Gov. Mike DeWine said during last year’s campaign he wanted more home visitations to help curb Ohio’s dismal infant mortality rate and to reach at-risk kids and families. He’s now proposing to double the funds for these programs following a report from a group he appointed to look into the idea.
The report from DeWine’s home visitation committee recommends making race and ethnicity foundational elements in infant mortality efforts, creating a central point for the intake and data of these programs, and expanding eligibility for families.
DeWine says his budget will put $50 million more into an existing home visitation program, which comes out this week.
And he’s also proposing a public-private partnership called Pay For Success, a pilot program to triple participation in home visitation.
DeWine says these programs are also essential in preparing at-risk children for school.
Home visitations help families of children from birth to kindergarten, with social workers and medical professionals looking out for the child’s mental, physical, and emotional health.
