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Ohio To Bolster Checks On Home Health Workers

The state of Ohio has received a $2.1 million federal grant to improve criminal background checks for those home health care workers who directly serve the disabled and elderly. The money means more thorough reviews for more than 100,000 workers who provide direct care to patients in Medicaid- and Medicare-funded settings. Gov. John Kasich's administration says Ohio will provide another $700,000 in state funds to bolster background checks. The money will help the state extend the use of the attorney general's fingerprint database to direct-care providers. State officials say the electronic system will make post-hiring background checks timelier and less burdensome. Attorney General Mike DeWine says his office will be able to immediately notify employers of a worker's arrest or a conviction.

Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.