SNAP beverage ban, DeWine announces working group members

Governor Mike DeWine has released the full membership of the working group he has tasked to decide which beverages Ohioans may purchase using SNAP benefits. This comes after Gov. DeWine signed an Executive Order on June 30 establishing the working group.

The group will be making recommendations that would allow Ohio to prevent SNAP from being used to purchase certain beverages that are shown to have minimal nutritional value and may also contribute to obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension, according to a Tuesday press release from the governor's office.

The membership of the working group includes:

Matt Damschroder, Director, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) (or designee)
Maureen Corcoran, Director, Ohio Department of Medicaid (or designee)
Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., Director, Ohio Department of Health (or designee)
Rachel Cahill, Visiting Fellow, The Center for Community Solutions
Douglas Lumpkin, former director of ODJFS
Kimberly McConville, Executive Director, Ohio Beverage Association
Lora Miller, Director of Governmental Affairs & Public Relations, Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Kristin Mullins, President/CEO, Ohio Grocers Association
Jonathan Thackeray, M.D., Dayton Children's Hospital
Lexi Tindall, Clinical Manager for the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Pat Tiberi, President & CEO, Ohio Business Roundtable

Four meetings will be held, starting Thursday July 24, with a written report due to the governor by September 28.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, must approve any ban before implementation.