A quick rundown of Ohio child protection news this week
Weekly Update for May 13, 2019
Association Updates

Fairfield County welcomes new Deputy Director
Heather O’Keefe has been selected as the new Deputy Director of Protective Services for Fairfield County Job and Family Services. Heather has been with Job and Family Services for over 23 years and has served in numerous positions, most recently as Assistant Deputy Director. 
 
Two levies pass during quiet May primary
Voters handily passed both children services levies on the ballot on Election Day last Tuesday, one in Ashtabula County, the other in Logan County. Read more.

PCSAO conference Call for Presenters deadline extended
The 2019 PCSAO Conference Planning Committee is calling for presenters for the 34th annual PCSAO conference. The theme of this year's conference is "Champions for Children and Families." The committee will be looking for presenters who have dynamic and engaging presentations that are relevant to child welfare evidence-based practice, who will benefit attendees, and who are creative. The conference draws around 500 people each year and is a valuable opportunity to educate child welfare advocates across the state. The 2019 conference will be Sept. 25-27 at the DoubleTree in Worthington. Workshop proposal information and application can be found here and should be submitted to pcsao@pcsao.org   by May 15. Any questions can be directed to the conference coordinator, Nitina Francis, at pcsao@pcsao.org or 614-224-5802.

Nominate youth, families, staff for annual PCSAO awards
Each year, PCSAO recognizes and celebrates the achievements of youth, families, PCSA supervisors, caseworkers, support staff, and local journalists whose work has made extraordinary contributions toward promoting safe children, stable families and supportive communities. The 2019 PCSAO Awards will be presented at luncheon award ceremonies during the 2019 PCSAO Annual Conference in Columbus, Sept. 25-27. For the 2019 PCSAO Awards, all nominations must be submitted by June 30. Download the youth and families packet and the professionals packet . All nominations must be e-mailed to pcsao@pcsao.org, and nominators will be notified of the outcome by the end of July (staff nominees’ remain secret until the conference). 
 
Helping Ohio Parent Effectively (HOPE) update
The HOPE workgroup held its quarterly meeting May 7, and the group welcomed several new faces. The discussion focused on building a continuum of primary parent engagement at children services agencies across the state. The group discussed several initiatives and programs including peer-to-peer support county agencies utilizing. The group also reviewed training needs and issues.

Rules update
Rules in Pre-Clearance: Click here to review and comment on the following rules currently in pre-clearance:
  • Through May 18: Chapter 5101:2-38 Case Planning and Reviews
  • Through May 30: Chapter 5101:2-5 Child Services Agency Licensing Rules; Chapter 5101:2-7 Foster Care; Chapter 5101:2-48 Adoption
Rules in Clearance: As of May 10, no children services-related rules were in Clearance.
 
Rules that have been filed with JCARR: The following rules have been revise-filed with JCARR: 
  • 5101:2-49-05: Determination of the adoption assistance monthly payment amount
  • 5101:2-49-21: Reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption expenses for a child with special needs
Announcements and Resources

Human trafficking webinar
The Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (ONCAC) has developed the ONtarget webinar series to enhance the MDT response for Ohio’s child survivors of human trafficking. Learn more and register: May 15 from noon-1:30 p.m., Neurological Programming and Internet-Based Exploitation  ( Presenter: Lt. John Pizzuro, New Jersey State Police) and May 22, noon-1:30 p.m., Thorn: Trends in Technology Based Exploitation and Response ( Presenter: Kelbi Ervin, THORN).

Human trafficking: Safe Harbor for minors webinar
The next Court Café webinar will be May 29 at noon on the topic "Human Trafficking: Safe Harbor for Minors." Unfortunately, many children who are trafficked often go unidentified until they come into contact with the criminal justice system. However, there are tools available to effectively identify and support trafficked youth. This webinar is intended for any individual working with youth at risk of being trafficked. You can register here , and after registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact scofamilies@sc.ohio.gov or call Tequilla Washington at 614-752-5206.
 
Capacity Building Center for States’ new series
A new series dedicated to strategic planning in child welfare is out from the Capacity Building Center for States (CBCS). The series presents practical information including guidance and tools to support coordinated strategic and long-term planning.These resources can help identify opportunities for coordination between the Child and Family Services Plan/Annual Progress a Services Report (CFSP/APSR) and Child and Family Services Review/Program Improvement Plan (CFSR/PIP) processes and internal agency continuous quality improvement (CQI) work. They also provide practical guidance related to CFSP development, including the meaningful involvement of stakeholders. You can find all resources on the Strategic Planning in Child Welfare series webpage , as well as other useful tools for engaging families, exploring stakeholder collaboration, and implementing change.
 
Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative (OPQC) regional meetings
OPQC is a statewide consortium of perinatal clinicians, hospitals, policy makers and governmental entities that aims to improve birth outcomes across the state. The OPQC has announced the dates for the 2019 regional meetings. During these events, they are especially interested in hearing the perspectives of child welfare staff who are on the front lines of working with the parents/family members of NAS infants. These sessions provide a unique opportunity to connect with health care providers of pregnant patients with OUD in your region. Below you can find links to each regional meeting; click on the link to find the location and registration information. Should you have questions or need additional information, please contact Susan.Ford@UHhospitals.org
  • Southeast Ohio: May 14 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
  • West Central Ohio: May 22 from 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
  • Northwest Ohio: May 23 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Southwest Ohio: May 30 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. 
  • Northeast Ohio: June 3 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Central Ohio: June 4 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Title IV-E webinar
A newly released webinar on the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Handbook of Standards and Procedure is set for May 14, 1:30-3 p.m. The webinar will guide Prevention Services Clearinghouse users through the Handbook of Standards and Procedures .The Handbook describes the Prevention Services Clearinghouse’s procedures for identifying programs and services and associated research studies for review or re-review, standards for assessing the design, execution, and findings of research studies and for rating programs and services, and definitions of key terms. Register for the webinar here.
 
Child Protection in the News
With May recognized as National Foster Care Month, Marion County Commissioners signed a proclamation Thursday morning in a bid to raise awareness for the need for more foster parents in the county.
 
Jerica Estle-Grooms had a drastically different childhood than most children in Ohio. And as a young adult, the former foster child now is speaking out about the needs of children in foster care.

“Blown away,” said Angela Sausser, executive director of Public Children Services Association of Ohio, the membership organization of county children services agencies, upon learning that Speaker Larry Householder added $60 million for child protection in the House version of Ohio’s budget.

Someone has been knocking on doors in a Northeast Ohio neighborhood, pretending to be social workers with child protective services. Police are now trying to figure out if they tried to steal a baby from inside a family’s home.
 
May 7 - Bill gives children's caregivers more support - Advertiser-Tribune
We have seen a rise in other family members raising children because of the addiction crisis -- in Ohio, we have seen a big increase in grandparents raising grandchildren.

May 6 - Bike Lady program provides bicycles to local foster children - The Steubenville Herald-Star
Twenty-five children in foster care here in Jefferson County have brand new bicycles, helmets and bike locks, thanks to the statewide Bike Lady charity run by a former foster mom.

John Fisher, director of Licking County Department of Job and Family Services, said he is grateful for Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder's commitment to increase spending for county children services.
 
Eileen Dray-Bardon has spent the last 40 years with the Columbiana County Department of Jobs and Family Services (JFS), with just more than half of those years serving as director.
Upcoming Events

May 14 | Ohio START Steering Committee Meeting
May 15 | Southwest District Meeting
May 17 | Permanency Roundtables Advisory Council

Employment Opportunities

Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself? Check out the latest job openings in child protection .

UPP graduates seeking employment at a PCSA are listed on our website.
Quote of the Week
"All great achievements require time."
--Maya Angelou 
Public Children Services Association of Ohio | 614-224-5802 | www.pcsao.org
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