View NBC4's previous coverage in the video player above. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed the Strong Foundations Act into law, which aims to address Ohio’s infant mortality crisis through enhancing support for women and babies.  DeWine announced he signed House Bill 7, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Latyna Humphrey (D-Franklin), on Jan. 8. The incoming law, which also aims to improve the lives and health of young children, will expand family services in the state. JD Vance, former senator and first vice president from Ohio, to be inaugurated “This legislation ensures every child – whether they live in rural areas, cities, or suburbs – has the resources they need to thrive,” Humphrey said in a statement. The statute will increase support for home visiting services, in which professionals offer assistance to pregnant women and those with children under 5 years old. The state will be required to establish a program to help with the coordination of the services and evaluate its effectiveness annually. The law will also broaden mental health services under Medicaid for children under 5 years old. Additionally, the act will require the Department of Health to investigate ways to increase participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The program provides personalized guidance on healthy eating, lactation resources, and allows participants to receive vouchers to purchase food and baby formula.  Numerous supporters of the bill have cited Ohio’s infant mortality crisis as a reason why it’s needed. The state had the eighth-highest infant death rate in the country in 2022, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Mail delivery, trash collection, other closures in Columbus In 2022, seven babies died before their first birthday for every 1,000 live births in the state. The same year, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. CDC data also shows a racial disparity among infant deaths in Ohio. While 5.7 white infants died per 1,000 births, 13.4 Black infants died. Lynanne Gutierrez is the president and CEO of Groundwork Ohio, a nonprofit child advocacy organization. She was present at the signing of the bill, calling it a “milestone” in the journey to “ensure that every child in Ohio has the opportunity to thrive.” “House Bill 7 represents critical steps forward for Ohio’s youngest children, including a transformative new approach to early childhood mental health diagnoses, prioritization of home visiting programs for families in greatest need, and strengthened interagency collaboration to ensure timely and coordinated care for families,” Gutierrez said in a statement.  The incoming law originally had a multi-million-dollar appropriation in it, but all the funding was stripped before passing the Statehouse. Sponsors and supporters hope to secure funding for some of the changes that will be made under the statute through the biennial budget this year.  Unsolved Ohio: Father pushes for answers eight years after son’s suspicious death “We remain steadfast in our commitment to working with Ohio’s policymakers during the upcoming budget cycle to prioritize policies and investments that tackle the alarming infant and maternal mortality crisis in Ohio,” Gutierrez said.  The act also provides more oversight and support for early learning and development programs, as well as parenting education programs. The bill, first introduced in February 2023, overwhelmingly passed the Statehouse and did not receive any opponent testimony. The Strong Foundations Act will go into effect on April 9.