 |
A quick rundown of Ohio child protection news this week
|
|
Weekly Update for August 5, 2019
|
Association Updates
Conference registration: Discounts end Aug. 17
Registration for the annual conference scheduled Sept. 25-27 is now open! Check out the
conference registration brochure
for the list of workshops, make your selections, and
register early
to take advantage of discounts. Rates increase after Aug. 17. One- and two-day rates are available in addition to the three-day registration fee. Hotel reservations must be made separately.
Gift baskets are a great opportunity to support the conference in a fun and creative way. This is a chance to highlight unique local offerings like desserts, specialty drinks and more. Gift baskets can be brought to the conference location on Sept. 25. This is one of the major highlights of the conference. We thank you for your contributions and participation!
To learn more about the various sponsorship and exhibitor packages and to register,
click here
. If you have any questions or would like more information about these opportunities to support the child welfare community,
contact Nitina Francis
via email or phone at 614-224-5802. Opportunities for sponsorships and exhibit tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis., so register early, but no later than Sept. 1.
Ohio START seeks PCSAs to join Cohort 3
The application for PCSAs to join Ohio START’s third cohort is now open. The link in last week's update was incorrect.
Apply here
. The application will close on Aug. 23 and PCSAs will be notified of acceptance by Sept. 5. For any questions, please reach out to
Fawn Gadel
.
Last chance to apply for Ohio START positions
PCSAO is looking to build its Ohio START team to continue to support the program as it expands across the state. PCSAO has posted several positions, but the application window closes today.
- Technical Assistance Consultants: PCSAO seeks five regional technical assistance consultants to assist with the implementation and sustainability of the Ohio START program by providing direct technical assistance to Ohio START grantees. The consultant will be responsible for providing technical assistance including adhering to model fidelity and enhancing collaboration among community partners in one of the five Ohio START regions. This is a part-time position and will report to and work closely with the Ohio START Program Manager and other staff as identified. This position will require travel, mainly in an assigned region and to Columbus for meetings. It is estimated that the consultant will work 20-25 hours per week. You can view the position description here and submit your resume, cover letter and three professional references through the application form no later than today.
- Family Peer Mentor Consultant: PCSAO seeks a Family Peer Mentor Consultant to assist with the recruitment, certification and management of the Ohio START program’s family peer mentors. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor Consultant will work with the Director of Ohio START and Ohio START Program Manager to aid local Ohio START grantees to recruit, train and certify family peer mentors. This is a part-time contract position that will report to and work closely with the Ohio START Program Manager and other staff as identified. This position will require travel, possibly across Ohio, to provide technical assistance to Ohio START grantees. It is estimated that the consultant will work 20-25 hours per week. You can view the position description here and submit your resume, cover letter and three professional references through the application form no later than today.
Community Education Committee meets
New state budget investments, upcoming levies, kinship and adoption months, and caregiver licensing standards were topics for discussion on the Aug. 2 conference call of the Community Education Committee. (The Journalist of the Year was also selected and will be revealed at the conference.) Messaging strategies and opportunities with voters and constituents around each of the topics made for good conversation. The committee meets next Oct. 4 to continue training on video production.
Governor appoints Spirk to Early Childhood Advisory Council
On July 31, Gov. DeWine appointed members to the Early Childhood Advisory Council including Kathi Spirk, Clinton County JFS Director and PCSAO President. The Early Childhood Advisory Council provides input and guidance to the Governor's Office on early childhood programs. ECAC membership includes a diverse array of stakeholders from early childhood programs, schools, health, social services, unions, philanthropy and other groups. PCSAO extends congratulations to Kathi on this special appointment.
Learn more about ECAC
.
Rules update
Clearance: ODJFS has drafted a new rule regarding the $5M/year Foster Parent Recruitment Allocation included in the state budget, Sub. HB 166. These funds are provided to PCSAs for staff to provide foster parent recruitment, engagement and support activities. Review and comment
here.
|
Announcements and Resources
Opportunity to participate in supporting evidence building in child welfare
The Supporting Evidence Building in Child Welfare Project invites child welfare agencies and others to nominate themselves and a program or service to be evaluated. The project, funded by the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in partnership with the Children’s Bureau, conducts rigorous evaluations of interventions for the child welfare population. It focuses on evaluating interventions that already have some evidence of effectiveness. The goal is to increase the number of interventions that are considered by the field to be supported or well supported by evidence. At this time, the program is particularly, although not exclusively, interested in evaluating programs or services in the following areas: community-based primary prevention models, mental health prevention and treatment services, substance abuse prevention and treatment services, in-home parent skill-based programs, kinship navigator programs, and programs for transition-age youth. The project cannot fund the provision of services. The project is looking for programs or services currently operating or that are being planned for rollout in the near future. The project is seeking nominees willing to conduct a rigorous evaluation, which may involve randomly assigning clients to receive the intervention or to services as usual. For more information about participating in this project, visit the
OPRE website
. Submit a brief description of the intervention, the nominee's name, and contact information
here
by Aug. 30.
Trust Fund seeks applications
The Ohio Children’s Trust Fund is making funding available through its revised Statewide Grant Application. Organizations interested in supporting OCTF’s mission to prevent child abuse and neglect through investing in strong communities, healthy families and safe children are encouraged to apply. The maximum amount of funding available to individual applications is $75,000, with matching funds or in-kind contributions of 20% required. Due dates are Sept. 3 and Nov. 1. More information pertaining to application guidelines and required application forms can be
found online
.
Child welfare, Family First communications resources available
Casey Family Programs has published a series in response to
Questions from the Field
of child welfare leaders. Topics include improving child safety, building supportive communities, creating agency cultures where it’s safe to talk about safety issues, congregate care, and engaging constituents. The series includes a number of case studies from cities, counties and states. Together with partners, Casey Family Programs launched
FamilyFirstAct.org
for sharing resources related to the federal law, including communications resources such as social media messages and a tool kit developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
HUD's launches new Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has unveiled a
new initiative known as FYI
that will extend the Family Unification Program (FUP) for youth to all non-FUP Public Housing Authorities, and will allow referrals to be timed with emancipation. Communities can immediately begin partnering to serve youth. A weekly forum with the youth and housing experts who worked with HUD to design FYI will take place throughout the month. Participants on the call can get their questions answered, hear suggestions about implementation and learn how to access tools to help youth access stable housing as a platform for success. All webinars are noon to 1 p.m.; register at the link.
Connect foster families to Head Start
Children in foster care (as well as those who are homeless or from families receiving public assistance) are categorically eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start services regardless of income. Be sure that foster families are aware of this option;
learn more about Head Start
.
|
Child Protection in the News
Many young people, particularly those aging out of foster care, Avondale Youth Center or the detention center, struggle with stability. Housing is often an issue and many times those young individuals find themselves couch surfing or back in the environment that caused their placement in alternate care, with no idea how to change their situation. Thanks to matching state mental health grant and much planning by the administration at Allwell Behavioral Health Services, a former office was recently transformed into a supportive living opportunity.
Montgomery County and the union representing 270 of its child welfare workers will be in an unusual - if not unprecedented - closed-door session today with the judge who temporarily halted the workers' strike. Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Skelton ordered Children Services Division management and the Professionals Guild of Ohio (PGO) representatives along with state mediators to court at noon to give him a history of their respective offers over the past six months.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine highlighted investments Tuesday about his recently signed 2020-2021 state operating budget, which includes $675 million in funding focused on student wellness and success. The initiative will provide schools with resources to address the social and emotional needs of students.
Getting that first job is a major step for any teen; learning what it's like to earn both a paycheck and responsibility. For teens in the care of Franklin County Children Services, it's a vital step towards the next phase of their lives. Which is why FCCS partners with groups to help these young adults succeed.
MANSFIELD – The Board of Richland County Children Service (RCCS), is seeking a new executive director to serve as a collaborative leader and ...
In 2018, the Columbus Dispatch cited a report by Public Children Services Association of Ohio that children in the state are entering foster care at an ...
The Public Children Services Association of Ohio praised the budget as as "the single biggest investment in child and family services ever made by ...
|
Aug. 7 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Aug. 9 | Conference Planning Committee Meeting
Aug. 13 | Ohio START Steering Committee Meeting
|
"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
|
Public Children Services Association of Ohio | 614-224-5802 |
www.pcsao.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
