(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that the Ohio Department of Health, in partnership with the Governor’s Children’s Initiative has awarded $5 million to 44 community- and faith-based organizations to improve supports to pregnant women and newly parenting families.
“These resources will provide communities across the state with new funding to begin or expand services to help more babies reach their first birthdays and support healthy parents,” said Governor DeWine. “We are committed to reducing the unacceptable infant mortality rate in Ohio because all babies deserve a healthy start and an opportunity to grow and develop to their fullest potential.”
The goal of these resources is to provide funding to improve infant and maternal health outcomes. These dollars seek to strengthen the unique work of community- and faith-based organizations as trusted partners of Ohio’s pregnant women and new families. Funded organizations will reduce barriers to wellness for participants by providing resources and services that address gaps in existing maternal and infant systems and supports pregnant women and newly parenting families (up to 12-months postpartum).
Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before their first birthday. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Ohio infant mortality across was 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2019, the same as it was in 2018. The Ohio and national goal is 6.0 or fewer infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
The 44 funded projects will begin January 1, 2022 and provide support to pregnant women and new families in 42 Ohio counties.
| Organization Name | ODH Approved Funding Amount | Proposed County/Counties of Service | Application Summary |
| American Fitness Health & Wellness Institute | $98,642.38 | Greene Montgomery | Provide maternal and infant services to remove barriers to healthcare. |
| Baby 1st Network | $250,000.00 | Statewide | Support the Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality to expand capacity to address both pregnancy and infant related mortality and morbidity and improve the health of all birthing people of childbearing age in Ohio. |
| Baby U | $75,548.91 | Lucas | Expand capacity in home visiting and Thrive Graduate programs. |
| Bethesda Foundation | $27,983.97 | Hamilton | Establish CenteringPregnancy© at Bethesda North Hospital. |
| Birthing Beautiful Communities | $250,000.00 | Cuyahoga Summit | Provide and expand perinatal physical and social support services for Black pregnant and postpartum mothers, and their families. |
| Bon Secours Mercy Health | $115,134.46 | Allen Butler Champaign Clark Hamilton Lorain Lucas |
Utilize physical and social supports provided in collaboration with community partners to improve access to quality parenting education, provide access to early prenatal and postpartum healthcare related services, establish connections to and within the community, and promote financial stability and independence |
| Brigid’s Path | $87,500.00 | Montgomery | Develop and implement our Prenatal Empowerment Program. |
| Center for Healthy Families | $187,500.00 | Delaware Fairfield Franklin Licking Pickaway |
Support Healthy Family Connections Program for pregnant and parenting youth. |
| Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center | $73,518.00 | Hamilton | Support AMEN (All Moms Empowered to Nurse) program. |
| Columbus Diaper Bank | $77,517.59 | Franklin | Provide diapers and wipes to families. |
| Community Action Org of Scioto County | $87,749.70 | Scioto | Enhance the Pathways to a Health Pregnancy (PHP) Program. |
| Compassion Health Toledo | $121,027.50 | Lucas | Expand and enhance current programs as well as to implement new programs. |
| CPC Women’s Health Resource | $55,251.04 | Defiance Fulton Henry Williams |
Increase the number of women receiving pregnancy testing and pregnancy health services, parenting education and support for basic needs. |
| Dayton Children’s | $30,691.00 | Montgomery | Expand of lactation services. |
| Elizabeth’s New Life Center | $187,500.00 | Hamilton Montgomery | Strengthen and expand pregnancy and parenting services offered at six Women’s Centers. |
| Family Empowerment Ministries | $84,000.00 | Stark | Provide parenting education, fatherhood programs, social support groups, job readiness classes and nutrition education for pregnant and parenting families. |
| Firelands Health | $22,500.00 | Erie | Increase, promote and educate staff, patients, families and caregivers on safe sleep best practices. |
| Gem City Diaper Bank | $18,750.00 | Montgomery | Provide diapers and wipes to families. |
| Gus Johnson Community Foundation | $187,500.00 | Summit | Support the Infant Vitality Program prioritizing the elimination of evictions, neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing and integrated services that uplift all people. |
| Health Care Access Now | $190,113.00 | Butler Clermont Hamilton Warren |
Recruit three new Community Health Workers Certification Program classes from Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous communities. |
| Heart of Ohio Family Health | $113,789.25 | Franklin | Provide additional support to pregnant women and some newly parenting women through a nurse education visit at the beginning of pregnancy with the goal for patients to learn about healthcare during pregnancy, healthy behaviors during pregnancy, and parenting/healthcare for children. |
| Hocking Athens Perry Community Action | $57,500.01 | Athens | Implement a food-delivery pilot for pregnant and postpartum families experiencing food insecurity. |
| Lower Lights Ministries | $25,800.00 | Franklin | Provide supportive housing and comprehensive services to pregnant women and newly parenting mothers, including those with substance use disorders. |
| May Dugan Center | $16,398.00 | Cuyahoga | Expand and enhance the MomsFirst program. |
| Mental Health America of Ohio | $33,938.25 | Franklin | Support POEM Program (Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms). |
| Mommies Matter | $82,555.23 | Delaware Fairfield Franklin |
Implementation and development of services providing: mentorship, professional services, material aid, financial assistance and most of all, a Christian community, to pregnant, single mothers in central Ohio. |
| Moms2B | $125,000.00 | Franklin Montgomery Statewide | Support Moms2B and Dads2B programs, as well as provide statewide training on topics critical to assisting families to have healthy babies and good parenting skills. |
| Ohio Guidestone | $98,480.50 | Stark Summit | Provide mental health services and support to future and newly parenting fathers. |
| Pathway Inc. | $125,000.00 | Lucas | Expand fatherhood programming. |
| Pathway to Hope | $105,693.00 | Butler | Develop Family PREP (Prepare, Resource, Empower, Provide) program. |
| Pregnancy Choices | $150,000.00 | Stark Summit |
Establish new programs for pregnant women, new mothers, fathers and families. |
| Pregnancy Decision Health Centers | $250,000.00 | Fairfield Franklin |
Expand the free services at Franklin and Fairfield County crisis pregnancy centers. |
| Pregnant with Possibilities | $250,000.00 | Cuyahoga | Provide community health worker services to connect women to culturally-sensitive, Black-provider networks for prenatal care, doula and mental health services, social support groups and essential baby care items. |
| Produce Perks | $235,534.00 | Cuyahoga Hamilton Lorain Stark Summit |
Support expansion of the Infant-Vitality Produce Prescription Program for pregnant and postpartum women within five Ohio Equity Institute counties. |
| ProMedica | $145,233.75 | Lucas | Expand CenteringPregnancy© program. |
| Salvation Army – NW Ohio | $44,938.11 | Lucas | Provide households with diapers other diapering items. |
| Stark County Community Action Agency | $105,000.00 | Stark | Expand and enhance the Community Action Pathways HUB. |
| Stark County Diaper Bank | $24,267.50 | Clermont Medina Stark Tuscarawas Wayne |
Enhance access to diapers for pregnant and newly parenting families. |
| TriHealth | $82,500.00 | Hamilton | Expand breastfeeding education program for Black mothers and fathers. |
| Turnkey Development Institute | $108,897.00 | Delaware Franklin Pickaway |
Expand fatherhood programming. |
| Village of Healing | $250,000.00 | Cuyahoga | To increase access to culturally-sensitive OB/Gyn care and improve maternal mental health outcomes. |
| YMCA of Central Ohio | $80,300.00 | Delaware Franklin Logan Pickaway |
Provide a greater level of services, supports and resources to expectant and new parents via community health workers. |
| YMCA of Greater Cincinnati | $187,500.00 | Hamilton | Launch the Pre/Post-Natal Project. |
| YWCA Northwest Ohio | $73,247.85 | Allen Defiance Fulton Henry Lucas |
Empower women through intense case management which includes connecting moms with prenatal care early during their pregnancy; encouraging them to attend safe sleep classes; and support them in setting goals for their families that will increase their marketability, financial stability, and independence. |