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DeWine Initiates Commission to Help At-Risk Children

A photo of Mike DeWine signing an executive order
ANDY CHOW
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
DeWine signs executive order creating a commission to seek more help for at-risk children.

Gov. Mike DeWine is hitting the ground running just one day after being sworn into office. For his first event post-inauguration, DeWine is working on one of his big campaign promises.  

DeWine signed an executive order, creating an advisory commission on home visitations for pregnant women and parents of young, at-risk children.

Social workers and medical professionals go to the homes and help parents and kids maintain a healthy environment.

DeWine says the commission is charged with coming up with a budget proposal that could triple the amount of families served by the program.

“We have kids out there who are just in difficult circumstances and it’s no fault of their own, may not be the fault of the mom it just is what it is, and we’ve gotta reach them,” DeWine said. 

The program currently costs around $20 million a year and helps 4,000 families, DeWine wants to triple the number of families served.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.