COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is drawing attention to a key policy priority with a proclamation honoring young children.

The Republican governor has declared April 2019 the “Month of the Young Child” and the week of April 8-12 the “Week of the Young Child.”

The pronouncements dovetail with DeWine’s efforts to elevate children’s issues, from education to services for at-risk youth to job matching. Among his earliest acts were dedicating a top adviser to the issue and calling for $74 million in additional funding for children’s services and Ohio’s child protection system.

The Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition is an organization of child-serving groups formed in response to DeWine’s efforts. It says one in four Ohio children lives in poverty and the state needs a holistic approach to address underlying issues.