Weekly Update: August 23, 2021 |
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Call to Action
PCSAO urges parole be denied to murderer of caseworker
PCSAO is issuing a call to action in support of a letter-writing campaign to deny parole for Gregory Pack, the murder of a Franklin County Children Services caseworker. Nancy Fitzgivens was slain in October 2001 by the father of children who had been removed for severe abuse. After 20 years in prison, Pack is up for parole, and we are joining with Nancy’s family to urge everyone concerned about caseworker safety to send an email by tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 24, Victim Impact Day, to the Parole Board. Emails can be sent until Aug. 31 but will have the biggest impact if sent by tomorrow. PCSAO is supplying a sample email with contact information. Read more.
Metros meet to discuss COVID Delta precautions
Leaders from Ohio's metro PCSAs met Aug. 19 to review updates to employee and related policies in light of the new surge in COVID cases due to the Delta variant. Issues ranged from mask wearing and exposure protocols to vaccines for foster youth. The group meets again Sept. 16.
Southwest District meets in person
The Southwest District resumed in-person meetings at The Golden Lamb in Lebanon Aug. 18, with a virtual option. Guests included ODJFS staff with updates on Family First and Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption representatives discussing Wendy's Wonderful Kids expansion. Updates from the regional training centers, PCSAO and each county were also provided. The district meets again Oct. 20.
History of racism in children services detailed as part of learning series
PCSAO's Race, Equity and Inclusion Learning Series continued Aug. 17 with an in-depth look at the history of children services and its impact in policy and practice on families of color, primarily Black and Native American. National and Ohio-specific history was covered. The two-hour webinar, provided by the Center for the Study of Social Policy, made clear how 19th and early 20th century initiatives continue to play out today as part of the structural racism that has led to a disproportionate number of children of color in foster care. More than 70 agency leaders participated. A reflection session on the training will be Sept. 20.
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START Summit a huge success
Ohio START held a successful in-person summit Aug. 10. Approximately 200 program staff, partners and supporters came together for a full day of training and collaboration. Read the full story here.
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PCSAO 2021 Annual Conference |
Registration is open!
Registration for PCSAO's 2021 annual conference is now open. We have 45 exciting in-person workshops as well as a hybrid option. Information is available on our conference webpage. We hope you can join us!
Become a conference sponsor
The conference is an opportunity to reach more than 500 children services professionals across the state. The audience includes child protection caseworkers, supervisors, administrators, attorneys, directors, students and advocates. As a sponsor, you will benefit from face-to-face networking, organization logo included in conference material, on-site sponsorship recognition and publicity on PCSAO’s website. Exhibitor tables may be limited in number depending on health measures in effect at the time of the conference. Become a sponsor here. If you have questions, contact Cassandra Freeland.
Thanks to our World Champion Sponsors
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With PCSAO’s Annual Conference next month, we are working hard to make this a great event and we need your help! As we have done in the past, we are collecting gift baskets from agencies to be raffled off during the conference. These gift baskets will serve to engage attendees and show appreciation for all involved. Most gift baskets feature a theme. No matter what theme you choose, please be sure that your basket is family friendly (no alcohol) and appeals to a wide audience.
Gift basket ideas include (but are not limited to):
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Supporting Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses – assorted goods from women- and minority-owned businesses (a helpful business directory can be found here)
- Game Night – Snacks, games, cards, and other activities
- County Inspired – Anything inspired by or made in your county
- Autumn – Candles, décor, fall snacks, flavored coffee grounds, etc.
- Rainy Day – Books, movies, snacks, comfy wear, etc.
- Salty & Sweet – Assorted salty and sweet snacks
- Self-Care – Notebook, aroma therapy, lotions, soaps, candies, bath bombs, etc.
- Sustainability – Reusable water bottle, shopping bags, straws, etc.
For planning purposes, notify Anne Potts at anne@pcsao.org by Friday, Sept. 17 if your agency is interested in providing a gift basket. Baskets can be brought directly to the conference.
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Annual conference keynote speakers |
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Dr. Rachel Mitchum Elahee will be our keynote speaker on Thursday, Sept. 30. She is a leadership expert who challenges audiences to choose the habits, actions and mindset necessary to achieve life satisfaction, professional productivity, and peace of mind. Dr. Rachel’s work has inspired a wide range of audiences, and her down-to-earth humor compels audiences to laugh while they learn. She is a licensed psychologist, certified executive coach, and author of the book “Choose You! Reignite Your Passion For Life.” Dr. Rachel earned her PhD from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. |
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Molly Tierney will be our keynote speaker on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Molly is a Managing Director and the Child Welfare Industry Lead in Accenture’s North America Public Sector Practice, where she leverages her 25+ years of expertise to enable states and cities to improve outcomes for vulnerable citizens. Prior to joining Accenture, Molly spent 10 years as the director of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services where she managed the city’s child welfare and public assistance programs. During that time, she developed a reputation as a passionate reformer of foster care. In five years, the number of children in foster care declined 60 percent, while adoptions increased 60 percent. |
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ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder |
PCSAO is honored to have ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder as our breakfast speaker Friday, October 1. Director Damschroder is no stranger to the important work of children services agencies. He and his wife have two adopted children. They understand the importance of supporting families and children. His commitment to children services issues and to children services staff really come through when you meet him. Prior to joining ODJFS, Damschroder served as director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services and in the office of then-Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted as well as leading the Franklin County Board of Elections. A native of Columbus, he holds an M.A. in Public Policy and Management from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and a B.S. in Business Administration from the Max M. Fisher College of Business, both at The Ohio State University. |
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Pre-Clearance: The following rules are open for comments until Sept. 4:
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Rule 5101:2-38-01 - Requirements for PCSA family case plan for in-home supportive services without court order.
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Rule 5101:2-38-05 - PCSA family case plan for children in custody or under protective supervision.
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Rule 5101:2-38-07 - PCPA family case plan for children in custody or under court-ordered protective supervision.
Clearance: The following rule is open for comments until Aug. 25:
Filed with JCARR: The following rule was original-filed on Aug. 13:
The following rule was original-filed on Aug. 17:
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Resources and Announcements |
Senators introduce bill to fix Family First congregate care issue
Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) have introduced a bill (S. 2869) to clarify that facilities meeting the new Qualified Residential Treatment Program requirements created by the Family First Prevention Services Act should not be considered an Institution for Mental Disease (IMD) under Medicaid. Without the targeted carve out, facilities with more than 16 beds would be prohibited from drawing down Medicaid funds for any behavioral or physical health services provided to foster youth residing in such a facility. While not intended when Congress adopted Family First, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services subsequently issued guidance warning that such facilities would be considered IMDs, making them Medicaid ineligible. PCSAO and the County Commissioners Association of Ohio have joined more than 500 national, state and local organizations in signing on to a letter supporting the measure. County agencies and other stakeholders can sign on here.
Cangelosi appointed to lead Ohio Family and Children First Council
As Ohio Faily and Children First Council makes its transition from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, ODJFS announced that Elisha Cangelosi has accepted the OFCFC Executive Director position. Elisha brings more than 23 years of knowledge and experience at both the state and local levels. Most recently, she had stints leading OhioRISE at the Ohio Department of Medicaid and directing clinical efforts at Franklin County Children Services. Congratulations, Elisha! Her expertise and experience will help strengthen council modernization efforts, MSY priorities, and implementation activities with OhioRISE and Family First prevention services.
2021 OhioMHAS Peer Recovery Support Conference Aug. 24-25
OhioMHAS is hosting the 2021 Recovery Support Conference: Onward and Upward in Unity virtually Aug. 24- 25. The purpose of the conference is to support Peer Recovery Supporters in enhancing their skills and gaining knowledge. Click here to register by Aug. 23. For questions, please e-mail peerservices@mha.ohio.gov.
NCWWI, Children's Bureau offer worker recognition event
As part of Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week Sept. 13-17, the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute and the Children's Bureau are hosting a one-hour virtual recognition event on Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. This year’s speakers will talk about the ability to positively influence a life's trajectory through the heart, the head, and the hands. This event is all about celebrating the people who do so much to empower children, youth, and families facing a variety of life challenges and obstacles. Register here.
Free workshop on implementing equity Sept. 21
The Center for Implementation is offering a free virtual workshop Sept. 21 on “Practical Guidance for Embodying Equity in Implementation!” The workshop will introduce multiple perspectives that show how to approach equity in implementation and get closer to embodying these essential principles for real-life impact, and will also offer tools to make sense of the equity landscape. Register here.
CDF releases latest KIDS COUNT data
The Children's Defense Fund-Ohio released its 2021 KIDS COUNT County Profiles featuring indicators of child wellbeing in health care, safety, homes and communities, finance and education. See the data here.
ODE resources on educational stability
As school resumes, the Ohio Department of Education has a webpage dedicated to educational stability for children in foster care. View it here.
Buckeye Health Plan added to Medicaid MCOs
The Ohio Department of Medicaid announced that Buckeye Health Plan will remain one of Ohio’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations. Buckeye was not one of the six vendors announced last spring. Last week, ODM announced that it had reviewed Buckeye’s application again and awarded a contract.
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Child Protection in the News |
According to the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office two former Scioto County Children Services employees have been indicted for child endangerment.
Whether because of a lack of computer access, lack of awareness or mistrust, about 180,000 children in Ohio are not benefitting from the government’s enhanced Child Tax Credit program.
But two large holdouts could bring down amounts expected by area governments.
A lawsuit seeking to compel the state of Ohio to pay relatives who take in children the same amount as foster parents has been dismissed, but the attorney who filed it said an appeal is coming soon.
State Senator Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, this week introduced Senate Bill 216, also known as Dylan's law, which would establish requirements the parent of an infant who has been exposed to substance abuse must meet before being reunited. This stems from a horrible case in Scioto County where an infant, Dylan Groves, was abused, neglected, died and was subsequently discarded in an abandoned well.
On Feb. 9, 2018, the Family First Prevention Services Act became federal law. This new legislation reforms federal child welfare financing to provide services to families who are at risk of entering the child welfare system. Ohio is required to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act by October. This act has the potential to transform Children Services and allow for a greater focus on supporting families and keeping them intact. Wayne County Children Services welcomes the opportunity to further persevere in its mission of "strengthening, preserving and empowering families, while ensuring that all children are protected from abuse and neglect."
The foster care system took a huge hit during the pandemic. "Once the pandemic was done, we did a lot of investigations for families, and unfortunately, a lot of those kids came into our care," explained Alisa Grass. Grass is a supervisor in Stark County's Children Services Division. She works closely with foster parents and those willing to open up their homes. "Four-hundred is how many kids we have in our custody, " said Grass. "That's a huge number."
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Calendar and Job Postings |
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Aug. 25 | Ohio START Leadership Council
Aug. 27 | Conference Committee Meeting
Sept. 1 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Note: Some meetings will be held via web and others in-person.
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Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself?
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