Many of you know Janice Houchins, Stark County FCFC Director. What you may not know, is that before moving to her position in Stark County, Janice worked for fourteen years in the state Ohio Family & Children First Office. Her employment at the Family & Children First Office started in 1998 where she worked first as a Family Engagement Coordinator (two years) and then a Regional Coordinator (twelve years). Having worked at both the state level and the county level, Janice is in a unique position. I had an opportunity in March interview Janice and to find out about her thoughts about Family & Children First.

1. You worked at the Family & Children First Office for a long time. What prompted you to move to a county-level position?

As a Regional Coordinator, I worked with 31 counties. I got to see these counties in action and learn about some really innovative and exciting projects. I wanted to be part of that, be able to more directly impact families get in the mix of it. When I heard of the opening in Stark County, the timing was good for me to make a change and I live in Stark County. Regional Coordinators do a lot of traveling and I was ready to not be on the road so much.

2. What was the best thing about working at the state-level?

I got to see how different councils function and the many ways councils were creative in helping the families they serve. I got to see what worked and what didn't. Working at the state level gave me a broad perspective and I enjoyed sharing ideas and providing support/technical assistance/coaching.

3. You've been in your current position for several years now. What do you find most challenging?

That's easy- trying to find time to get everything done. There is always so much going on and it is hard, at times, to stay focused on the priorities. It is easy to get stretched too thin.

4. What advice would you give to new coordinators/directors?

I would encourage them to get out and meet their council members one-on-one. It is important to get to know them as individuals, find out why they are involved in the council, and what they value about the council. Ask them if they can think of any opportunities for the council

I would also encourage new coordinators/directors to participate in regional and association meetings as much as possible. It is so important to share ideas, find out what is happening, and connect with others who know what you are experiencing. Even if you have a lot of local support, it is unlikely that anyone in your county truly understands what being an FCFC coordinator/director is all about.

All Shared Plans were approved when submitted and we were very impressed with the level of work that has been identified in these plans. A great many of the plans indicated work around Trauma-Informed Care, Multi-System Youth and School Readiness/Success.

The OFCF review only focused on the relationship between the identified Shared Measurement indicators and the listed Mutually Reinforcing Activities. We wanted to make sure that the proper measurement indicators were identified to determine the effectiveness of your chosen activities and their relation to the stated Shared Priority and Shared Outcome.

Based on this review, we are offering a set of recommendations for your review as your county begins developing the initial Shared Plan Update that will be due in July as a requirement for the SFY 2018 Operational Capacity Building Funds application process. These recommendations are only meant to encourage a closer look at the Mutually Reinforcing Activities that were presented, and the best way that those activities could be measured to identify progress towards achieving the stated Shared Outcome and Shared Priority. Your OFCF Regional Coordinator will be in touch soon to provide you with our feedback of your plan.

Current plans do not need to be revised and resubmitted. All revisions can be made as part of the Plan Update process, but we would be more than willing to accept any revisions at any time to ensure that your county's most accurate plan is listed on our website.

Per a request from the association, here a just a few of the counties from each region that could be viewed as models in the way that their county's Shared Plan was developed: Hocking, Lake, Lucas, and Stark counties. There are many more that should be included on this list, but these four counties provide a variety of reach of plans, focus areas of the plan, and work associated with their stated priorities. It really was a great effort by all!

We look forward to working with all of you as you continue to develop and refine your plans over the next few years.