State Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) announced that on Monday the State Controlling Board approved over $146 million to the Department of Development to continue administering the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as well as provide economic relief. These increased appropriations are critical to helping continue the state’s effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and serve Ohioans in need.

“The Home Energy Assistance Program ensures that Ohioans are able to weather extreme summer high temperatures and winter low temperatures alike. The Community Services Block Grant will help support the most vulnerable Ohioans to meet basic needs. These federally funded programs help children, families, and others stay healthy and safe and are an investment in our communities,” said Rep. Lightbody. “Additionally, the Latino Mental Health Navigators Program will provide support to members of the Hispanic/Latino community in order to ensure equitable accesses to mental health resources and culturally and linguistically competent care.”

Additionally, $2 million was allocated to the Department of Development to continue supporting the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). CSBG provides emergency services and is designed to help low-income individuals and families by securing and retaining meaningful employment, attain adequate education, improve use of available income, obtain sufficient housing as well as emergency assistance. This program will help reduce poverty and revitalized low-income communities throughout Ohio. 

Other approved items include:                                                                                                                                

·         Over $8.5 million to the Ohio Rail Development Commission to fund projects that improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; 

·         Over $4 million to the Department of Job and Family services to enhance early literacy resources to childcare centers through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio; 

·         Over $1.8 million to the Department of Transportation to address COVID-19 health disparities among Ohio’s most vulnerable communities;

·         Over $1.2 million to the Department of Health to continue supporting the Help Me Grow (HMG) Home Visiting Program that delivers trainings and support to the early childhood home visiting workforce; 

·         $700,000 to develop and implement a Lakewide Action and Management Plan for Lake Erie, and to sub-grant funds to local partners to address Lake Erie priorities in underserved communities and coastal resilience through the Lake Erie Commission; 

·         Over $200,000 to the Department of Health to participate in the National WIC Association’s National Recruitment and Retention Campaign in hopes of increasing enrollment of WIC-eligible mothers in Ohio; 

·         Over $190,000 to the Latino Affairs Commission to continue the work of the Latino Mental Health Navigators Program.

Original source can be found here.