Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. According to the 2006 Census, 84.9% of the state’s population is white, 12% is African-American/Black, 1.5% is Asian, 0.2% is American Indian & Alaska Native, and 2.3% is of Hispanic/Latino origin.

There are 168 hospitals in Ohio, 56 of which are located in rural areas (North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, 2007). The state has 34 hospitals currently identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals. There are 11 Rural Health Clinics in Ohio (Ohio Department of Health, 2007), and 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 108 sites in the state (Kaiser, 2005). Most Ohioans have some form of health insurance coverage, although 11% of the state's residents lack any health insurance (Kaiser, 2004-2005.)

According to the Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for all Ohioans in 2006 was $33,320, although rural per-capita income lagged at $26,728. 2005 estimates indicate a poverty rate of 13.2% exists in rural Ohio, compared to a 12.9 level in urban areas of the state. Data from 2000 finds 20% of the rural population has not completed high school, while only 16.3% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma. The unemployment rate in rural Ohio is at 6%, while in urban Ohio it is at 5.5% (USDA-ERS, 2007).

For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.

Data Sources:

U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts

USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets

North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center

Health Care Provider Report and Information Extract, Ohio Department of Health, Division of Quality Assurance

Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts

Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List

State Contacts

Directory of Rural Health Contacts: Ohio
Contact information for people and organizations in Ohio with an interest in rural health.

Organizations

Appalachian Rural Health Institute (ARHI)
Academic/Research
Interdisciplinary health services and research institute at Ohio University. The goal of ARHI is to improve the health status and related quality of life of underserved rural populations, especially those in the Appalachian region.

Healthy Ohio
State/regional organization
Partnership encouraging Ohioans to participate in personal fitness and wellness activities.

HUD Community Development Block Grants: Ohio
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.

Interprofessional Partners for Appalachian Children (IPAC)
State/regional organization
Network of professionals, consumers, and community agencies working collaboratively to improve the physical and mental health of children and families in southeast Ohio.

National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region (NN/LM-GMR)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to health information for health professionals, librarians and members of the public in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Ohio Association for Community Action Agencies
State/regional organization
Works to reduce poverty and to help low-income people become self-sufficient.

Ohio Association of Community Health Centers (OACHC)
State/regional organization
Works to ensure equal access to health care for all Ohioans. Represents community health centers (CHCs) in Ohio, including migrant, homeless, and public housing health centers that operate more than 100 primary care sites statewide.

Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services
State government
Provides statewide leadership in establishing a high quality addiction, prevention, treatment and recovery services system of care that is effective, accessible and valued by all Ohioans.

Ohio Department of Development (ODD)
State government
Promotes economic opportunities to improve the profits and prosperity of Ohio's citizens.

Ohio Department of Education: Office for Exceptional Children
State government
Provides leadership, assistance, and oversight to school districts and other educational entities in the provision of differentiated instructional support to improve results for students with disabilities and students identified as gifted.

Ohio Department of Health (ODH)
State government
Works to protect and improve the health of all Ohioans, through partnerships with local health departments and the medical and health communities.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
State government
Ohio's family support and workforce development agency. Programs include adoption/kinship/foster care, child care, child support, protective services, financial assistance, health care, food stamps, career counseling, education and training, assistance with finding a job, and information on unemployment compensation.

Ohio Department of Mental Health
State government
State mental health agency that supports community mental health programs, provides inpatient services, and works to improve mental health services to children and adolescents.

Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
State government
Committed to the continuous improvement of the quality of life for Ohio's citizens with developmental disabilities and their families.

Ohio Emergency Medical Services
State government
Oversees the certification of Ohio's emergency medical technicians and firefighters and provides that these people in lifesaving roles are properly trained, educated and prepared for emergency situations. Part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

Ohio Governor's Office of Appalachia
State government
Facilitates economic and community development in the 29 Appalachian counties of Ohio. Serves as an advocate for the region by developing policy and promoting specific projects and proposals that originate from the region's residents.

Ohio Head Start Association
State/regional organization
Membership organization for all Head Start programs in the state. Head Start provides a comprehensive child development program for children and their families.

Ohio Hospital Association (OHA)
State/regional organization
Represents hospitals and health systems throughout Ohio. Works to help its members meet the health care needs of their communities.

Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA)
State government
Offers affordable housing opportunities for Ohioans from rental assistance to homeownership. Provides access to financial resources for the development and management of affordable, safe and sanitary housing.

Ohio Office of Child Support
State government
Provides leadership, structure, and resources to advance the child support program in Ohio.

Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission
State government
Provides vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to help people with disabilities become employed and independent.

Ohio Rural Community Assistance Program (Ohio RCAP)
State/regional organization
Helps rural communities in Ohio to improve community infrastructure.

Ohio Rural Development Partnership (ORDP)
State/regional organization
Statewide organization that brings together citizens, the private sector, and federal, state, and local officials to address the needs of rural Ohio communities. The Ohio Rural Health Coalition is part of the ORDP.

Ohio Rural Health Coalition
State/regional organization
Part of the Ohio Rural Health Development Partnership. For more information about the coalition, contact co-chair Heather Reed at 614-752-8935 or heather.reed@odh.ohio.gov.

Ohio State Office of Rural Health (OHSORH)
State government
Provides information, education, liaison activities, and increases access and decreases disparities in health services to rural Ohioans.

Osteopathic Heritage Foundations
Nonprofit/Foundation
Funds projects and programs to improve community health and quality of life and to advance osteopathic healthcare through support of osteopathic medical education and research. A not-for-profit, private foundations are based in Columbus, Ohio.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Ohio
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts for the state.

USDA Rural Development Ohio State Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. The Rural Development State Office provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.

Tools

Appalachian Rural Health Institute Presentations
Web site
Lists presentations and reports on Appalachian health in Ohio.
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Rural Health Institute

ERS State Fact Sheet: Ohio
Web site
Statistics on population, educational attainment, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for the state.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service

Health Care Excel (HCE)
Web site
Evaluates health-care quality, clinical appropriateness, and outcome assessments. Also designs customized management solutions and develops appropriate educational programs to significantly improve the delivery of health services.

National Healthcare Quality Report State Snapshot: Ohio
Web site
Health care quality report for the state, based on the National Healthcare Quality Report.
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

NN/LM Greater Midwest Region: Ohio Resources
Web site
Overview of the state, with links to state agencies, health associations, and other resources for Ohio.
Sponsoring organization: National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region

Ohio QuickFacts
Web site
Basic demographic and economic statistics for the state, with links to county-level data.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau

Ohio Community Level Information on Kids (CLIKS)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for the state.
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation

Ohio County Profiles
Web site
Selected demographic and economic characteristics for each county in Ohio. Provides over 50,000 facts from more than 50 sources.
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Development

Ohio Economy at a Glance
Web site
State-level data on Ohio's labor force and employment.
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ohio Health Care Provider Report and Information Extract
Database
Lists Ohio health care providers, including Rural Health Clinics, along with addresses and contact information. Lists can be sorted by county and name.
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Health

Ohio Health Centers Data
Web site
Provides access to information on Federally Qualified Health Centers for the state. Includes a map of FQHC locations, as well as information on the populations served by health centers, services provided, staff, patient visits, costs of care, and use of electronic health information.

Ohio Health Workforce: Highlights from the Health Workforce Profile
Web site
Highlights compile 2000 data on levels of employment, projected growth and key environmental factors that affect demand for health care. Details for medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, mental health and aides.
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Workforce Analysis

Ohio Primary Care County Profiles
Web site
Provides information for each county in Ohio, including demographics, socio-economic status, and access to primary care, as well as other health care statistics and indicators.
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Health

Ohio State Health Facts
Database
The latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation. Individual state profiles and 50-state comparisons.
Sponsoring organization: Kaiser Family Foundation

Ohio State Medicaid Profile
Web site
Provides data on Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for the state.
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center (Cecil G. Sheps Center)

State Profiles- Ohio: Health Information Technology (HIT)
Web site
Profiles the state’s health information technology (HIT) issues. Contains sections on demographics, HIT legislation, telemedicine, Health Information Exchanges (HIE) & Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO), grant funded HIT projects, and HIT survey information.
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Resource Center

See also: Resources for All States: Tools

Maps & Map Collections

Ohio Rural Definition Maps
Geographic coverage: Ohio
Set of maps showing the geographic coverage provided by 9 different rural definitions for the state.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service

See also: Resources for All States: Maps

Funding

Andersons Fund Supporting Organization Grants
Grants to Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan organizations with programs in the areas of education, social services, physical and mental health, neighborhood and urban affairs, natural resources and the arts.

BJ’s Charitable Foundation
Funding for safety, security and well-being of children and families, education and health programs, community service opportunities, and hunger and disaster relief.

Family Farm Loan Program
A loan program that helps farmers and agribusiness enterprises secure low interest loans to start or expand a farm or agribusiness.

FirstEnergy Foundation Grants
Funding for programs that focus on public and personal safety, support employee involvement, promote economic development, and advance professional development.

Healthy Community Award
An award that recognizes the outstanding achievements of communities in implementing health-related policies and providing healthy community environments.

Hershey Foundation Grants
Funding for unique, innovative, and creative projects for children in Northeast Ohio.

I’m a Child of Appalachia Fostering Access to Education Mini-Grant program
Grants to fund activities and projects that provide educational opportunities to students within the 29 counties of Appalachian Ohio.

Laura Jane Musser Fund: Rural Initiative Program
Fund hopes to fund projects where citizens work together towards improving their rural communities.

RCAP Safe Water Fund
A low-interest loan program for small community water and wastewater projects in Ohio.

Inactive Funding

Inactive Funding Opportunities - Lists additional funding programs for this state that are not currently accepting applications. Programs that are inactive may be offered again in the future.

Documents, Reports and Other Publications

Demographic and Economic Profile: Ohio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Discusses demographic and economic data including population, race, education, age, poverty, health care services, and employment. Includes maps and graphics.

IPAC: Integrated Health Services for Appalachian Children
Author(s): Candi Helseth
Sponsoring organization: Rural Assistance Center
Discusses IPAC (Interprofessional Partners for Appalachian Children), which focuses on the assessment and comprehensive treatment of behavioral and developmental needs of children ages six and under in 19 university and community health care organizations in Ohio.
Journal citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08 / 2007

Report on Body Mass Index of Ohio's Third Graders, 2004-2005
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Health
Provides information on overweight and risk for overweight among Ohio's third graders, including estimates by county.
Date: 10 / 2006

Small Business Profile: Ohio
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Small Business Administration
Profile of the state's economy, covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment.
Date: 2006

State Profiles - Ohio: Reforming the Health Care System
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
Detailed profile of the state's health care system. Covers demographics, expenditures and financing, health status, utilization and quality of services, health care providers, Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance coverage, and key trends.
Date: 12 / 2005

Welfare Limits Mean Increased Hardship for Rural Ohio Families
Author(s): Paola Scommegna
Sponsoring organization: Population Reference Bureau
Study of low-income rural Appalachian Ohio families finds that time limits on cash welfare benefits have coincided with gains in employment and a distressing rise in their levels of hunger and homelessness.
Date: 01 / 2005

See also: Resources for All States: Documents

Success Stories

Adams Country Rural Health Outreach Program
A consortium of health and social service providers in Adams County, Ohio, are sharing a mobile unit to provide services throughout this rural county.

Behavioral Medicine for Children: Developing an Integrated Delivery Model for Appalachian Children
A collaborative of four alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services boards that have worked in partnership for 12 years to deliver behavioral health services to remote, rural areas that are underserved by physicians and other health professionals.

Child Protection Center of Ross County
Diverse network of service providers formed the Child Protection Center of Ross County with the goal of preventing, detecting, and treating child sexual abuse through a local, coordinated response.

Community Health Services Consortium Project
A consortium of three parties are working together to provide basic primary care and dental services to a target population of adults and children with incomes under 200 percent of the federal poverty level who live in the area of Willard, Huron County, Ohio, as well as the southeast corner of Seneca County and the northeast corer of Crawford County.

EMS Co-op Helps Rural Providers
Using the power of group purchasing within a cooperative structure, the North Central EMS Cooperative (NCEMSC) is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) cooperative developed to serve Minnesota and surrounding states.

Health Access, Network and Development
A new collaboration involving private nonprofit health care providers and government agencies in Jackson County, Ohio, has made important improvements to the county's available health care services, with a particular emphasis on serving the poor, elderly, and uninsured members of the community.

IPAC: Integrated Health Services for Appalachian Children
Focused on the assessment and comprehensive treatment of behavioral and developmental needs of children ages six and under, IPAC blends 19 university and community health care organizations in Appalachian Ohio into a partnership that provides "one-stop shopping for families."

Ohio State Health Network-Patient Advocate
Describes a Patient Advocate Program in the Ohio State Health Network.

Preble Country Healthy Beginnings
The Preble County Department of Health began the Healthy Beginnings project to address the alarming rates of child abuse and neglect in this small rural community in Ohio.

Regionalized Community Health Screenings for the Public
West Central Ohio Regional Healthcare Alliance (WCORHA) provides equipment and occasional staff for members to use at health screenings in order to improve healthcare within the West Central Ohio Region.

Rural Health Outreach Demonstration Program (Napolean, OH)
A consortium of four county health departments and other agencies has implemented a multidimensional approach to the problem of teen pregnancy.

RxCUE program
The RxCUE program is a community-based prescription medication assistance program.

Twin City Hospital (TCH) Healthy Community/Happy Children Outreach Program
The goal of the Twin City Hospital (TCH) Healthy Community/Happy Children Outreach Program (HC/HCOP) is to provide an innovative, multi-agency means to reduce the number of overweight and obese men, women, and children of all ages in several rural Ohio counties.

What's New
What's new RSS
About RSS Feeds

Page last updated 6/30/2008
State last reviewed 8/27/2007

Events
Aug 16, 2008
Youth Enrichment Consortium Family Day 2008
Family & Children's First Council
Mall B & C
Cleveland, OH
Contact:
  Denise Hudson
  216.443.5926
  dhudson@cuyahogacounty.us


Oct 13 - 14, 2008
RHIOhio: Building Partnerships for Change
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Contact:
  Elissa Welch
  740-597-3367
  rhiohio@oucom.ohiou.edu


Nov 5 - 7, 2008
2008 Ohio Housing Conference
Ohio Housing Finance Agency
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, OH
Contact:
  614.466.7970


About this Page
Credits
Maintained by:
Mary Reinertson-Sand
mary@raconline.org

Suggest a resource for this page