Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti, left, greets Gov. Mike DeWine during an announced $10.5 million grant to build a health and community development center in Campbell.

CAMPBELL — A $10.5 million grant to build a health and community development center in Campbell “will serve as a model for other communities across the state,” Gov. Mike DeWine said.

DeWine was at the Campbell school district’s Community Literacy Workforce and Cultural Center on Friday to announce $64.2 million in grants to fund 28 projects in 20 Appalachian counties to improve access to health care through the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative.

The Campbell grant was by far the largest in the state.

“We think it will serve as that model for how school districts can partner with public and private entities to benefit students, families, staff and members of the community,” DeWine said.

Early construction site work on the Campbell Health and Community Center should start in July or August, said Matthew Bowen, the school district’s superintendent.

The district will construct a 55,000-square-foot facility on the grounds of its K-6 school, adjacent to the cultural center and the Northeast Ohio IMPACT Academy.

Once finished, the new building will provide access to food, hygiene products and school supplies through an on-site pantry and greenhouse; health care services such as pediatric primary care and pediatric mental health counseling on-site and via telehealth; childcare and an early learning center; and workforce services and educational programming related to the medical field including medical coding and medical assistants.

Bowen said when DeWine spoke Friday, “it was a little bit overwhelming to hear him cite Campbell city schools so often. For him to say this is potentially a model is amazing. It’s amazing for this entire community. It’s amazing for this entire region and, most importantly, it’s amazing for our children.”

The center will serve those in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Bowen said: “We’re creating opportunities for young people and their future, and we couldn’t be happier.”

The school district’s partners include Stark State College, the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio, Mahoning County Green Team, Akron Children’s Hospital, Sight for All United, and the United Way of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley.

The center’s total cost is estimated at $12 million to $13 million.

In addition to the $10.5 million awarded by the state, the center received a $2 million federal earmark in December 2022 thanks to the efforts of Tim Ryan as he was leaving Congress.

The $64.2 million for the Campbell project and 27 others came from $500 million the state set aside to help Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region, which includes Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

The money comes from the Democratic-backed American Rescue Plan given to Ohio for workforce, infrastructure and health care projects.

Funding for the two other phases will be announced at a later time, DeWine said.

The Mahoning Valley is seeking $155.7 million from the program for 41 projects focusing on downtown and riverfront revitalization and workforce development.

LOCAL PROJECTS

The Warren City School District is getting $318,360 through the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative to partner with Akron Children’s Hospital to establish a school-based health center to care for students with chronic health conditions such as asthma.

The center will be located within Warren G. Harding High School, connecting to a fully operating pediatric practice that will serve as the central clinical location for the Akron Children’s care team.

An advanced practice provider will offer clinical services for the school district and the student population.

Also, telehealth services will be available to help students gain access to care.

A $238,668 grant will be used to provide a mobile, in-person health provider at various school districts in the Mahoning Valley including Bristol, Newton Falls, Sebring and Crestview.

Each district will have a private clinical space for Akron Children’s to use when on-site, allowing for distribution, coordination and management of services including preventative care.

The districts also will receive integrated telehealth equipment to streamline student access to care.

The East Palestine school district is receiving $251,528 for clinical space in the high school and the elementary school.

The locations will receive equipment to facilitate in-person care as well as telehealth.

“Our vision for Ohio’s future is one where all Ohioans, no matter where they are from, have the opportunity to live up to their full potential,” DeWine said.

Have an interesting story? Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.