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Report: Ohio Trailing Nation In Health, Human Services Issues

Gavin DeVore Leonard, state director for One Ohio Now.
Karen Kasler
Gavin DeVore Leonard, state director for One Ohio Now.

AsGov. JohnKasichprepares to deliver his statewide address on the State of the State, a coalition of union and community groups is pointing out issues where Ohio is trailing the rest of the nation. Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow reports.

One Ohio Now says data it compiled from several sources shows Ohio ranks near the bottom nationwide in infant mortality, hunger, and the gender wage gap.

The group blames a series of tax cuts and shifts that leaves Ohio with less money.

While One Ohio Now is tied to progressive organizations, the group’s Gavin DeVore Leonard says the numbers speak for themselves.

“So if people have a problem with the data show me new data, I don’t think there’s a way to spin this, we have serious challenges,” said DeVore Leonard.

One Ohio Now is calling on state leaders to invest more in public services.

The report did find that Ohio ranks in the top 15 when it comes to how much of the population had health insurance.

Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.