House Budget Amendments Keep Support for Pregnant Women, Adoption
As the State Budget continues to be debated by the legislature, Members of the Ohio House of Representatives unveiled amendments to Governor DeWine’s State Budget. Two items we have been keeping an eye on – funding for the Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy (OPP) program and funding for the Ohio Adoption Credit have been retained.
The House updated version of the budget can be found here (warning – big file) and maintains $7 million for the OPP program and $15 million for the Adoption Credit.
Numerous other components are in the State Budget, including proposed changes to the tax code and school funding. For example, the proposal would eliminate state income taxes for Ohioans earning less than $26,5000 and expand Ohio’s Ed Choice school voucher to families making 400% of the federal poverty level (up from 250%, or about $120,000 a year for a family of 4).
What is OPP?
The Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy Program (ORC Section 5101.804) is created through the state operating budget and funded through discretionary TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) dollars. This funding allows pregnancy centers across the state to increase their capacity to provide comprehensive counseling, mentoring, and support throughout the entire pregnancy and for up to one year following the birth of the baby.
Organizations that provide services for pregnant women (and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger) that both promote childbirth, parenting, and alternatives to abortion, and meet one or more of the four purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant are eligible to apply.
Ohio has approximately 200 pregnancy help centers that assist women who are pregnant. They are in rural, suburban, and urban communities, and they outnumber abortion providers 18-1.
They provide parenting classes, referrals for access to prenatal care and other medical and mental health or addiction support services, as well as material needs through the first year of their babies' lives.
In order to qualify for the program, an organization must be a private, not-for-profit entity, whose primary purpose is to promote childbirth, rather than abortion, through counseling and other services, including parenting and adoption support. The organization must provide services to pregnant women and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger, including clothing, counseling, diapers, food, furniture, health care, parenting classes, postpartum recovery, shelter, and any other supportive services, programs, or related outreach, and programs have to be provided at no charge. Participating entities cannot be involved in or associated with any abortion activities, including providing abortion counseling or referrals to abortion clinics, performing abortion-related medical procedures, or engaging in pro-abortion advertising. Finally, they cannot discriminate in its provision of services on the basis of race, religion, color, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or gender.
What is the Ohio Adoption Grant Program?
The Ohio Adoption Grant Program is part of Governor DeWine’s Bold Beginnings program. Ohioans who adopt can apply for a $10,000 one-time payment. Those who adopt a child they’ve been fostering can apply for a $15,000 one-time payment. If the child has one or more special needs (as defined in the law) prior to the adoption finalization, the parent can apply for a one-time payment of $20,000.
If you are interested in learning more about either of these programs, you can follow the appropriate links or contact our office for more information.
If you would like to reach out to your State Representative to ask he or she continue to support these programs, you can do so here.
As the State Budget continues to be debated by the legislature, Members of the Ohio House of Representatives unveiled amendments to Governor DeWine’s State Budget. Two items we have been keeping an eye on – funding for the Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy (OPP) program and funding for the Ohio Adoption Credit have been retained.
The House updated version of the budget can be found here (warning – big file) and maintains $7 million for the OPP program and $15 million for the Adoption Credit.
Numerous other components are in the State Budget, including proposed changes to the tax code and school funding. For example, the proposal would eliminate state income taxes for Ohioans earning less than $26,5000 and expand Ohio’s Ed Choice school voucher to families making 400% of the federal poverty level (up from 250%, or about $120,000 a year for a family of 4).
What is OPP?
The Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy Program (ORC Section 5101.804) is created through the state operating budget and funded through discretionary TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) dollars. This funding allows pregnancy centers across the state to increase their capacity to provide comprehensive counseling, mentoring, and support throughout the entire pregnancy and for up to one year following the birth of the baby.
Organizations that provide services for pregnant women (and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger) that both promote childbirth, parenting, and alternatives to abortion, and meet one or more of the four purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant are eligible to apply.
Ohio has approximately 200 pregnancy help centers that assist women who are pregnant. They are in rural, suburban, and urban communities, and they outnumber abortion providers 18-1.
They provide parenting classes, referrals for access to prenatal care and other medical and mental health or addiction support services, as well as material needs through the first year of their babies' lives.
In order to qualify for the program, an organization must be a private, not-for-profit entity, whose primary purpose is to promote childbirth, rather than abortion, through counseling and other services, including parenting and adoption support. The organization must provide services to pregnant women and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger, including clothing, counseling, diapers, food, furniture, health care, parenting classes, postpartum recovery, shelter, and any other supportive services, programs, or related outreach, and programs have to be provided at no charge. Participating entities cannot be involved in or associated with any abortion activities, including providing abortion counseling or referrals to abortion clinics, performing abortion-related medical procedures, or engaging in pro-abortion advertising. Finally, they cannot discriminate in its provision of services on the basis of race, religion, color, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or gender.
What is the Ohio Adoption Grant Program?
The Ohio Adoption Grant Program is part of Governor DeWine’s Bold Beginnings program. Ohioans who adopt can apply for a $10,000 one-time payment. Those who adopt a child they’ve been fostering can apply for a $15,000 one-time payment. If the child has one or more special needs (as defined in the law) prior to the adoption finalization, the parent can apply for a one-time payment of $20,000.
If you are interested in learning more about either of these programs, you can follow the appropriate links or contact our office for more information.
If you would like to reach out to your State Representative to ask he or she continue to support these programs, you can do so here.
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