Gov. Mike DeWine this week announced the award of $5 million from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) to 19 community- and faith-based organizations serving pregnant women and newly parenting families.

Funds will help communities launch or expand services to improve infant and maternal health and support new families up to 12-months post-partum.

“Giving all Ohioans the best possible start in life truly begins before a child is even born and that means ensuring the child’s family has access to the resources and support they need,” DeWine said in a statement.

“These grant funds are much needed and will go a long way in supporting and advancing maternal and infant health throughout Ohio. These funds will expand the reach of important programs, information, and guidance in areas critical to the health and well-being of our youngest Ohioans, including prenatal care, breastfeeding and nutrition, and stress management, as well as connect families to other health and social resources vital to their success,” added ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff.

“We need strong local partners in order to effectively address our state’s maternal and infant mortality numbers,” said DCY Director Kara Wente. “We must work together at the state and local levels so that more children thrive and reach their first birthday.”

Ohio’s rate of infant mortality -- the death of a child before his or her first birthday -- was 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2021. The Ohio and U.S. goal is 6.0 or fewer infant deaths.

Grant recipients include the following:

- Baby University (Lucas County) - $40,130

- Baby’s 1st Network (Statewide) - $349,999

- Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland (Cuyahoga) - $160,000

- Center for Healthy Families (Franklin, Licking) - $350,000

- City of Cincinnati Health Department (Hamilton) - $349,136

- Erie County Health Department (Erie, Huron, Ottawa) - $129,074

- Health Care Access Now (Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Summit) - $160,000

- Merrick House (Cuyahoga) - $350,000

- Pathway, Inc.(Lucas) - $350,000

- Pierce Point Community Church (Clermont, Brown) - $55,000

- Pregnancy Support Network (Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas) - $349,798

- PrimaryOne Health (Franklin) - $205,256

- Produce Perks Midwest, Inc. (Hamilton, Lorain) - $198,126

- Shelter Care Inc. (Summit) - $350,000

- Stark County Community Action Agency (Stark) - $280,285

- United Way Summit and Medina (Summit) - $340,000

- Urban Family Development Center (Franklin, Montgomery) - $349,800

- Village of Healing (Cuyahoga, Mahoning, Trumbull) - $188,525