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OHIO FAMILY & CHILDREN FIRST COORDINATORS ASSOCIATION
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SAVE THE DATES: 2018 OFCFCA ANNUAL MEETING
OCTOBER 22 & OCTOBER 23, 2018
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$5M Families and Youth in Crisis TANF Funding
With the upcoming release of the funding application, we wanted to take the opportunity to provide an overview of the requirements needed to access the $5M in TANF funding to assist families in crisis who are at risk of relinquishing custody in order to receive needed services. The SFY 2018-2019 State Biennium Budget designated use of earmarked Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for provision of supports to families at risk of relinquishing custody of their children solely for the purpose of obtaining needed services. Pursuant to Section 307.96:
FAMILY AND YOUTH IN CRISIS of the foregoing appropriation item 600689, TANF Block Grant, $5,000,000 in each fiscal year shall be utilized to provide services to youth with complex care needs whose parent or legal guardian is at risk of relinquishing custody of the youth in order to access needed services. Funds shall be administered pursuant to division (A)(3) of section 121.37 of the Revised Code.
Here is a brief overview of the major funding requirements:
- Child must have identified needs across multiple systems;
- Families must meet the at risk of custody relinquishment threshold and income eligibility standard (200% or below FPL);
- An eligible service and support directly linked to TANF Purpose 1 must have been provided and paid for; and
- Youth/Family must be enrolled in the county Family and Children First Service Coordination (FCFC) Process.
The designation of these funds are for families who are in crisis and are at risk of relinquishing custody in order to receive services. We are aware that there is a lack of flexible funding available to meet the needs of multi-system youth and families, but these restrictive funds are only to be used for those families that meet the at risk of custody relinquishment threshold. How counties arrive at this designation is a local decision, but a decision that must be carefully considered against the nature and the intent of the funding.
We are working with our partners at OhioMHAS and ODJFS to expedite the application review, approval and payment process so there is as little time as possible between submission, approval and receipt of approved funding. This is a top priority for all involved in this review process and we hope to have it down to as little as two weeks from beginning to end.
We are committed to the success of this initiative, and we will be available to consult on any cases where counties are considering the use of these funds. We will be reviewing the submitted applications for trends and other data analysis for considerations of any needed adjustments moving in SFY 2019.
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CELEBRATING FAMILIES!
SUE GIGA
Many of us know that those at greatest risk of becoming the next generation to deal with addictions are the children in families currently impacted by addictions. "Celebrating Families!" offers hope for breaking the cycle. This program is recognized on the National Registry of Evidence Based Practices from SAMHSA and has demonstrated efficacy in improving the rate of family reunification and decreasing the amount of time for reunification to occur. The primary focus of the program is to provide support, education, and early intervention to families experiencing issues with addiction and/or mental illness and to strengthen the ability of those families to meet the challenges of parenting and nurturing their children. Like other parenting program this program is designed to reduce risk factors and increase resiliency. What makes this program unique? In addition to serving the whole family, this program incorporates recovery concepts with healthy family living skills. Topics covered include dealing effectively with anger, improving coping skills, and increasing the family's ability to make good decisions. Nutrition, alcohol and other drug facts, and information about chemical dependency are also covered. It is a 16-week program and each session begins with a family meal. Age-appropriate information and activities are provided for children of various ages.
Through funding from the Four County ADAMHS Board, A Renewed Mind (ARM) and others recently finished training in providing Celebrating Families! ARM is a behavioral health provider that offers both addiction and mental health services. Still in the planning phase, ARM will be starting the program in Defiance, Fulton, Henry, and Williams counties. There are hopes to expand the program to other counties served by ARM as funding can be found.
Given the structure of the program, successful implementation will depend on cross-system collaboration and community support. Many of the organizations that will need to be on board are already sitting at your Family and Children First Council table.
If you would like information about how the program is working in the four-county area, contact Jeff Howell. Jeff is the Clinical Director for Wood County Services and one of the key figures at ARM involved with Celebrating Families. Jeff's email is [email protected]
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW???
STILL CONNECTING THE DOTS!
TRISH FRAZZINI
What was your role at FCFC and how long were you there?
I was hired as a 20 hour per week contract employee in February, 1997, and the position title then was Coordinator for the Wyandot County Family & Children First Council. Over the 12-1/2 years I was there, the position expanded to a full-time county employee position. When I left in August, 2009, the title was for the position had become Executive Director.
Where do you work now and what are you doing?
I left FCFC to work for Marion Technical College, where I had started classes the same Spring quarter I had started my new position with the FCF Council. I began at MTC as a part time First Year Advisor, working with non-traditional and at-risk college students, and the other half of my job was as faculty, teaching in their Human and Social Services (HSS) program. I have been teaching for the college full time in the HSS program for about six years now.
Was there anything you learned while with FCFC that helped you after you left-professionally and/or personally?
There are not enough words to convey how much FCFC helped me, both personally and professionally. From almost the moment I started working for FCFC, I was also a non-traditional adult college student. Over those 12 years, my work with FCFC helped with my education, and my education helped me with my work. It was a symbiotic relationship from the time I began both, and continued throughout my career with FCFC, all the way up to and past earning my Master's degree.
Personally, the relationships and friendships formed with my FCFC colleagues, as well with my local colleagues, provided a support system that had a profound and lasting impact on my life. The collegiality among our FCFC colleagues across the state demonstrated the strength and power of people working with a common passion and a common purpose - which was the ultimate well-being of families and children in our communities and in our state. The FCFC concept and the various strategies were, to me, cutting edge. The variety of talent and expertise of FCFC Directors from 88 counties was an incredible resource from which all could draw. Attending monthly or semi-monthly statewide meetings where our colleagues shared their strategies, gifts, and knowledge always caused me to leave re-energized, inspired, humbled, and better prepared to meet the challenges in my own community and council. The annual retreats provided an incredible opportunity for rejuvenation, networking with local and state officials, and a chance to delve deep into issues that really mattered.
The dynamic collective of the FCFC Directors provided a richness of perspectives that broadened my worldview. I had the privilege of, for that time, being a part of a shared vision of what is possible when people whose personal values align with who they are and what they do. The knowledge and skills I learned from that experience have carried over into my personal life, and was the foundation from which I still draw from in my current position. The FCFC experience helps me bring real-life examples and concrete lessons about what it means to have a strengths-perspective, to be family-centered, to collaborate, to navigate agency politics and personality challenges of people in positions of power and authority, and to look at issues from a systems-thinking perspective. Through these memories, experiences and trainings (some formal, some on-the-job-figuring-it-out in the moment), FCFC, in one way or another, touches my students every day. FCFC is still having an influence on future social workers, counselors and others whose passion for social justice, human rights and personal dignity for all will be applied in practical and yet profound ways.
Is there anything you miss about FCFC?
Absolutely! I miss the people, more than anything. It has been difficult staying in touch, as life happens and peoples' circumstances evolve and change in their careers and personal lives. I also miss not always having an immediate finger on the pulse of the state and local policies, but having students placed in various agencies for their college practicums helps me stay abreast, to a certain extent. Although there is camaraderie where I work now, the FCFC camaraderie was unique, and I miss that particular dynamic that got us out of our element, out of our counties, and exposed us to the realities of a bigger picture. Each of us was a unique piece of a bigger puzzle - we all had our own shapes, sizes, quirks, and challenges. But when we all got together, we had to sometimes find where we fit in, but ultimately we all fit together nicely and it just worked. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity and privilege it was to work with such great people, and I hope only the best for them, as well as for the current and future FCFC Directors - who face even more challenging times. I would encourage all who do this work to continue taking advantage of the knowledge, expertise and wisdom of your FCFC colleagues, they will keep you sane and are a great resource to guide you through the tough times. They can relate to you in a way that no one else in your county is likely able to do, and that is a resource that should not ever be overlooked or undervalued.
Thanks Trish!
If you know any former FCFC Coordinators/Directors, or anyone involved with FCFC on a local or state level, please ask them to contact me at [email protected]. We would love to hear how they are doing.
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WEBSITE OF THE QUARTER
SUE GIGA - OFCFCA
AUTISM SPEAKS
April 2 has been designated World Autism Awareness Day and the month of April has been designated World Autism Month. This is a great time to share information with your FCFC members, families affected by autism, and your community. AUTISM SPEAKS is a great website for anyone looking for information about autism. The "Adult/Families" section focuses on resources and includes some very good tool kits. There is a "100 Day Tool Kit" for families, with a child four and under, who has recently been diagnosed with autism. Basic information about, and resources for, autism are covered. For example, there is a section on getting your child services. Everyone can download the tool kit for free and a hard copy is available for a nominal amount. Families with a child diagnosed within the last six months can get the hard copy free. There is also a tool kit for school-aged children. Another tool kit is designed to help individuals develop and use skills needed to effectively advocate. Families with a child who has autism will also find some useful and practical tool kits on a wide range of topics such as medication, sleep difficulties, visiting the dentist and physician, financial planning, and IEPs. The website has another section dealing with research. This area includes information about the "top ten autism studies of 2017" and the funding priorities established by Autism Speaks. Two other sections are "Advocacy" and "Getting Involved". The former includes information about federal and state initiatives. The latter has information about upcoming walks, events, and partners. Autism Speaks organizes Autism Walks across the county. There are three such walks scheduled in Ohio in 2018: Cincinnati (May 19), Toledo (9/17), and Columbus (10/7). The website provides a lot of information about the walks and provides tools for walkers, team captains, and sponsors.
Another good resource about autism is OCALI's website. OCALI presented a breakout session at the association's annual meeting and the folks who attended reported they learned a lot.
(http://ocali.org/)
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WELCOME
EMILIA BAKER (MERCER)
JENNIFER COLEMAN (MADISON)
BECKY SCHERMOND (FULTON)
JASON KING (UNION)
ANNA MEYERS (WILLIAMS)
IDE OKOJIE (MARION)
BETH RACE (BUTLER)
SYDNEY SLAGLE (CARROLL)
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FAREWELL
VANESSA BERHALTER (BELMONT)
ROBIN KEMP (WILLIAMS)
KAREN PENNINGTON (FULTON)
MARCY WATTERSON (MARION)
HEATHER WELLS (BUTLER)
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THANKS TO SHERRY BALDWIN FOR FILLING IN AS COORDINATOR IN MADISON & UNION UNTIL JENNIFER AND JASON WERE IN PLACE!
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HERE'S WHAT YOU THINK!
Question of the quarter: What circus act reminds you most of your job as FCFC Coordinator/Director?
Here are your responses with some explanatory comments!
CLOWN
....trying to make folks feel comfortable, and feel a part of things, while all the time looking about for opportunities to pull just the right people into the drama!
JUGGLER/JESTER
...we have to keep so many balls in the air and do it all with a smile
TRAPEZE ARTIST/TIGHTROPE WALKER
..without a safety net
RING MASTER
...trying to get everyone on task and doing what they are supposed to be doing.
PLATE SPINNER
...Lion Tamer, Ringmaster...depends on the day
AND FINALLY-
IF YOU ASKED A YEAR AGO, I WOULD HAVE SAID MAYBE A JUGGLER AS WE ALWAYS HAVE SO MANY THINGS GOING AT ONCE, BUT LATELY, I FEEL MORE LIKE ONE OF THOSE CLOWNS IN THE LITTLE CARS...WE DO SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE...ALL THE WHILE SMILING (WELL, MOST OF THE TIME ANYWAY)!
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DUE DATES
OFCF
April 2, 2018
FCSS Reimbursement Form
April 2, 2018
SFY18 Projected Expenditure Form
April 13, 2018
SFY19 OCBF Grant Application
April 13, 2018
SFY19 Designation of Administrative agent Form
April 13, 2018
Revised County Service Coordination Mechanism
May 10, 2018
FCSS Reimbursement Form
June 5, 2018
FCSS Reimbursement Form
June 30, 2018
End of State fiscal Year
Last Day to Provide SFY18 FCSS Services & Support
DON'T FORGET...
A cash basis report is due to the State Auditor's Office 60 days after the end of your council's fiscal year.
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OFCFCA MEETINGS
April 27, 2018
(
Association State Meeting
)
May 18, 2018 (Executive Committee Meeting)
June 22, 2018, 2018 (
Association State Meeting)
OFCF REGIONAL MEETINGS
May 15, 2018 (Canton)*
May 16, 2018 (Zanesville)*
May 17, 2018 (Jackson)
May 17, 2018 (Findlay)
May 23, 2018 (Dayton)
* Hosting the Wraparound Learning Community Session from 1:00 to 4:00.
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ALWAYS CHECK IF IN DOUBT!
Things change and typos occur so always check with the sponsoring group if in doubt about any due date or meeting/training date.
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APRIL = CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH
April was first declared Child Abuse Prevention Month by presidential proclamation in 1983. Since then, April has been a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse. The majority of child abuse cases stemmed from situations and conditions that can be preventable when community programs and systems are engaged and supportive. A community that cares about early childhood development, parental support, and maternal mental health, for instance, is more likely to foster nurturing families and healthy children. A body of research has identified factors known to prevent and reduce child abuse and neglect. These factors-including parental resilience, nurturing and attachment, social connections, knowledge about parenting and child development, social and emotional competence of children, and concrete supports for parents.
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