Governor DeWine directs money, resources to healthcare and public safety in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WJW) — Following an influx of thousands of Haitian migrants over the last several years to Clark County, Gov. Mike DeWine announced in a press conference Tuesday new state support for Springfield, which is now facing a significant burden in health care, public safety and school systems and even housing costs.

“I want the people of Springfield and Clark County to know that as we move forward, we will continue to do everything we can to help the community deal with this surge of migrants,” said DeWine. “The federal government has not demonstrated that they have any kind of plan to deal with the issue. We will not walk away.”

A separate press conference with Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and Clark County Commission President Melanie Flax-Wilt was held Tuesday as well, in which Flax-Wilt said data show there are approximately 12,000 to 15,000 Haitian migrants in the county.

According to DeWine’s office, the influx of Haitians to Springfield and Clark County has significantly impacted local primary care providers, due to the increased number of patients and the need for more translation services. In general, migrants from Haiti have had little to no health care services prior to arriving in the United States, including vaccinations, according to the release.

DeWine announced Tuesday that he is dedicating $2.5 million toward expanding primary care access for everyone living in Springfield. The Ohio Department of Health has been directed to work with the Clark County Health Department and other health care providers on this effort.

DeWine and other leaders in Springfield also addressed the need for increased safety on the roads. To address this issue, DeWine has directed the Ohio State Highway Patrol to support the Springfield Police Department with traffic enforcement. The efforts begin Wednesday morning. Troopers will patrol local roads with the highest crash rates and hold accountable those driving erratically and putting others in danger.

According to the release, the healthcare and road safety initiatives add to other support the state has already provided to Springfield to help with the increase in the Haitian population, including:

• Creating a school-based health clinic in the Springfield City School District to expand primary care access for school children and their parents throughout the community
• Increasing support for vaccinations and health screenings through the local health department
• Allocating additional funds to the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services for translation services
• Providing funding to Clark State College for services to teach English to Haitians
• Providing driving simulators and offering driver education classes targeted to the Haitian community
• Working with the Springfield School District to maximize existing resources and provide ongoing support to deal with the surge of migrant students

DeWine said the federal government’s policies have led to this and other migrant surges across the United States, and he called on the federal government to better support communities that experience an unexpected increase in migrant population, the release said.

“The federal government needs to assist these communities with funding because these dramatic migrant surges impact every citizen in the community — the moms who have to wait hours in a waiting room with a sick child, everyone who drives on our streets, and the children who go to school in more crowded classrooms,” said DeWine. “The federal government does not have a plan to give any support to the communities impacted by surges, and we have absolutely no indication that a plan is coming in the near future.”

In addition to the added resources, DeWine also confirmed that police in Springfield have found no evidence to support claims that residents’ pets were being kidnapped and eaten by immigrant community members. The claims were being circulated on social media, by among others, Vice-Presidential candidate JD Vance.

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