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A quick rundown of Ohio child protection news this week
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Weekly Update for May 22, 2017
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Association Updates
PCSAO is hiring!
PCSAO seeks a full-time Administrator of Grants to manage the financial and procedural compliance of a $5 million federal grant and future awarded grants, and to oversee the financial and record-keeping side of the grant-making process with sub-grantees. This full-time position will be grant-funded. Deadline to apply is May 31. For more information, please click here.
Senate Finance budget testimony
On May 17, PCSAO testified before the Senate Finance Health and Medicaid Subcommittee to express gratitude
for the $15 million additional dollars the House included in Sub. H.B. 49 for children services. But much more is needed to address the $55 million increase in placement costs and the $24 million annual cost of caseworker turnover. PCSAO called on the Senate to maintain the House investment of $15 million and add another $15 million per year ($30m total/year) to the State Child Protection Allocation.
PCSAO's witnesses delivering testimony included Robin Reese, Director of Lucas County Children Services; Tim Bubb, Commissioner of Licking County; Leah Clevenger, foster caregiver and adoptive parent from Ross County; and Angela Sausser, PCSAO Executive Director. Testimonies can be found here.
Kinship Navigator bill
On May 17, PCSAO testified in support of HB 126, Kinship Navigators, in front of the House Community and Family Advancement Committee. Testimony
was presented by Patrick Donavan, Kinship Supervisor, Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services; Tim Harless, Director of Community Outreach and Programming, Richland County Children Services; and Mary Wachtel, PCSAO Director of Public Policy. Testimonies can be found here.
Southwest District meets
At the PCSAO Southwest District meeting on May 17, agency leaders heard a presentation about GeneSight, a test that measures a child’s ability to metabolize certain medications; discussed ODJFS updates related to new providers in the district; learned that ITNAs will need to be administered to caseworkers and supervisors now that two years have elapsed since the new process was launched; reviewed recent media coverage of the opioid epidemic and learned about efforts to allow caseworkers to carry Narcan for personal safety; and shared county updates. The SW District meets again on Aug. 16.
Groundwork Advocacy Day
PCSAO provided a brief overview of the proposed kinship caregiver child care program at the Groundwork Advocacy Day on May 18. The House set aside $10 million per year in the biennial budget to provide child care assistance for kinship families. Thank you to Groundwork for this opportunity and congratulations on a successful Advocacy Day.
Federal updates from NACHSA
The Trump administration's FY 2018 Budget proposals will be sent to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 23. On Friday, a leaked spreadsheet of some of the line items indicates the administration proposes to eliminate the Social Services Block Grant, Community Services Block Grant and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. NACHSA will summarize the proposals for health, human services, workforce and nutrition programs later this week. Stay tuned for upcoming call to action requests.
Conference Award nominations
PCSAs are encouraged to nominate their outstanding staff, families and youth. The 2017 Annual Conference Awards include: Supervisor of the Year, Caseworker of the Year, Support Staff of the Year, Journalist of the Year, Family of the Year, and Youth Rising Up and Moving On. Nominations are due on June 15. Download the award nomination forms.
Conference Sponsorship opportunities
Become a 2017 PCSAO Conference Sponsor and Exhibitor! The PCSAO Annual Conference being held on Sept. 27-29 offers sponsors the opportunity to interact one-on-one with over 500 individuals who work in child protection, share information about your organization, and network with peers. Check out the wide range of conference sponsorship opportunities that are available on a first-come, first-served basis and register online today! Click here to learn more about PCSAO's 2017 Annual Conference .
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Announcements and Resources
PCSA Executive Transition: New leadership at Putnam County JFS and Brown County JFS
Putnam County JFS Director Steven Ford will retire on June 1 and Suzy Wischmeyer has been named to replace him. At Brown County JFS, Sheri Tabor is the new child welfare administrator. She has replaced Nicole Williams who is now the child welfare administrator for Adams County CS. Please join us as we wish both Steve and Nicole the very best for their next adventure, and welcome to Suzy and Sheri!
Child Welfare and Supportive Housing
Corporation for Supportive Housing is offering a second 4-month Training Academy intended to jump-start local efforts to integrate housing and services models like Keeping Families Together. The new training will begin this June and run through August. The Academy is designed to serve state, county or local level teams representing housing, child welfare, family services, and homeless agencies. Information for registration and application is available online. The deadline is June 5, 2017.
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Child Protection in the News
- May 19 – Opioid crisis straining children's services in Ohio, Butler County – Hamilton Journal News
The opioid epidemic is overwhelming children’s services providers in both Butler County and Ohio as the public health crisis deepens throughout the state.
- May 17 – Schiavoni Announces Legislation to Use Rainy Day Funds to Fight Opioid Epidemic – The Hannah Report
The state would dedicate 10 percent of its Rainy Day Fund to strengthen local governments and provide treatment infrastructure for groups working against the statewide opioid epidemic under new legislation announced Wednesday by Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D-Boardman).
- May 17 – Senate Subcommittee Hears about Wide Range of Human Service Issues – the Hannah Report
Approximately 70 witnesses queued up Wednesday in five-minute time slots to present their issues and concerns on a wide variety of human service provisions in the House-passed FY18-19 proposed budget to the Senate Finance Health and Medicaid Subcommittee.
- May 17 – ‘It’s just horrific’: caseworkers break their silence to reveal toll of addiction on children – The Guardian
Inside the Clinton County child protection office, the week has been tougher than most. Caseworkers in this thinly populated region of southern Ohio, east of Cincinnati, have grown battle-weary from an opioid epidemic that’s leaving behind a generation of traumatized children.
- May 17 – Hundreds of kids in Franklin County still need foster parents (Includes video) – WCMH
A growing number of kids are entering foster care in Franklin County. Franklin County Children Services says while the numbers continue to grow they could easily use 200 homes for kids right now, specifically for teenagers and siblings.
- May 17 – The Pill Mill of America": Where Drugs Mean There Are No Good Choices, Only Less Awful Ones – AlterNet
Portsmouth, Ohio, once known for making things (steel, shoes, bricks), is now known for drugs, and labeled by some as the “pill mill of America”. The city peaked at 40,000 people in 1940, and as it emptied of factories and jobs – some made obsolete, some moved away – it also emptied of people and hope.
- May 16 – These kids need help from the Ohio Senate – Akron Beacon Journal
The Ohio House stepped up for abused and neglected children. Its state budget plan includes an additional $15 million annually for county children services agencies. The resources are desperately needed, Ohio at the bottom in its support for child protection.
- May 15 – DeWine Hopes to Expand START to Families Statewide – The Hannah Report
A recently-launched program helping Southern Ohio drug addicts and their children should be funded statewide if it proves to be effective, Attorney General Mike DeWine said Monday.
- May 15 – State Seeking Pilot Districts for Truancy Program – The Hannah Report
he Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet Council (OFCF) is looking for school districts interested in a two-year pilot program to address student truancy, created as part of last year's overhaul of truancy statutes in HB410 (Hayes-Rezabek).
- May 15 – More than 2,000 Cuyahoga children in foster care, highest since 2011, thanks to opioid crisis – Cleveland.com
Half the Ohio children taken into protective custody in 2015 were removed from their homes because of a parental drug addiction, according to the Public Children Services Association of Ohio.
- May 13 – Harrelson: Children Services needs more support from state – Mansfield News Journal
Opioid abuse makes headlines frequently in north central Ohio, but it’s almost always involving adults abusing heroin or pills. Local children remain the most faceless and innocent of victims.
- May 11 – ODJFS Encourages More Ohioans to Become Foster Parents (Press release) – Ohio Department of Job & Family Services
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) joins Gov. Kasich and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in recognizing May as Foster Care Month in Ohio and celebrating the valuable services of kinship and foster caregivers.
- May 8 – Heroin epidemic feeds growing need for foster parents (Includes video) – WYTV
Trumbull County Children Services has seen a 40 percent increase of children in their care since the opiate crisis first took hold of the Mahoning Valley in 2014. The need for a safe place for kids in the foster care system is gr
- owing daily and more urgent with each child.
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May 26 | Conference Planning Committee Meeting
June 1 | Rule Review Committee Meeting
June 2 | Community Education Committee Meeting
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“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.” – Rita F. Pierson
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Public Children Services Association of Ohio | 614-224-5802 |
www.pcsao.org
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