WEEK IN REVIEW
Friday, December 17, 2021

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review

For the week ending December 17, 2021

Governor DeWine delivers remarks at a wreath laying ceremony on Monday.

On Monday,?Governor Mike DeWine delivered remarks at Wreaths Across America's wreath laying ceremony to honor America's fallen service members. In anticipation of National Wreaths Across America Day, a ceremony was held in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium to remember those killed in action and honor active members of the military. This was one of more than 2,500 locations across the country hosting a ceremony of remembrance.?

Also on Monday,?Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, director of the Governor?s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced the launch of Ohio?s updated Top Jobs List. This list, which contains both In-Demand Jobs and Critical Jobs, is an online tool to help people take advantage of employment opportunities and reflects the current workforce needs of Ohio businesses and communities. It is created, in part, through feedback from Ohio?s business community, which increased by nearly 13 percent compared to the previous response rate.?

?There are many opportunities here in Ohio for those who are ready to begin their careers or are looking to learn something new,? said Governor DeWine. ?Our updated Top Jobs List outlines the most in-demand and critical professions for 2022.?

In 2019, Lt. Governor Husted announced the launch of TopJobs.Ohio.gov, which transitioned the once static In-Demand Jobs List into an interactive tool to help guide the educational choices of students, educators and workers. In 2020, Governor DeWine announced the creation of Critical Jobs to prioritize current economic needs with the health and well-being of Ohioans.

?Ohio?s Top Jobs List is designed to help people identify growing industries and guide them toward the education and training needed to enter that career path,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?This updated list is a great resource for Ohioans to find new or better opportunities so they can live their version of the American dream.?

Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) Director Annette Chambers-Smith announced on Monday that ODRC is moving forward with plans to renovate its former prison near Nelsonville.

The Hocking Correctional Unit, which has been closed since 2018, will be repurposed into a day-treatment facility for misdemeanor offenders and a female-only jail operated by the Hocking County Sheriff?s Office.

?This is an important investment for the criminal justice system in this region of the state,? said Governor DeWine.??This multi-functional facility will help ease the burden on area jails and offer important treatment opportunities to help those who have been jailed due to substance use disorders and mental health issues.? ?

First Lady Fran DeWine stands outside of TriHealth Kettering with hospital staff and representatives after her tour of the birthing center.

Additionally, First Lady Fran DeWine?traveled to Southwest Ohio to promote the Ohio Governor?s Imagination Library program on Monday. First Lady DeWine visited Kettering Health Hamilton to thank staff for enrolling newborns in the Ohio Governor?s Imagination Library. In the afternoon, she hosted a press conference in Cincinnati to celebrate 300,000 children enrolled in the Ohio Governor?s Imagination Library. The Ohio Governor?s Imagination Library mails children one age-appropriate book each month until their 5th birthday. All children in Ohio are eligible to be enrolled in the program at no cost to their family.

Governor DeWine speaks to the JobsOhio Board of Directors at their quarterly meeting.

Governor DeWine also delivered opening remarks at JobsOhio's public board meeting on Tuesday, where he spoke about JobsOhio's accomplishments over the last 10 years.

"At every level, our administration has worked closely with JobsOhio, our partners in the state legislature, local governments, and local economic development organizations to ensure that we lead in innovation and job creation, and economic opportunity," Governor DeWine said.
"However, the state?s greatest asset is its people ? Ohioans themselves: their character and work ethic."

Governor DeWine signed the following bill into law on Tuesday:?

• Senate Bill 229, sponsored by Senator Louis Blessing III?(R-Colerain Township) regards?changes to the state report card and blended learning or remote learning models for the 2021-2022 school year.

Also on Tuesday, Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted announced the launch of a new grant program to?help communities in Ohio's 88 counties remediate brownfield sites for future economic development activity.

The new Brownfield Remediation Program, which is part of Governor DeWine's strategic efforts to invest in Ohio's future, will provide nearly $350 million in grants to clean up industrial, commercial, and institutional brownfield sites that are abandoned, idled, or underutilized due to a known or potential release of hazardous substances or petroleum.

"It's critically important that we help our local communities clean up these crumbling, hazardous brownfield properties to make way for redevelopment and future economic growth," said Governor DeWine.??This new program is an investment in the success of every county in our state that will benefit Ohioans today and for generations to come."

Lt. Governor Husted is joined by Senator Steve Wilson and Representative Thomas Hall as they announce the introduction of Innovate the Code legislation aimed at updating Ohio law to improve customer service and save taxpayer money.

Additionally,?Lt. Governor Husted, who oversees Ohio?s Common Sense Initiative (CSI) and serves as director of InnovateOhio, was joined by Senator Steve Wilson (R-Maineville) and Representative Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) on Tuesday for a press conference to announce the introduction of a bill that would innovate Ohio?s laws,?saving taxpayers approximately $44 million and saving the state approximately 58,000 hours of labor?through efficiency improvements over the next ten years.

Early in 2020, CSI?launched a project, in partnership with InnovateOhio, that utilized an artificial intelligence (AI) software tool to reform Ohio?s regulatory landscape. The tool uses text analytics to quickly research and analyze Ohio?s Revised and Administrative Codes, providing policymakers with more opportunities to streamline regulations.

?For over 200 years, lawmakers have grown the size of the Ohio Revised Code, and with this bill, we aim to give it a trim,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?We did it in a smart way, using an artificial intelligence tool and human collaboration to?identify outdated processes and unnecessary in-person interactions that will save millions of dollars and thousands of hours of people?s time and money.?

On Thursday, the Ohio Department of Education, in partnership with the Governor?s Children?s Initiative and Recovery Ohio, released their Prevention Services Survey Data Report indicating that at least 70% of all of Ohio?s K-12 schools offer prevention-focused programs and supports during the school day. Prevention programs offer activities and promote skills that reduce the potential of?risky behaviors, including substance abuse, suicide, bullying and other harmful actions.? The report summarizes the results from the first annual prevention services survey.

?Since my first day in office, by creating RecoveryOhio and the Governor?s Children?s Initiative, we have focused on providing appropriate preventive programing for kids to reduce risk factors and build resilience,? said Governor DeWine. ?Providing appropriate prevention education at every grade level helps them succeed throughout their lives and knowing that at least 70% of Ohio?s schools provide this programming sets our students up to excel.?

Governor DeWine speaks about Ohio hospitals staffing needs during a virtual press conference.

On Friday,?Governor DeWine provided the following updates on Ohio?s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

OHIO NATIONAL GUARD MOBILIZED

Governor DeWine mobilized 1,050 members of the Ohio National Guard to help relieve the hospital staffing strain caused by the rising number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Of the total mobilized guard members, approximately 150 are highly-trained medical professionals and will deploy to help meet critical needs at hospitals and testing locations.? The remaining 900 guard members will help with patient transport, housekeeping, and food services. Guard members will be brought on duty beginning on Monday.

STAFFING AGREEMENT

The Ohio Department of Health is working with an Ohio health care staffing company to help meet hospital staffing needs. This agreement will allow for Ohio hospitals to bring in qualified nurses and other providers from out-of-state to fill needed positions to help ease some of the current added pressure on hospitals and staff.

HOSPITALIZATION DATA

More than 4,700 people are currently hospitalized in Ohio fighting COVID-19, that equates to one in every 5 hospital patients. This is the highest number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 this year, and the number of hospitalized patients is rapidly approaching an all-time high.

Due to the increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions many hospitals have been forced to postpone elective surgeries, transfer patients to other hospitals, impose visitation standards, and/or implement what they call ?crisis standards of care,? in which they have no choice but to take extraordinary steps to care for patients in ways that aren?t typical, such as providing intensive care in emergency rooms or in post-surgical units.

In Northern Ohio (Ohio Hospital Zone 1) most hospitals have suspended elective surgeries. In Central and Southeast Ohio (Ohio Hospital Zone 2), the same thing is beginning to happen. In Southeast Ohio, (Ohio Hospital Zone 3), hospital leaders are preparing to take similar action.

The best way to relieve the strain on our health care providers is to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent serious illness and hospitalizations.? To find a vaccination provider near you, visit http://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Also on Friday, Governor DeWine released the following statement regarding the Ohio Department of Education Investigation of Bishop Sycamore High School:

?This report confirms numerous disturbing allegations regarding Bishop Sycamore. There is no evidence that the ?school? enrolled students this year, had a physical location for classes to meet, employed teachers, nor offered any academic program meeting minimum standards.

?Ohio families should be able to count on the fact that our schools educate students and don?t exist in name only as a vehicle to play high school sports. When an Ohio student goes to school, they deserve a quality education to prepare them for success in the future.

?I am today asking Attorney General Yost and other offices with jurisdiction to determine whether the alleged deception by Bishop Sycamore violated any civil or criminal laws. I intend to work with the Department of Education and legislative leaders to implement the recommendations contained in this thorough report.?

As of?Friday, there have been 1,829,367 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 28,028 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred. A total of 92,195 people have been hospitalized, including 11,357 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

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.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957