During today’s #COVID19 UPDATE with @GovMikeDeWine, Lt. Gov. @JonHusted gave an update on the #OhioIPPromise launched last year to streamline the process for guiding intellectual property through to commercialization.

“Ohio is home to a lot of great research.” JH The #OhioIPPromise enabled the @uofcincy to generate a record 400 percent increase in startups last year, spun out of UC intellectual property, & a 1,000 percent increase this year.

During today’s #COVID19 UPDATE, Lt. Gov. @JonHusted provided an exciting workforce update:

The Individual Micro-credential Assistance Program, IMAP, reimburses training providers up to $3,000 for each completed technology-focused credential issued, up to $250,000 per provider ⤵️ The Free Application for Federal Student Aid – also known as FAFSA - opens on October 1.

All students, high school seniors, current students, and adults interested in attending or returning to college should complete the #FAFSA.

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted: It’s National #SmallBusinessWeek, which for more than 50 years, has been celebrating America’s entrepreneurs & small biz owners who are the backbone of our economy. Small Business Facts ⤵️

✅Ohio is home to more than 965,000 small biz, that account for 99.6% of the businesses in the state.
 
✅Together they employ 2.2 million people. That’s 45% of Ohio’s total employees.
 
✅Small businesses created more than 44,000 jobs in 2019.

During today’s #COVID19 UPDATE, Lt. Gov. @JonHusted announced next steps in plan to expand broadband.

The K-12 Broadband Connectivity Grant was announced in July to allocate CARES Act funding towards helping students gain internet access.

Awardees have been announced ⬇️ There was $83 million requested from the $50 million available.
 
For schools with smaller requests (under $20,000), the entire requested amount will be awarded for those who qualified.
 
⬇️

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted also reminded Ohioans about the Diversity & Inclusion Technology Internship Program, which pairs non-traditional college students w/ tech companies.

There are 200 scholarships available. FOR COMPANIES: Application Period is currently open and you can still apply through September 8th.
 
FOR STUDENTS: Application period opens today and you can apply through September 22nd.

During today’s #COVID19 update, Lt. Gov. @JonHusted reminded schools to apply for the K-12 Broadband Connectivity Grant.

There’s been a great response so far.

The application portal closes tomorrow, 8/21 at 11:59PM.

To learn more & apply: ohio-k12.help/broadbandohio-… REMINDER: To help schools make the best purchasing decisions based on their needs, internet providers have been listing their equipment and pricing information in one centralized location to the benefit of Ohio schools.

Visit procure.ohio.gov to view vendor info.

Lt. Governor @JonHusted on today’s sports update:

Hope is a powerful, sustaining presence in our lives, and I know for many student athletes it has been essential. Much like the sport you play, success of this opportunity lies with the execution of the game plan. Athletes, coaches and families must demonstrate the discipline to follow the rules so that they can protect themselves and teammates from the spread of the coronavirus.

Lt. Governor @JonHusted is joining today’s #COVID19 update.

https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1293971439788359683

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted: We know that health outcomes are tied to economic outcomes. And while Ohio is a popular place for innovators and entrepreneurs, in the minority community, potential businessmen and women have struggled to get a foothold.

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted: 2 weeks ago, we announced that the state will allocate $50 million through a grant program to help provide hotspots and internet-enabled devices to students.

This program will officially launch this coming Monday. Visit ohio-k12.help/broadbandohio-… to apply. An update: There will not be a matching requirement

We heard from multiple groups that the matching requirement would create a barrier for districts to be able to request funds.

Also school districts have already begun to make purchases for the upcoming school year.

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted on #STRONGOhio: #InnovateOhio, the Department of Public Safety & Department of Administrative Services are designing a tech. solution to fix current background check system, with the goal of making a “free, easy & mandatory” warrant system for law enforcement. For Ohio’s gun shop owners, a streamlined warrant and protection order system would improve the ability to see all warrants and protection orders in a background check in real time.

Lt. Governor @JonHusted today announced #OhioBroadband’s next steps to improve & expand broadband access around the state. ⬇️ ✅ An RFI will be issued for pricing info from internet providers for schools to purchase everything from hotspots to laptops to tablets.

Access the link to the RFI: procure.ohio.gov/proc/viewProcO…

Lt. Governor @JonHusted provides update on antibody testing during today’s COVID-19 update: On June 15th, the @RedCross announced an initiative to test all blood and platelet donors for COVID-19 antibodies, and this week we received the first report. Between 6/15 & 7/18 the Red Cross reported 33,538 Ohioans donated blood, plasma, or platelets. Of these 436 donors tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies – a 1.3% positivity rate.

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted: To date, Ohio has procured approximately 65 million pieces of PPE. This includes various types of face masks and shields, gloves, gowns, coveralls, and thermometers. DAS also ordered 1,000 ventilators. As of today, more than 50 million pieces of this PPE have been distributed across the state. We also have a process in place to continue getting PPE to the county emergency management agencies for distribution to those most in need and to fill urgent requests.

Lt. Governor @JonHusted also reminded Ohioans about plasma donation.

Convalescent plasma (plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients) is rich in antibodies that could help attack the virus that causes #COVID19. People who have been fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks are encouraged to consider donating plasma.

For more information or to sign up to donate, visit redcrossblood.org/plasma4covid or contact a local blood donor or plasma collection center.

During today’s #COVID19 update, Lt. Gov. @JonHusted reminded Ohioans to be aware of instances of fraud during this time. Unfortunately, there are many people out there who see a crisis as an opportunity to take advantage of others. In perhaps the most widespread scam, criminals are filing fake unemployment claims on behalf of real people who haven't lost their jobs, hitting one state after another.

@OhioJFS announced that since the start of the pandemic, at least 3,000 cases of fraud have been identified.

#ResponsibleRestartOhio update:

✅Miniature golf, batting cages, and bowling alleys will be able to resume operations on May 26th if they can meet appropriate safety protocols.

➡️coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov… ✅Effective 5/26, skills training can resume for all sports, including contact sports like football, basketball and lacrosse so long as safety protocols are followed. This includes, but is not limited to, weight training, agility skills, and other types of conditioning.

Lt. Gov. @JonHusted: “Since March, since those early days, we’ve learned a lot about how to manage our risk – individually and collectively. Health professionals have learned more, businesses have learned more, public officials have learned more...”

https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1262811310464565250

“But without a vaccine, we concluded pretty early on that we’re going to have to learn to live with COVID-19 in our lives, & we had to develop strategies and protocols as to how we were going to do that – that we must learn to manage that risk individually and collectively.” -JH

Be a great neighbor - be a great family member - be a great friend. Now more than ever, we need to help other people when we can lend a hand & lean on others when we need support. Be good to each other. - Lt. Gov. @JonHusted

#COVID19OhioReady Our doctors and hospitals need donated blood - especially with so many blood drives now cancelled. You can make an appointment by visiting RedCross.org.