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By Tonya Sams

August is here and we will soon hear the ringing of school bells. But preparing for the new year is more than just buying clothes and supplies – it is also about preparing for new situations and challenges students may face at school. 

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland provides legal help that ensures kids’ school success, and wants to offer a few helpful tips:

SPECIAL EDUCATION 

If you are concerned that your child is not keeping up with peers, you can ask your school to test your child for special education needs. Make the request in writing and keep a dated copy for yourself. It doesn’t matter if the school year is well underway; you can request a special education evaluation at any time. 

If it is determined that your child qualifies for special education services, they will receive what is called an individualized education program, or IEP. IEPs outline goals and accommodations that can help your child succeed. 

If you and the school disagree regarding your child’s placement in special education, you can contact the Ohio Department of Education to file a complaint or request a mediation to resolve the issue. 

TROUBLE IN SCHOOL

If your child is constantly getting into trouble in school, find out if they are having problems with a teacher or other students, or talk to them about trauma that may cause them to act out. You may find that the school can provide resources such as a mental health counselor for your child. You can also request that your child is tested for special education or a functional behavior assessment (FBA). Talk to school officials about these issues.

If your child has been disciplined by suspension, expulsion, or other measures, request documentation from the school.  

BULLYING

According to Ohio law, bullying is any repeated, intentional act (either physical, verbal, electronic or written) that causes a student physical or mental harm and creates a hostile, threatening environment. 

Schools are required to allow people to report bullying anonymously. Schools also must protect students from bullying and discipline those students that are bullying others. 

You have the right to report bullying to the school and to request an investigation. If an investigation is conducted, you have a right to see the results of that investigation. You can also obtain a lawyer or contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.

HOUSING INSECURITY

If you and your child are homeless, federal law states that your child can not be denied their education. Your child has the right to continue to attend the same school before they became homeless and to receive transportation. They also have the right to transfer to a school that may be closer, enroll in school even if they do not have the proper documentation such as a birth certificate, and a right to continue to receive special education if needed. 

If you have issues in any of these areas, Legal Aid may be able to help. Call 888-817-3777 or visit lasclev.org/contact for more information.  Also, Legal Aid offers free legal clinics in neighborhoods throughout Northeast Ohio.  Check Legal Aid’s website for an event calendar and visit a clinic with your questions!

Tonya Sams is the Development and Communications Assistant at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

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The Cleveland International Film is now accepting submissions for CIFF47. Films of any runtime, of any genre, and from any country — with a completed production date after June 1, 2021 — are eligible for consideration.For full information on CIFF47’s Call For Entries process, please visit clevelandfilm.org/call-for-entries.

CIFF47 will take place March 22 – April 1, 2023 at the Festival’s permanent home in Playhouse Square — the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York City. The Festival will screen films in five of the historic and stunning theatres at Playhouse Square, with a handful of other spaces being used for CIFF talkbacks, community events, and patron and filmmaker gathering places. Information surrounding a possible online component for the 2023 Festival will be announced at a later date.

CIFF47 will consist of hundreds of films, post-film Q&As, and audience and juried awards with more than $130,000 in cash prizes for feature and short films. CIFF is proud to be one of the few festivals in the world that is Academy Award® qualifying for all three categories of short films—live action, animated, and documentary. In addition, CIFF recently became an Emmy award-winning Festival for its CIFF45 Trailer, Bring Film Home, was ranked as one of the top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway, and was once again named as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.

Earlier this year, CIFF46 and CIFF46 Streams — which took place consecutively March 30 – April 9^th at Playhouse Square and April 10 – April 17^th on the Festival’s streaming platform — presented 146 feature films and 182 short films from 73 countries. Filmmaker cash prizes for the Festival’s esteemed 34 competitions and other awards totaled $131,500.

The Cleveland International Film Festival is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Also, the Cleveland International Film Festival is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

MEDIA RELEASE

After Cleveland City Council unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Mayor Justin M. Bibb, Councilwoman Deborah A. Gray and Councilwoman Stephanie D. Howse last month, applications are now open for the new City of Cleveland Commission for Black Women and Girls.  

The newly formed Commission will advocate, initiate and champion programs and legislation to improve outcomes for Black women and girls, their families and communities.  

“The establishment of a Commission entirely focused on improving the lives of Black women and girls at the local level is not only historic, but necessary,” Mayor Bibb stated. “Black women are the backbone of our communities and I’m looking forward to centering their lived experience in policy decisions and programs – it can only make us all stronger,” Mayor Bibb added.  

The Commission will advise both the mayor and city council in making legislation and program recommendations based on a data-driven approach.  

The Commission will consist of 12 members and 2 ex-officio members. To fulfill the requirements of the legislation, women serving on the Commission will represent a wide range of demographics from the faith and labor community to corporate and medical fields.  

“The goal of this Commission is to create structural representation in government that gives Black women and girls a voice in identifying the problems facing their communities and most importantly, in designing the solutions,” Councilwoman Howse said.   

“Too often, Black women are ignored or made to feel invisible. The launch of this Commission is historic because it creates a platform for change designed by Black women, for Black women, unleashing our collective power to deliver effective, culturally appropriate programs and legislation,” Councilwoman Gray stated.  

Applications for the City of Cleveland Black Women and Girls Commission are now open. The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, August 3, 2022 by no later than 11:59 p.m. Applicants may mail their applications or submit online. 

For more details on eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Mayor’s website here. 

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Interviews for the new Community Police Commission will begin tomorrow, June 29, 2022, and continue on Thursday, June 30, 2022, and Tuesday, July 5, 2022.  

Twenty-seven candidates from a pool of almost 300 applications advanced to the interview phase of the selection process, following recommendations from the Resident Review Committee. The second phase of the selection process will continue to serve as a model of community-led evaluation.  

The interviews will be recorded and open to the public as part of our commitment to transparency. Each interview will be 30 minutes and are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. on June 29, June 30 and July 5, 2022.  

The public can observe interviews live on Zoom.  

The Selection Advisory Panel will evaluate candidates based on their application and interview and provide recommendations to the mayor for appointment. Mayor Justin M. Bibb will nominate ten applicants to City Council for approval. City Council will nominate three members to the new 13-member Commission.  

The City’s Chief Ethics Officer, Delanté Spencer Thomas, Esq., will Chair the Selection Advisory Panel to maintain integrity of the evaluation process and Sara Verespej replaces Linda Hinton on the panel after a withdrawal. A full list of members is available below. 

Selection Advisory Panel  

Delanté Spencer Thomas, Esq. (Chair)  
Rev. Douglas Horner 
Phyllis Harris   
Dr. C. Jay Matthews I  
Sara Verespej  

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Mayor Justin M. Bibb has reappointed Kevin Schmotzer as the LGBTQ+ Liaison for the City of Cleveland and selected Detective Heather Bruner as the LGBTQ+ Liaison in the Department of Public Safety and the Division of Police.  

“I am pleased to announce these important appointments and I thank Detective Bruner and Mr. Schmotzer for their leadership and willingness to share their ideas and perspectives,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Representation and inclusion are critical to create a thriving city for all Clevelanders and we are committed to advocating for and advancing LGBTQ+ equality.”  

Schmotzer has worked for more than two decades in the city’s economic development department, where he serves as the city’s executive for small business development. He will continue in that role while collaborating with internal departments, individuals, social service organizations and coalitions to address the needs of the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.  

Bruner, a detective in Cleveland’s third district who has been with CDP since 2017, is the new LGBTQ+ Liaison in the Department of Safety and the Division of Police and the third person in the department to hold the position. Bruner will focus specifically on building relationships with the city’s LGBTQ+ community and the Division of Police. LGBTQ+ advocates also serve on various city boards including, but not limited to, the Community Relations Board, Workforce Development Board and the Police Review Board. 

Both positions were first established in 2018 in order to strengthen the relationships between the police, City Hall, and Cleveland’s LGBTQ+ community.  

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Mayor Justin M. Bibb has appointed Michelle Rose as the new Executive Director for the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Board, Tessa Jackson as the city’s new Director of Economic Development, and Sarah O’Keeffe as Director of Sustainability and Climate Justice.  

“These deeply experienced professionals bring a tremendous amount of innovation, passion and expertise to the administration,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Their leadership and accomplishments are impressive, and I look forward to what we will achieve together for the city and the region.”  

The workforce development executive director role, which will be officially filled by Michelle Rose starting July 6, leads public sector workforce development in Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland. Rose will serve as Chief Executive Officer for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) activities in the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County and will be responsible for administering workforce programs funded by WIOA as well as other funding sources.  

Prior to joining the City of Cleveland, Rose served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs under U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. 

“From day one, Michelle Rose has been a trusted advisor and strong leader as Acting Assistant Secretary for Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs,” Secretary Walsh said. “As a former mayor, I’m thrilled she is bringing her expertise to drive change at a local level.” 

The Director of Economic Development, Tessa Jackson, is responsible for the recruitment and retention of businesses, expansion of business operations in the City, securing new commercial investment in the community, and working with other organizations to promote smart and equitable growth policies. Jackson, who joins the city from Faubourg Advisors and Hackett Robertson Tobe Group in New Orleans, will oversee this work with a strong focus on equity and neighborhood revitalization.  

The Director of Sustainability and Climate Justice, Sarah O’Keeffe, joins the city from the MetroHealth System where she spent the last four-and-a-half years serving as Director of Sustainability. O’Keeffe will be responsible for developing and executing the city’s sustainability strategic plan, incorporating best practices, engaging stakeholders, program evaluation, and ensuring sustainability and climate justice are at the center of municipal operations and growth.  

MORE ABOUT THE NEW HIRES:  

Michelle Rose most recently served as Acting Assistant Secretary in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs (OCIA) in the U.S. Department of Labor. In this role she directed the Department of Labor’s strategy for interacting with Congress and advancing legislative priorities, successfully led nine Senate confirmations, served as the primary staff liaison to Capitol Hill on behalf of the Department of Labor, and managed all operations of the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.  

Rose’s prior experience includes serving as chief of staff to U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary Chris Lu, nearly six years as a senior legislative officer in the Office of Congressional Affairs and work with advance teams for both the White House and the Obama for America Presidential Inaugural Committee.  

Locally, Rose was Director of Talent Initiatives for the Cleveland Innovation Project, a non-profit collaborative of foundations and economic development organizations working to create a blueprint for regional growth through high-tech jobs in Northeast Ohio.

Rose has also worked in constituency services for the Democratic National Committee and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Miami University. She is a Northeast Ohio native and grew up in Painesville Township.  

Tessa Jackson is a veteran social entrepreneur and impact investment professional with more than 15 years of experience financing, creating and supporting ventures and real estate projects that address social inequality, revitalize neighborhoods and provide economic opportunities for underserved communities. 

Since 2014 Jackson has served as Chief Strategist and Principal with New Orleans-based Faubourg Advisors and Chief Impact Officer with the Hackett Robertson Tobe Group. In these roles she created city-specific Opportunity Zone investment prospectuses and developed the business plan for a new impact fund to invest in Black-owned and operated ventures in the Delta-Gulf Coast Region.  

Jackson spent seven years in regional program management and investment officer roles with the AFL-CIO Investment Program, where she underwrote debt and NMTC investments for the Housing Investment Trust and oversaw several community development-related initiatives and served as a U.S. field officer for Trickle Up, an international microfinance organization.  

In addition to an MBA from UC Berkley Haas School of Business, Jackson holds a Graduate Certificate in Urban Redevelopment from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Mechanical Engineering and Studio Art from Stanford University. She was also a Rockefeller Foundation Redevelopment Fellow with a focus on community revitalization issues in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. 

Sarah O’Keeffe is a regional and national thought leader and active collaborator on advancing healthcare towards more environmentally sustainable operations and strategies that reduce negative impacts on both environmental and human health, including those associated with climate change.   

In her most recent role as the MetroHealth System’s Director of Sustainability, O’Keeffe spearheaded MetroHealth’s Healthy Transportation Choices program for incentivizing non-single occupancy vehicle employee commuting—recognized by the NOACA Commuter Choice Awards and the Fund for Our Economic Future’s Paradox Prize—and led efforts to set and achieve the diversion of 80%+ of the construction and demolition debris on Campus Transformation projects.   

She has successfully incorporated green building and sustainable community building principles into MetroHealth’s culture and served as co-organizer for the national 2021 Climate Crisis Symposium: Impact on Clinical Practice in the Great Lakes Region that underlined the connection between climate change and healthcare operations.  

O’Keeffe holds an MBA with a focus on non-profit management and sustainability from CWRU Weatherhead School of Management, a BS in Aeronautical Studies and a BA in English Literature from Kent State University. She is a certified EcoDistricts AP, multi-modal commuter (bike, transit, carpool), a less-waste devotee, and an advisor to the Green Team in her home city of Cleveland Heights.  

The City of Cleveland Department of Public Works has extended the hours of several recreation centers to serve as cooling centers for Cleveland residents that are seeking shelter during these next few days of 90 degree plus temperatures. These sites operational hours will be from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Normally scheduled recreation programming will continue however each site will have areas in the facility where people can relax and cool off.  

Dates of service are:  

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 

Thursday, June 16, 2022  

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Each date) 

The sites include:  
 

Zelma George Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 3155 Martin L. King Blvd. 

Collinwood Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.  

Halloran Skating Rink: 3550 W. 117^th  

Kovacic Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 6250 St. Clair Ave.  

Michael Zone Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 6301 Lorain Ave.  

Sterling Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 1380 E. 32^nd Street  

Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 15401 Miles Ave.  

Glenville Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center: 680 E. 113^th

By Tonya Sams

When housing conditions are endangering your family, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by worry and fear.

One common problem is the presence of lead in older homes. Most homes built prior to 1978 used paint that contained lead. 

Children exposed to lead poisoning may suffer from learning and behavioral issues and may have trouble paying attention. 

If you are a homeowner concerned about lead, learn about assistance programs by contacting your  public health department. 

If you are a renter and your rental property was built before 1978, contact your landlord to find out if they have ever conducted a lead check. If you notice peeling paint or large areas of bare dirt near your home, or if your child has tested positive for lead poisoning, send a dated letter to your landlord requesting repairs. Keep a copy of that letter for yourself. 

If your landlord has not made the repairs within 30 days, you can file a request in housing court to order the landlord to do so as soon as possible. Another option is “rent deposit” or “rent escrow”. You cannot legally withhold rent because repairs have not been completed, but rent escrow is a way to put financial pressure on your landlord. This process allows you to pay your rent to the court and protects you from eviction.

To use the rent deposit option, you have to be current on your rent. A landlord cannot retaliate against you (for example, by evicting you) if you have properly deposited your rent payments with the court. One important thing to note is that you could lose the right to sue your landlord for damages caused by lead poisoning if you use rent deposit. 

Once you start to deposit your rent in court, you may continue to do so until an agreement is made between you, your landlord, and the court about when and how the funds can be released. Landlords can request the funds be released to them if their tenant did not tell them repairs were needed OR if the landlord was not given enough time to complete the repairs. 

Once the landlord files an application to release the funds, the application becomes a complaint, which starts the process of a civil lawsuit against the tenant. The landlord is required to send a copy of the complaint to the tenant.

If a civil lawsuit has been filed against you, you can file an “answer and counterclaim” against the landlord. An “answer and counterclaim” is your response to the landlord’s civil lawsuit. You have 28 days after the landlord filed the complaint to respond. 

Within 60 days of the initial filing of the landlord’s civil lawsuit, both parties must appear in court for trial. The court will then decide what happens to the funds. 

More information is available in Legal Aid’s “Lead Poisoning: Know Your Rights, Remedies & Resources” and “How to Rent Deposit when Housing Conditions are a Problems” brochures at www.lasclev.org: go to the “Get Help” tab, then click on “Legal Information and Resources.” From here, click on “Housing” and then “Repairs.”

Legal Aid may be able to help you if you are facing unsafe housing conditions or have questions about rent deposit. Call 888-817-3777 or visit lasclev.org/contact for more information.

Tonya Sams is the Development and Communications Assistant at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

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Along with provided a full range of primary care services for women of all ages and stages of life from adolescence through menopause, the certified nurse midwives of Neighborhood Family Practice have been focusing some of their efforts on improving the breastfeeding rates among their patients, with added focus on minority patients.

 

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of babies born in the U.S. for whom breastfeeding was initiated in 2019 was just over 80%. It was 73.5% in Black women, and even lower in Black women in Ohio, at 68.8%,” says Lauren Lasko, APRN, CNP, IBCLC, an NFP nurse who is also a certified lactation consultant. “At NFP, our breastfeeding initiation rate – meaning a newborn is put to the breast within one hour of birth – among Black patients in 2021 was 92%.”

 

Lauren works with the NFP midwives to promote breastfeeding by educating expectant and new parents about its benefits which include reduced risk of things like asthma, obesity and Type 1 diabetes in babies and reduced risk of high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and different cancers in mothers. Lasko also helps with issues like milk supply, sore nipples and breastfeeding positions.

 

“We want the best for our all of our patients, and with the proven benefits of breastfeeding, one of our goals has been to increase the number of them who attempt to breastfeed their baby,” says Katy Maistros, APRN, CNM, NFP’s associate medical director of midwifery services. “Because the number of Black mothers who initiate breastfeeding is even lower in Ohio and nationally, we’ve focused even more effort on them. While there is still much work to be done to support our patients in this area, the results we’ve achieved are remarkable and are giving us added incentive to keep doing what we’re doing.”

 

About Neighborhood Family Practice

 

Founded in 1980 in response to a concern that residents of Cleveland’s near west side lacked access to primary health care, Neighborhood Family Practice focuses on providing high quality primary care in the patient’s neighborhood setting. Today, its seven public-transit friendly locations offer same-day appointments to a service area that spans twelve neighborhoods across Cleveland’s west side and Lakewood.  Neighborhood Family Practice serves a highly diverse mix of residents with a mission of partnering with the community for everyone’s best health. Accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Primary Care Medical Home, Neighborhood Family Practice provides primary care, women’s health and midwifery services, behavioral health, pharmacy, dental and case management appointments to more than 22,000 patients at its combined locations. For more information, visit nfpmedcenter.org.

 

About OCHIN

 

OCHIN’s HCCN is a growing learning health system of 96 community health centers serving more than 5 million patients across 12 states. Participating health centers benefit from OCHIN’s years of health IT expertise through customized training and technical assistance to optimize clinical care, operations, financial stability, and workforce satisfaction. Together, OCHIN’s HCCN works to advance health equity so that all people have access to quality affordable health care.

SUBMITTED

Grassroots coalition PB CLE (Participatory Budgeting Cleveland)l hosted an interactive event, “PB In Action,” at ThirdSpace Action Lab in Glenville (1464 E 105th St, Cleveland, OH 44106) on Sunday, May 15 at 2:30 p.m.

It was held to share the latest from its campaign, demonstrate the steps of the PB process, and encourage residents to take action towards winning the support we need from City Hall. 

PB CLE is a group of Cleveland residents and grassroots coalitions that have asked the City of Cleveland to incorporate residents’ voices, visions, and decisions in determining how to spend $30.8 million of the city’s $512 million in American Rescue Plan funds through participatory budgeting. That number represents the percentage of Cleveland residents living in poverty – the residents PB CLE believes need to be fully centered for a just recovery. 

The coalition consists of more than 300 people living in Cleveland and is endorsed by more than 60 local organizations and coalitions. PB CLE is actively working to win a people’s budget in Cleveland by building a strong coalition of support on City Council, within the Bibb administration, and across Cleveland through education and engagement events to center the voices of everyday people, especially under-recognized voices in spending decisions at the local level. PB CLE believes that Cleveland residents are the experts in what they need.

Cleveland will receive the second half of the ARPA money in May; now is the moment for PB CLE supporters to make their voices heard, as city officials are making decisions about the funding allocation.

A list of organizations and coalitions endorsing PB CLE can be found here, and past earned media can be found at www.pbcle.com/media.

Kamm’s Corners Ice Cream Co. in Kamm’s Plaza, 3764 Rocky River Dr., will be re-opening for the season this weekend. 

They officially open on Friday, April 29, and the shop’s hours will be from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m., Friday through Sunday. 

“We will extend our hours and days as the warmer weather and summer approaches,” says owner Lisa Kay. “We are super excited to see everyone back at the shop!”

Keep an eye on their social media for daily updates and the new summer ice cream flavors! 

“We have a few great ideas up our sleeves,” says Kay.

Kamm’s Corners Ice Cream Co. opened in the summer of 2017.

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OHIO811 Enhances the Safety of 11.8 Million Ohioans and 
Protects State’s Critical Underground Utilities

With Spring’s warmer weather, homeowners and contractors across Ohio are anxious to begin their outdoor improvement projects. Once again, April has been designated “National Safe Digging Month,” providing an opportunity to promote safe digging practices and the mandatory contacting of OHIO811, a minimum of 48 hours prior to commencing any excavation activities. Governor Mike DeWine has also issued a proclamation for the State of Ohio (attached). 

“Statistics show that every six minutes across the nation, an underground utility line is damaged because someone decides to dig without first contacting their state’s 811 notification center,” said Roger Lipscomb, Executive Director of OHIO811. “Having the location of gas lines, electric facilities, fiber optic telecommunications cables, water and sewer infrastructure marked before you dig will help avoid unnecessary risks of serious injury, property damage, and costly utility repairs. Supported by our utility and excavation industry membership, OHIO811 is available by calling 8-1-1 or using our online utility locate request process at www.OHIO811.org.”

According to a national survey by the Common Ground Alliance, some of the most popular planned outdoor projects cited among surveyed homeowners include: planting a tree or shrub, building a patio or deck, building a fence or installing a mailbox. Unfortunately, 42% of those homeowners surveyed, more than 50 million Americans, stated that they were unlikely to call 8-1-1 beforehand and by doing so, are placing themselves and their communities at grave risk. Knowing where gas, electric and other utilities cross your property will help protect your life, your property and your wallet. Please take just a few minutes to call 8-1-1 or visit www.OHIO811.org to start the safe excavation process.

Here are the main things to remember if you plan to dig:

1.     Plan your outdoor digging projects in advance.

2.     Ohio law requires that you call 8-1-1 or go online to OHIO811.org at least 48 hours and no more than ten days before you plan to dig. The call and online services are free. Providing an accurate address, general location and details of your project provides member utility companies with the information they need to mark their underground infrastructure.

3.     Once your property has been marked with flags and / or colored paint, make sure to dig with extra care in and around the utility markings to prevent potentially harmful and costly utility damages from occurring.

4.     Be cautious when you are removing soil. Utility lines can be damaged by shovels just as easily as with powered equipment. Where practical, use hand tools while digging within 18 inches of the outer edge of the underground utility line markings.

5.     Pay close attention for any signs of a natural gas leak. If you smell something similar to rotten eggs, or hear hissing, whistling, or roaring, immediately, leave the area and call 9-1-1.  Take the same action if you see sparking or hear crackling or otherwise think you may have damaged an electric line.

6.     If you accidentally damage any utility lines, call 8-1-1 along with any other appropriate entities.

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The health fair is free and will be held on April 28 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at three of MetroHealth’s locations: Main Campus Outpatient Pavilion, Cleveland Heights Health Center and Broadway Health Center.

The Minority Men’s Health Fair, a long-standing event for health screenings and education, is making its new home at The MetroHealth System in spring 2022. 

Dr. Charles Modlin created the free health fair more than 17 years ago to address disproportionate disease rates in African American men. Research clearly shows fatality rates decrease with early detection of preventable diseases.  

“Early detection and prevention of many of these conditions will translate into saving and improving the quality of life for those most commonly burdened by health disparities,” said Dr. Modlin, founder and director of the Minority Men’s Health Fair.

“Our goal at MetroHealth is to not simply engage minority populations to attend the health fair; rather, our goal is to provide them and their families ongoing facilitated access to quality and culturally competent health care because minorities represent those groups most commonly afflicted and burdened by a multitude of health disparities.” 

This year’s fair will offer education and health screenings on topics prevalent in minorities like prostate cancer, diabetes, kidney, heart disease and vascular disease, high blood pressure, skin cancer, mental health concerns, lung and colorectal cancer, hepatitis, vitamin D deficiency, stroke and many other conditions. 

The fair started from humble beginnings but overall, more than 16,000 men have attended and received knowledge to better care for themselves and their loved ones.

This year, MetroHealth will have physicians and specialists available to answer questions, and attendees will be able to take advantage of more than 30 different free screenings. 

The health fair is free and will be held on April 28 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at three of MetroHealth’s locations: Main Campus Outpatient Pavilion, Cleveland Heights Health Center and Broadway Health Center.

Reservations are not required, but online registration is strongly encouraged. 

Though the health fair is geared toward men and minority health concerns, MetroHealth welcomes anyone to attend. For more information, please visit wwww.metrohealth.org/mmhf.