WEEK IN REVIEW
Friday, September 24, 2021

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review

For the week ending September 24, 2021

Governor DeWine speaks at BLDG Trades Council event

Governor Mike DeWine speaks to attendees at the Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Convention.

On Monday, Governor Mike DeWine gave remarks at the?Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Convention, where he spoke about the strength of Ohio's economy.

Governor DeWine speaks at The Ohio State University's Farm Science Review, an event held each year showcasing agricultural developments.

On Tuesday morning,?Governor DeWine gave remarks at The Ohio State University?s Farm Science Review, where he highlighted advancements in agriculture and the dedication to improve Ohio's water quality through the H2Ohio initiative.

Governor DeWine speaks to several doctors at hospitals across the state during Tuesday's press conference.

Governor DeWine speaks at a press conference on Tuesday.

Later on Tuesday,?Governor DeWine provided an update on the increased impact that COVID-19 is having on Ohio's younger populations and the stress that the surge of cases is having on hospitals statewide.?

"The bottom line is that we?re seeing our highest levels ever of hospitalizations among those under 50 years old," said Governor DeWine. "Those who are getting very sick, being hospitalized, and dying of COVID are getting younger and younger. And it is because they are not vaccinated."

Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef announced the expansion of the Ohio To Work initiative into Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, Dayton, and the Mahoning Valley.

Ohio To Work first launched in Cleveland in September 2020 as a pilot initiative to provide those seeking employment with career opportunities that increase income and improve quality of life. The program has since reached several thousand job seekers across the state, providing pathways to in-demand jobs through personalized career coaching, accelerated training options, local employer connections, career tools, and more.

?The Ohio To Work initiative helps employers access a skilled and highly-trained workforce while providing job seekers access to well-paying, long-lasting careers," said Governor DeWine. "By expanding this innovative, partnerships-based program, we'll be able to give more Ohioans access to the tools and supports they need to find meaningful employment and support Ohio?s rapid and equitable economic resurgence."

Governor DeWine speaks to AICU at their annual fall meeting.

Governor DeWine addresses the members of the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio.

On Wednesday in Columbus,?Governor DeWine attended the annual meeting of the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio (AICU). He spoke to the members about various scholarships, grants, and opportunities for students to receive financial help while in school.?

Governor DeWine speaks to the Rocky River Police Station.

Governor DeWine gives remarks at the dedication ceremony and grand opening of the new Rocky River Police Department.

Also on Wednesday,?Governor DeWine attended the dedication and grand opening of the new Rocky River?Police Department in Cuyahoga county. In his remarks, Governor DeWine discussed the state's support for local law enforcement agencies.

Governor DeWine announced on?Wednesday that additional funding is available to help law enforcement agencies extradite violent suspects arrested on outstanding warrants.

A total of $200,000 is available as part of the third round of the Ohio Prisoner Extradition Reimbursement Program. The program, which is available for local law enforcement agencies that have limited funds or personnel, will reimburse the cost of extraditing suspects on warrants for Tier 1?offenses who have been arrested in another state or jurisdiction.

?Since launching this program in early 2020, we?ve reimbursed local authorities for the cost to return more than 70 offenders to answer for charges including rape, felonious assault, aggravated murder, and aggravated vehicular homicide,? said Governor DeWine. ?Not only is this important for public safety, but it's a matter of officer safety as well. When warrants aren't entered into the appropriate law enforcement databases, officers don't know who they're dealing with when they conduct a traffic stop or answer a call."?

On Thursday, Governor DeWine provided an update on the increased impact that COVID-19 hospitalizations are having on our hospitals and a new vaccine incentive effort to help keep our children in school, in-person, five days a week.?

LETTER FROM OHIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

?I received a letter from the Ohio Hospital Association outlining the dire conditions facing our hospitals who are on the front lines of treating patients with COVID. While they are doing everything they can to help these patients, they are facing a severe nursing and staffing shortage," said Governor DeWine. ?What they wrote is consistent with what we?ve been hearing from front-line health care workers.?

The?letter?reported that increasing cases are putting a strain on hospital resources. The data shows:

In mid-July, Ohio hospitals were treating 200 COVID-19 patients. Today that number is 3,702. That?s a 16-fold increase in two months.
In mid-July, one patient out of 100 in the hospital was being treated for COVID-19. Today the ratio is one patient out of six. Today, 40% of patients on ventilators are being treated for COVID-19.
In rural Southeast Ohio, half of hospitalized patients are being treated for COVID-19 and two-thirds of the patients in the intensive care unit are being treated for COVID-19.

The?letter?described a situation where strained resources impact the ability to care for all patients. Some Ohio hospitals are diverting patients away from emergency departments, cancelling certain procedures, experiencing long wait times in emergency departments, and shutting down certain units to redeploy staff to critical cases.?

OHIO VAX-2-SCHOOL

Governor DeWine emphasized that keeping kids in school, in-person, five days a week, remains a priority.? We know that the best way to do that is to get students vaccinated.? In addition to protecting kids from the severe effects of the virus, students who are vaccinated, do not have to quarantine if exposed, which means they won?t miss out on school.

To encourage eligible kids to get vaccinated, Governor DeWine announced the Ohio Vax-2-School program, which will be open to Ohioans between the ages of 12 and 25, and will be similar to the scholarship portion of the successful Vax-a-Million program. Prizes will include 50 scholarships worth $10,000 each and five $100,000 scholarships to an Ohio college or university for career or technical education.? Prizes will be announced Monday through Friday beginning the week of October 11^th.? More details will be announced, including how to register, in the coming days.

On Friday, Lt. Governor Husted, Director of the Governor?s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced that the eleventh application period for TechCred will open on October 1st and close on October 29th.

?TechCred works for both Ohioans and Ohio businesses,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?There is no better time than now for employers to upskill their existing workforce with the skills necessary to remain competitive in today?s tech-infused economy.?

Since the program launched in October 2019, a total of 1,419 Ohio employers have been approved for TechCred, which will fund up to 26,872 tech-focused credentials to upskill Ohio workers. The results of the tenth round, which closed on August 30th, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Governor DeWine and Director of Veterans Service Major General Deborah Ashenhurst present service members with the Ohio Medal of Valor.

Governor DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Director of Veterans Services Major General Deborah Ashenhurst stand for the Pledge of Allegiance before presenting Ohio Medals of Valor to service members.

Also on Friday, Governor DeWine, along with Director of Veterans Services Major General Deborah Ashenhurst, presented 15 service members with the Ohio Medal of Valor at the Ohio Military Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.?

The DeWine's at the Harding Presidential Library and Museum

Governor DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine provided remarks at the Harding Presidential Library and Museum Dedication on Friday. First Lady DeWine spoke on the life of First Lady Florence Harding, while the Governor discussed the hard work and commitment it took to restore the Harding Home and create the Presidential Library and Museum.

As of?Friday, there have been 1,380,370 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 21,820 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred. A total of 71,606 people have been hospitalized, including 9,346 admissions to intensive care units.

CASE DATA/VACCINE INFORMATION

In-depth COVID-19 data for Ohio:?coronavirus.ohio.gov.?

Ohio's central scheduling system:?gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov

Ohio mass vaccination information:?coronavirus.ohio.gov/massvaccinationclinics

All vaccine providers:?vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov

More vaccine information:?coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine

For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov?or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957

STAY CONNECTED:
				?	?