OHIO — As part of the new Appalachian Children's Health Initiative, more than $64 million will be awarded to the Appalachian Children Coalition, school districts and health care partners, all to support the creation or expansion of school-based health services, the launch of health care-focused workforce development programs and much more.

What You Need To Know

  • Rural parts of Ohio in the Appalachian region lack access to basic health care providers 

  • Many children and adults go without the comprehensive care they need

  • None of Ohio's six hospitals is in Appalachia, according to the Appalachian Children's Coalition 

  • Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted have announced dozens of transformational projects that will significantly improve access to health care across Appalachia

"Our vision for Ohio’s future is one where all Ohioans, no matter where they are from, have the opportunity to live up to their full potential," DeWine said in a press release Friday. "These projects will uplift and empower the people of Ohio’s Appalachian region for generations to come."

The governer's office said funding will be divided among 28 projects that are expected to impact 61,000 students and 375,000 residents. 

Randy Leite, the executive director of the Appalachian Children's Coalition, said expanding healthcare goes beyond just helping the children in the area. 

“Beyond those children, their families will have local health care,” Leite said. “They'll have not just local health care, but health care that is more connected to them. And I just think it's an opportunity to build an effective, impactful resource in kids lives. And I do so appreciate the governor's decision to make this kind of commitment to kids in the region, because it's you know, we've pretty much documented, this is the largest investment in school health that's ever been made in the state of Ohio. So we really do think this will be transformative.”

Chuck Rinkes, the superintendent of River View Local School District in Coshocton County, said increasing access to health care in Appalachia leads to healthier, happier and more educated children. 

“Kids come to us in all shapes and sizes, but the reality is that if children are lacking in health, they are not going to learn,” Rinkes said. “Absence is a big thing in schools, and we can't teach kids that are that are not face to face and obviously with us. So to be able to have those kind of services embedded within the school is just a fantastic thing, especially for a rural school when it's not your health center is not around the block.”

The projects will be funded as part of the Appalachian Community Grant Program, which was developed by the DeWine-Husted Administration and Ohio General Assembly and includes investing $500 million into Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region.

DeWine will visit several communities in Ohio on Monday following this announcement including Loveland, Gallipolis and the Plains.