Because of Ohio's success at helping families move from welfare to work, the state's welfare caseload has reached its lowest level since 1967.

In June, there were 196,622 Ohio Works First recipients. The caseload has decreased by 53 percent since the OWF program began in October 1997, and by 74 percent since the cash assistance caseload peaked in March 1992 at nearly 750,000. Ohio's cash assistance caseload is at its lowest level since March 1967.

"Ohio is helping families succeed as they join the workforce," ODJFS Interim Director Greg Moody said. "With expansions in eligibility for child care assistance and health care coverage, and through a wide array of other support services, Ohio is enabling more and more families to overcome barriers and make the transition from welfare to self-sufficiency."

More children are receiving state child care assistance than ever before. In May, 92,593 children received subsidized child care, an increase of 42 percent from just two years ago.

Meanwhile, because of recent expansions in the state's Healthy Start, Healthy Families program, an additional 102,721 children received health care coverage in May. Last year, with the support of Governor Bob Taft, eligibility for the Healthy Start, Healthy Families program was expanded to families earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline, or about $35,300 for a family of four. The department also simplified the application process to make it easier for families to enroll and remain covered.

Ohio's welfare caseload reached a milestone this year. For the first time in decades, an entire county -- Huron -- did not have one adult on assistance at the beginning of the month, when checks are issued.

"This is a tribute to the state's success in reforming welfare and to the efforts of Ohio's county departments of job and family services," Moody said. "Counties have taken advantage of the local flexibility afforded by the state's welfare reform effort and have worked with communities to develop innovative solutions to local problems."

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For more information contact ODJFS Communications, (614) 466-6650.