A Message from the OOA President

Greetings,

April is truly an amazing month for osteopathy. Across the US, we celebrate “National Osteopathic Medicine Week.” In Ohio, the entire month of April is “Osteopathic Medicine Recognition Month” (August 31, 2016, HB 352, 131st General Assembly). These annual celebrations in conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the Ohio Osteopathic Association truly make 2024 a momentous time for osteopathy in Ohio.

With the Ohio Osteopathic Symposium and Ohio Osteopathic Association House of Delegates quickly approaching, I have been reflecting on this year and my time as your OOA President. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve in this prestigious and significant position. I am exceedingly proud of what we have accomplished together this year and am equally excited with the direction we are heading in and what lies in the future for our organization. Doug Harley, DO, will be our next President of the OOA, and I hope you will help welcome him to the position.

As one of my final acts as president, I would like to end like I began, with music. Please enjoy my gift to you, Cole Porter’s Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye. (View it on the OOA FB page here.) When I attended Muskingum University, the choir used to routinely sing this song at the end of concerts. It is an excellent representation of the joy of being in the company of those we care about followed by the emotions associated with the uncertainty of moving on to the next stage in our lives. Thank you.

Onward,
Nicklaus J. Hess, DO, FACOFP
OOA President, 2023-2024

OOS Starts Next Week!

There’s still time to register for the Ohio Osteopathic Symposium!

Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine Month, network with friends and colleagues, and learn the latest in the art and science of patient care, April 18-21.

Attend in person at the Columbus Hilton at Easton Town Center or view the live stream. Either way, you’ll earn up to 28 hours of AOA Category 1-A CME credit about a variety of timely medical topics from experts in their field.

OOA members get a discount on registration! Register today!

DeWine Delivers State of the State Address, Outlines New Child Health Initiatives

On Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine delivered his annual State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Ohio General Assembly. The bulk of the Governor’s speech focused on past accomplishments and future proposals centered on child health and wellness as well as academic support and readiness. These areas have been a constant focus for the Governor since taking office in 2019 and is one of the areas where both the Executive and Legislative branches have been largely aligned.

The Governor said his administration will prioritize child vision through the creation of a new Child Vision Strike Force within the Ohio Department of Health. This new group will be made up of vision experts, public health officials, and advocates and will develop new strategies to connect children who fail school-administered vision tests with a comprehensive eye exam and, if needed, prescription eyewear. This is part of a broader push by the DeWine Administration to invest in School-Based Health Clinics (SBHC’s) and deliver more health care services in the K-12 setting.

DeWine also urged lawmakers to adopt new protections for children and social media and will be pressing for legislation requiring schools to adopt a cell phone policy that minimizes disruption and distraction. The Governor successfully pushed for a law in last year’s State Operating Budget (HB 33) that requires parental consent for children under 16 to register a social media account, however the law is currently held up in court. The DeWine Administration is also expected to pursue stronger distracted driving laws and the Governor called on lawmakers to change seatbelt violations to a primary offense; booster seat and child car seat violations are classified as primary offenses currently.

The Governor also urged members of the Ohio General Assembly to pass a statewide prohibition on the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products. DeWine has advocated for such action since his time in the United States Senate three decades ago. This initiative is unlikely to advance as Legislative Republicans already rejected a statewide ban last year and instead passed a law preempting local government restrictions on flavored tobacco and nicotine products; that law was challenged in court earlier this week. DeWine also called for Delta-8 hemp products to be classified as cannabis products under Ohio’s newly approved recreational marijuana law.

Lastly, the Governor outlined two new initiatives aimed at addressing major public health issues in Ohio. The first would establish the Family Connects program, which would provide universal home visiting services in 11 Ohio counties for new mothers and families. The second would create a new Mental Health Mobile Response Stabilization Program to assist individuals in crisis; this initiative will start in 38 counties and expand statewide in the near future. You can read more about the Governor’s State of the State here and watch the address here.

Applications Open for AOA Leadership Positions

Applications for leadership positions on the 2024–25 AOA Bureaus, Committees and Councils (B/C/Cs) are now being accepted. AOA President-Elect Teresa A. Hubka, DO, strongly encourages AOA members to submit an online application to serve in these important volunteer roles. All applications must be submitted online by Wednesday, May 1.

The application includes a request for a curriculum vitae and statement of intent which should outline the applicant’s qualifications to serve on their selected B/C/Cs. Submit your application here. Descriptions for each B/C/C are available here.

If you apply for a position, please keep the OOA informed.