Governor DeWine celebrates opening of Ashtabula City School District's school-based health center

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited Huron Primary School in Ashtabula to celebrate the grand opening of the Ashtabula City School District’s new school-based health clinic.

The health clinic was built with funding from a $330,000 grant awarded as part of Governor DeWine's Appalachian Children's Health Initiative. Through a partnership with Ashtabula Regional Medical Center, the clinic will offer well care, acute care, behavioral health, and immunizations to students in the school district.

“This new clinic proves that when we invest in our schools, we’re investing in the strength and health of our communities as a whole,” said Governor DeWine. “Together, we are proving what’s possible when we put our children and families first.”

School-based healthcare has been shown to significantly reduce barriers to accessing essential health services, leading to improved physical, behavioral, and academic outcomes for students.

The Appalachian Children's Health Initiative has invested more than $64 million to support the creation or expansion of community- and school-based health clinics, as well as the launch of healthcare-focused workforce development programs. The funding was divided among 28 projects that are expected to impact 61,000 students and 375,000 area residents in 20 Appalachian counties.

The initiative is part of the larger Appalachian Community Grant Program that has committed $500 million to strengthen Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region. Governor DeWine spearheaded this unprecedented investment with support from the Ohio General Assembly in 2022.