Feds approved $85 million for mental health, but state leaders are sitting on it: Capitol Letter

Rumbles from the rotunda

show me the money: Since May, mental health and addiction clinics have been waiting for $85 million that Gov. Mike DeWine offered to increase the number of therapists, addiction counselors and psychologists statewide. Ohio lacks mental health professionals and the money was to come from the American Rescue Plan Act. However, the money was not spent and it is unclear who was responsible for the heist, reports Laura Hancock.

College rejection letter: The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday voted 4 to 3 not to accept Oberlin College’s appeal against a $36 million judgment against it for defaming a nearby bakery accused of racism following a a shoplifting in 2016. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the case has become a national cultural flashpoint, with critics accusing Oberlin and its students of engaging in “cancellation culture.”

Mediation counts: The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday sent to arbitration a lawsuit brought by a left-leaning watchdog group against Republican Attorney General Dave Yost seeking records of communications between Yost’s office and the Republican Attorneys. General Association and a black money related group. The Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy sued after Yost’s office claimed to have no such records, even after public records obtained through other Republican attorneys general found correspondence from Yost. and his office linked to RAGA.

On air : Democratic congressional candidate Emilia Sykes of Akron stepped out with her first television ad of the campaign cycle. Titled ‘My Community’, it features video of Sykes interacting with voters as she pledges to work on a bipartisan basis in Congress to cut costs, create good-paying jobs and put more money in their pockets. of his constituents. “Because when people rely on you, you respond to them,” the ad concludes. “Not to any political party.” Democratic party officials described the ad buying as “in the six figures.”

Abortion trip: The Associated Press’ Lindsey Tanner and Patrick Orsagos followed Columbus resident Monica Eberhart as she traveled to Indianapolis for an abortion. On September 15, an Indiana law goes into effect that will ban nearly all abortions, leaving fewer places for Ohio women to travel for an abortion.

First clinic to close: On September 15, The Women’s Med Center in Dayton will be the first abortion clinic in Ohio to close after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark ruling on abortion rights, according to Pro-Choice Ohio. On June 24, after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a federal judge allowed state law making abortion illegal after fetal heart activity was detected around six weeks and before many women knew they were pregnant . The clinic says the law is the reason it’s closing. Women’s Med Clinic also has an Indianapolis clinic that closes the same day.

Take your time: A recently announced partnership between Kent State University and the University of Akron School of Law allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree and law degree in six years, instead of the normal seven years. Interested students can apply when first applying to Kent State or at any time while enrolling in college, reports Megan Becka.

Birth plans: Reversing Ohio’s high maternal and infant mortality rates—as well as morbidity rates—has proven difficult, though the state government and community organizations continue to try to reduce it. Haley BeMiller of The Dispatch writes that there’s no single reason the rates are so high, although racial bias may play a role. Black women say they are rejected when they express concerns about their pregnancies.

bet the farm: Democratic U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur of Toledo and Shontel Brown of Warrensville Heights introduced legislation on Tuesday that would expand a federal program that provides seniors and families with coupons to buy food at farmers’ markets. The couple want to increase funding for the program from $20 million a year to $100 million. “By connecting farmers with even more of their neighbors, we will ensure those in need have a meal at the table while edifying the growers and producers who feed us all,” Kaptur said in a prepared statement.

Full disclosure

Five things we learned from the July 3, 2022 financial disclosure of Elliot Forhan, a Democrat from Lyndhurst. Forhan won his August primary for Ohio’s heavily Democratic 21st district and will face Republican Kelly Powell in the Nov. 8 election.

1. He disclosed three sources of income in 2021: unemployment compensation, income from his law firm, and from JBC campaigns, where he did voter contact work.

2. Forhan operates under two companies: Forhan LLC, as well as his law firm, The Law Office of Elliot P. Forhan.

3. Forhan is licensed to practice law in Ohio and New York.

4. At some point in 2021, Forhan owed at least $1,000 to two sources: Bank of America and First Republic Bank.

5. Forhan has no immediate family members – defined as a spouse or dependent child – in his household.

Moving

Vincent Peterson II, the Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 64, has been endorsed by The Collective PAC, a national group dedicated to increasing black political power.

House GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Republican National Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Emmer of Minnesota headlined a fundraiser Tuesday for GOP congressional candidate Madison Gesiotto Gilbert at the Firestone Country Club in Akron.

US Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio who co-chairs the Senate Ukrainian Caucus, just wrapped up a trip to Ukraine with Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota where they had an hour-long meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Birthdays

State Representative Mike Skindell

Straight from the source

“Thinking again of the 5 million times I’ve heard Democrats in Ohio say over the past 5 years, ‘this is not a red state. this is a gerrymandered state.

-Tyler Buchanan, Axios Columbus reporter, comment on the news that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley criticized President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. When she was not running for governor, Whaley advocated loan forgiveness. Republicans accuse him of flip-flopping to please Ohio voters. Whaley’s campaign argues that her earlier plea was part of a list of policies she supported and that she has always been wary of canceling student debt.

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