Governor Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday he has directed the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to convene a summit of various service organizations to ensure Ohio’s preparedness to welcome Ukrainian refugees, if asked.
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“Like many Ohioans, I am disgusted by the senseless aggression of the Russian military and want to support Ukrainian families being driven out of their country,” said DeWine. “While we do not yet know what role Ohio will play in helping these families, I want us to be prepared when the time does come.”
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On March 17th, ODJFS will bring together multiple organizations who could play a role in the relocation of Ukrainian families at a summit in Northeast Ohio, a release from DeWine said.
These will include resettlement agencies, faith-based organizations, charities, and others interested in supporting Ukrainians.
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According to the release, while refugee programs are all federal programs, the ODJFS Refugee Services Program works with local resettlement agencies to provide the federal government with information on capacity. It also oversees programs that help refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency and social adjustment following their arrival in the U.S. Actual services are provided by nine resettlement agencies and other non-profit groups located throughout Ohio.
Since 2018, more than 500 Ukrainians have been resettled in Ohio, mostly in Cleveland, according to the release.
Many were resettled due to the Lautenberg Amendment, a federal program established in 1990 that allows religious minorities from the former Soviet Union to seek refuge in the United States.
More than 14,000 Ukrainian nationals have been resettled in the U.S. under the Amendment in the past five years, the release said.