To the Editor:
I received an email this morning from Gov. Mike DeWine announcing his fifth round of wellness support grants for local law enforcement agencies, dispatch centers, fire departments and emergency medical services agencies. The program awards funding for initiatives that support wellness programs addressing mental, physical and emotional health issues unique to first responders, recruitment and retention efforts to restore workforce levels, onboarding and training costs and explorer programs to engage young adults about first responder careers.
The program is funded as part of the $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly dedicated to first responders last year to help counter various pressing issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased stress and decreased staffing levels. Sadly, neither Holmes nor Knox County has received any funding from this program.
Our rural communities have been hit extremely hard by COVID-19. We are seeing more suicides, more drug overdoses, more crime and more violence. Our first responders see this every day. They deserve the help that this program could bring.
One of the reasons that I ran in the 2022 GOP primary for state representative in House District 98 was because I felt that our district, which includes all of Holmes County and most of Knox County, was not receiving its fair share of state funds. This is just the latest example. Our public officials, at both the state and local levels, need to work harder to bring these funds home to our local, rural communities.
Sincerely,
Scott Allan Pullins, Esq.
Mount Vernon
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