Association Updates
Download the PCSAO conference app
Conference week is here! The Conference App is now available. You must be registered for the conference to gain access. Download the ConferenceBeat Event App to prepare for the 2019 PCSAO Annual Conference. Resources, attendee directory, notifications ... all at your fingertips! For Android and Apple users, search for ConferenceBeat Event App in the App Store/Google Play. You can also access the app from your smartphone, tablet, or PC's web browser
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NGA Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
PCSAO Executive Director Angela Sausser had the opportunity to present at and attend the National Governors Association’s Human Services Policy Advisors Institute Sept. 11-13 in Chicago. Topics of discussions included fostering child and family well-being; a public health approach to preventing child abuse and neglect; meaningful work support strategies; innovative ideas for Family First implementation; addiction and human services; the value of parent partnerships including birth families, fathers, and kinship families; and issues of equity, aging, and economic mobility. Sausser presented on a panel focused on aligning across systems to promote a framework for well-being. She provided the historical context for Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet Council and then highlighted key child welfare opportunities that could benefit from a cross-system approach. The institute concluded with Lynn Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families discussing what is on the federal horizon.
Family First Leadership Committee meets
The ODJFS Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Leadership Committee held its eleventh meeting Sept. 17. The committee received the latest federal update pertaining to the Administration for Children and Families’ decision to not allow states to claim Medicaid expenditures on evidence-based practices toward the 50 percent of evidence-based expenses on well-supported programs. The committee was presented with two additional recommendations from the QRTP Subcommittee. The first was a family-based aftercare support definition, which was approved; the second was on QRTPs providing six months of aftercare support and discharge planning, which was also approved. The FFPSA Executive Committee has been asked to weigh in on the level of care tool and the third-party assessor requirement for QRTPs. The Executive Committee plans to release communication in early October related to FFPSA decisions thus far. Staff from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) attended the meeting, as they are now on contract to assist with the prevention services planning. The CSSP staff shared that they will be facilitating a two-day retreat in October for the Prevention Services Subcommittee. The committee received updates from the remaining subcommittees including PCSAO’s Tiered Treatment Foster Care Workgroup, OhioKAN, model licensing standards, communications, child fatality, and Chafee. The FFPSA Leadership Committee meets next Oct. 17.
Tiered Treatment Foster Care Workgroup moves closer to recommendations
PCSAO and the ODJFS Office of Children Services Transformation hosted the next-to-last meeting of a representative group of public agencies, private providers, foster and birth parents, and associations working to expand the number of tiers for treatment foster care and looking at innovative ways to improve outcomes for children with high-acuity needs. The group's final meeting is Oct. 21.
PCSAO welcomes Jennifer Millisor
PCSAO is very excited to announce that Jennifer Millisor will be joining PCSAO as the Ohio START Program Manager. Jennifer previously served as the Hamilton County Children Services Project Manager implementing START in Hamilton County. She also held an Assessment Manager position while there. Prior to her tenure at HCJFS, she was the Director of Quality Improvement at St. Joseph Orphanage, where she served for 10 years. Jennifer received her Master of Public Administration from Northern Kentucky University. She is looking forward to the next Columbus Clippers season and is a perfect fit for managing the Ohio START technical assistance program. We look forward to her joining the PCSAO team Oct. 2.
Northwest District directors plan shared foster care recruitment effort
At a meeting of the Northwest District of OJFSDA, Fred Lord (Williams) and Mike Morrow (Auglaize) presented a plan to recruit one or more shared foster family recruiters across multiple counties. The effort would help small counties that would otherwise not be able to afford a full-time recruiter build a local network across county lines. Plans are moving forward should other county directors wish to get involved.
Anti-human trafficking update
On Sept. 17, PCSAO and grant partners provided an all-day human trafficking training to Pickaway County Job and Family Services and community partners. On Sept. 20, PCSAO and grant partners presented about the Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking grant project at the University of Toledo's International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference.
HOPE update
HOPE parents Danica Pirgle of Fairfield County and Deanne Williams of Richland County presented the primary (birth) parent perspective at a workshop for the Ohio CASA conference Sept. 19. Their presentation was well received, generating questions and conversation with the CASA representatives. Several people came up after the workshop to personally thank the parents for sharing their stories. Look for a similar workshop at PCSAO’s conference this week.
Rules updates
Rules in Pre-Clearance: As of Sept. 19, no children services-related rules were in Pre-Clearance.
Rules in Clearance: As of Sept. 19, no children services-related rules were in Clearance.
Rules filed with JCARR: The following rules were final-filed on Sept. 17 and will be effective Oct. 31.
- 5101:2-33-55 Education and in-service training requirements for PCSA caseworkers
- 5101:2-33-56 Education and -in-service training requirements for PCSA supervisors
