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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
October 13, 2023




*MEDIA CONTACTS:
*Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Breann Almos: 614-644-0957






*Governor Announces Initiative to Better Support Ohio Children with Special Needs*

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)?Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) Director Kara Wente today announced the creation of the Ohio Promote Resources, Opportunities, and Meaningful Inclusion through Support and Education (PROMISE) program, a new initiative focused on increasing access to quality child care and support services for children with special needs.

?We?ve heard from families across the state regarding their struggle to find quality child care for children with special needs,? said Governor DeWine. ?Providing training and a new provider credential, as well as program designations signal to parents where they can find child care prepared to include all children.?

?Governor DeWine has made serving all Ohio?s children a priority and I thank the Department of Job and Family Services, the Department of Education, and the Department of Developmental Disabilities for their partnership to make the Ohio PROMISE program possible,? said Director Wente.

Ohio PROMISE includes the following components:

*New Provider Credential*: The Professional Early Childhood Inclusion Credential will provide training and support for early childhood educators to create an inclusive environment for all children by increasing their knowledge, competency, and confidence when working with children with special needs and their families.

*New Program Designation*: The Inclusive Child Care Program designation will signal to parents using the state?s child care search tool, [link removed], that an educator in that program has earned their Professional Early Childhood Inclusion Credential.

*New Center of Excellence: *The Early Childhood Inclusion Center of Excellence will provide access to materials and equipment for child care professionals and the families they serve, as well as, training and technical assistance to early childhood and education professionals. More information can be found at [link removed].

*New Scholarship Pilot Program:* A new pilot scholarship program will be launched for children with special needs whose families live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level attending programs that achieve the Inclusive Child Care Program designation. For more information on how to apply, visit [link removed] [ [link removed] ].

Ohio PROMISE is supported through federal ARPA Discretionary Funds.

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