DeWine says he wants to make Ohio family-friendly

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday he plans to expand initiatives to better support Ohio’s parents, months after promising to expand child and family programs when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which opened path to abortion in ohio associated with palpitations. the ban will take effect.

Bold Start and the Governor’s Children’s Initiative have previously invested a total of $1 billion in health and jobs-related plans and policies that support new families, according to the governor, and the expanded initiatives will have a greater impact, the governor said. in the governor’s office.

But DeWine outlined some of the details of the expansion plan that Friday.

“I have a vision to make Ohio the best place in the country to have a baby and raise a family,” DeWine, who is running for re-election against former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, said in a news release outlining some of his goals.

Whaley has made abortion a centerpiece of her campaign against DeWine, who signed the “heartbeat” law, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which usually happens around six weeks and before many women know they are pregnant. The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return abortion access issues to the states created an opportunity for this law to take effect.

Speaking live in June after the court ruling, DeWine vowed to push to expand health care for more mothers and children “so that no child in Ohio goes without regular primary care doctor visits, immunizations and childhood immunizations.”

On Friday, he said he would work with the GOP-controlled state legislature to increase eligibility for Medicaid-sponsored health care for pregnant women and children in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. The income limit for an expectant single mother will be $54,930 per year. It rises to $69,090 a year for a family of three.

He also wants to increase Medicaid eligibility for foster children.

DeWine’s office said his plan would add resources for prenatal and delivery care and expand mental health resources for mothers after childbirth.

In addition, the governor says he plans to support the OhioRISE program for families with children with special needs, increase funding for free car seats and cribs, support stable housing programs for new mothers and repeal the state tax on baby products.

The governor also pledged to increase spending on the foster care system and adoption support programs and said Ohio would pursue family-friendly policies for its employees.

These policies include eliminating antenatal care, work and maternity benefits for government employees, extending paid maternity leave from six weeks to 12 weeks, and ending the two-week waiting period that government employees must take on paid parental leave.

Some of the Bold Beginning Health, Stable Families initiatives are underway or expanding, while others will require legislation, the governor said in a statement.

“This approach, helping both babies and their families, will have a profound impact on our communities and our economy,” DeWine said. “Supporting Ohio families now will help children thrive as adults and continue to lead our great state toward an even brighter future.”