OHIO — The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will receive a $48 million grant to be used over the next three years to support early childhood care and education, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday.
DeWine said the funding comes from the Preschool Development Grant — Birth to Five under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
“The largest group of Ohioans living in poverty are children aged five and under,” DeWine said in a press release. “This grant allows Ohio to better serve these children by creating stronger cross program coordination and higher quality programming in publicly funded child care, public preschools, early intervention and home visiting that form a strong foundation for successful learning.”
ODJFS will partner with the following state departments to administer the funding: Education, Health, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Medicaid and Developmental Disabilities. The funding will focus on:
- Increasing access to early childhood care and education
- Increasing family engagement
- Expanding child care for those with special needs, English language learners and those without housing
- Expanding marketing and outreach for awareness of child care options
- Equipping childhood care and education professionals with culturally appropriate trauma training, credentialing and parent supports
- Making family members and caretakers key partners in grant activities, policy development and initiatives
“The plans for this grant are expansive,” said ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder in the press release. “It will fund a needs assessment to determine the best way to provide safe and enriching early child care and education for young children with physical disabilities and emotional needs. It will also address workforce needs, family engagement, and the impact of trauma on the mental health of children, all to help them achieve their God-given potential.”
