COLUMBUS, Ohio (AVC News) — The Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative has concluded after opening its 29th and final health clinic, bringing more than $64 million in investments to health care access for children and families across Ohio’s Appalachian region.
Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced the completion of the initiative Tuesday. The final clinic opened last week within the Chillicothe City School District.
Most of the 29 clinics are school-based health clinics operated in partnership with 16 regional health care providers and serving 34 school districts.
Services vary by location but include primary care, dental, vision and mental health services for children, families and community members.
Since the first clinic opened in 2024, the clinics have recorded nearly 33,000 patient visits, including more than 21,000 visits by children. The initiative estimates the clinics have saved an average of 3.19 hours of learning time per student by allowing students to receive care at school rather than leaving campus.
The initiative was funded through the Appalachian Community Grant Program, which was created with support from the Ohio General Assembly and provided $500 million for projects across the state’s 32-county Appalachian region.
The health clinic funding was awarded to the Appalachian Children Coalition and administered by the Governor’s Office of Appalachia within the Ohio Department of Development.
The Appalachian Children Coalition led the initiative, while Nationwide Children’s Hospital prepared the grant proposal and provided implementation support and technical assistance to participating districts.
The DeWine administration said it has invested approximately $2 billion in Ohio’s Appalachian counties since 2019.
Last Updated on October 7, 2026 by AVC News
