Weekly Update: August 29, 2022
Association News
Conference registration will close Sept. 3
Registration for the 2022 PCSAO Annual Conference, "As Our World Turns," is open and will close when we reach capacity or by Sept. 3. Read about the conference agenda, keynote speakers, awards, sponsors, and more on our conference webpage. Register here.
Update at Defiance-Paulding
Amy Simonis has been promoted to assistant director at the consolidated JFS agency; the new child welfare administrator is Shannon Cousino. Congratulations and welcome!
Youth-Centered Permanency Roundtables Advisory Council meets
The YCPRT Advisory Council met Aug. 26 for county updates, introduction of new Kinnect staff who are managing the program and the statewide facilitation pilot, youth and support person survey discussion, and presentation of evaluation data. Outcomes for achieving permanency for youth in care continue to be promising.
Burns, Fisher, Wachtel present at CCAO Symposium
Heidi Burns, Morgan Country JFS Director; John Fisher, Licking County JFS Director; and Mary Wachtel, PCSAO Public Policy Director presented at the CCAO Workforce, Families and Children Symposium Aug. 25. They discussed the workforce crisis, the placement crisis, and placement costs.
PCSAO seeks Initiatives Coordinator
PCSAO is seeking a full-time Initiatives Coordinator to manage grant-related projects and coordinate strategic initiatives that advance children services practice as identified in the Association’s strategic plan. PCSAO is a friendly, collegial team that values diversity. To apply, review the job description for duties and qualifications; submit a cover letter and résumé through the application portal. Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Ohio START
START collaborates with Ashtabula
Ohio START collaborated with Ashtabula County Children Services to develop a training to strengthen partnerships between child protection agencies and community providers. Over 50 participants learned how child protective services are provided to families experiencing caregiver substance use. The training provided an overview of the safety risks and treatment needs of families served by child protection. Key components of the Ohio START model were reviewed, focusing on the intersection of child protection and behavioral health systems. We also explored strategies to develop and maintain effective cross-system partnerships.
Rules Update
Clearance: As of Aug. 8, the following rule is open for comment until Aug. 22:
 
Filed with JCARR: The following rule was final-filed on Aug. 15 with an effective date of Aug. 25:
Annual Conference
Registration now open to everyone!
PCSAO members and non-members are invited to register here.

About the 2022 conference
PCSAO is holding its 37th annual conference Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 19-21 at the Hilton Easton. Our theme, “As Our World Turns,” recognizes that the children services field is in the midst of many changes and it can feel like we are spinning so fast, we can’t slow down. At the same time, the theme employs lighthearted humor around soap operas. Thank you to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for serving as our first-ever conference partner. Read about the conference agenda, keynote speakers, awards, sponsors, and more on our conference webpage.

Call for gift baskets
PCSAO is 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. Basket themes should be family friendly (no alcohol) and appeal to a wide audience. For planning purposes, notify Anne Potts at anne@pcsao.org by Sept. 2 if your agency is interested in providing a gift basket. Baskets can be brought directly to the conference and dropped off at the help desk.

Thanks to our World Champion Sponsor


Thanks to ODJFS for being our Conference Partner!


Thanks to The Buckeye Ranch for sponsoring the conference!
Resources and Clips
Resources and Opportunities
Strategies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses, deaths
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit offers strategies to health care providers, communities, and local governments for developing practices and policies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths.

Integrate SUD treatment with culturally tailored practices
Disproportionalities and Disparities in Child Welfare: A Supplement to Understanding Substance Use Disorder, Treatment, and Family Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Professionals helps child welfare staff implement strategies to increase engagement with families and reduce inequities.

Fathers, children, and families alike benefit from fathers having healthy coparenting and romantic relationships. Child Trends’ new brief for the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation provides fatherhood programs with strategies, policy suggestions, and additional considerations for working with American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) fathers.
Child Protection in the News
 Aug. 22 - Ohio ranks 31st in child well-being - Dayton Daily News
The state of Ohio ranked 31st in child well-being in a state-to-state comparison in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s national 2022 Kids Count Data Book, noting a rise in mental and behavioral health issues experts find concerning.

Perhaps one of the most important parts of back to school activities is the haircuts before the first day. But for some students, a simple haircut can still be a luxury. That’s why Operation Open Heart of Lorain has partnered with Shear Thairapy, 1616 Cooper Foster Park Road in Lorain, to provide those special cuts.

Each Ohio Bar Examination is full of people who want to improve the legal system. For prospective attorney Laila-Rose Hudson, her passion is to reform child welfare. Hudson, who overcame struggles as a foster child, recently took the two-day exam among 970 applicants – the most people to sit for the test since 2016. The bar exam – administered twice a year by the Supreme Court of Ohio – is the last step for Hudson and the others to become a lawyer.

With more than a billion in opioid settlement dollars coming to Ohio, advocates argued it must be directed to evidence-based strategies. Ohio ranked fourth among states in 2020 for drug overdose mortality, with a majority of deaths caused by opioids. Beth Macy, a journalist, wrote the best-selling book "Dopesick," which examined the origins of the opioid epidemic. She said real change can happen at the community level with a shift in mindset, with addiction viewed as a treatable medical illness rather than a moral failure and crime.
Calendar and Job Postings
Sept. 1 | Rule Review Committee Meeting
Sept. 7 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Sept. 12 | Legislative Committee Meeting
Sept. 19-21 | Annual Conference

Note: Some meetings are being held via web and others in-person.
View the full calendar for details.
Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself?