Weekly Update: September 27, 2021
Association News
Legislative Committee meets
The PCSAO Legislative Committee met on Sept. 20.  Among other business, the committee reviewed SB 216, To enact Dylan's Law regarding parental custody of infants born substance exposed, and discussed implementation planning for new provisions in HB 110 that permit the court to hear and determine a request for a court order to examine and interview a child who may be abused, neglected, or dependent. The committee will continue to meet virtually at least through the end of 2021 and next meets on Oct. 18. 

Race, equity learning series offers reflection opportunity
PCSAO’s Race, Equity and Inclusion Learning Series continued Sept. 21 with a reflection session on last month’s training on the history of racism in children services. Participants shared their thoughts and observations on how agency practice should change to improve outcomes for Black families. The training series, generously supported by Casey Family Programs and led by the Center for the Study of Social Policy, concludes Oct. 19 with a webinar on implicit bias, followed in November by a reflection session on that training.

PRT Advisory Council reviews evaluation data
The Youth-Centered Permanency Roundtables Advisory Council met Sept. 24 to hear presentations about 30 Days to Family and the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator. Members also spent time with the project’s evaluator discussing promising outcomes demonstrated by the county agencies’ urgent focus on permanency for longstaying youth. 

Human Trafficking Task Force releases resource guide
The Governor's Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force released a comprehensive resource guide for children services professionals to aid in the understanding of and the response to human trafficking. Created by PCSAO's Bhumika Patel (now Ohio START Coordinator but formerly anti-trafficking coordinator), the resource guide includes an overview of federal and state laws related to human trafficking of children, an overview of Ohio’s anti-trafficking policy, and considerations for children services practice.
PCSAO 2021 Annual Conference

PCSAO Annual Conference this week!
We look forward to seeing you this week at our annual conference! Conference attendees received a very important email with instructions this week. Make sure you save it for future reference.

Thanks to our World Champion Sponsors!
Rules Update
Pre-Clearance: As of Sept. 24, there are no children services-related rules in Pre-Clearance.
 
Clearance: The following rules are open for comments until Oct. 6:
  • Rule 5101:2-38-01 - Requirements for PCSA Family Case Plan for In-home Supportive Services without a Court Order.
  • Rule 5101:2-38-05 - PCSA Family Case Plan for Children in Custody or Under Protective Supervision.
  • Rule 5101:2-38-07 - PCPA Family Case Plan for Children in Custody or Under Court-Ordered Protective Supervision.
 
Filed with JCARR: The following rules were final-filed on Sept. 20 with an effective date of Oct. 1:
  • Rule 5101:2-9-42 - Qualified residential treatment program (QRTP).
  • Rule 5101:2-42-12 - Assessment to determine child's placement into a qualified residential treatment program.
 
The following rules were final-filed on Sept. 20 with an effective date of Sept. 30:
  • Rule 5101:9-6-24 - Multi-system youth (MSY) funding.
  • Rule 5101:9-5-01 - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) fiscal agent responsibilities for the comprehensive case management employment program (CCMEP).
  • Rule 5101:9-5-02 - Comprehensive case management employment (CCMEP) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth and youth administration allocations.
  • Rule 5101:9-5-03 - Comprehensive case management and employment program (CCMEP) temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) regular allocation.
  • Rule 5101:9-5-04 - Comprehensive case management and employment program (CCMEP) temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) administration allocation.
Resources and Clips
Resources and Announcements
Child welfare law training series offered in October
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Supreme Court of Ohio have partnered with the National Association for Counsel for Children (NACC) again to provide a new Ohio-specific child welfare attorney virtual training series. The series is open to Ohio attorneys who represent children/parents, Juvenile/Family Court staff, children services staff or any community professional interested in learning more about child welfare law. It is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and offered at no cost. In addition, the series is provided as a strategy to increase high-quality legal representation for children and parents involved in children services court cases and further supports multiple Children Services Transformation juvenile justice recommendations. Registration for the series can be completed at Ohio Court Edu on the Supreme Court of Ohio website and closes on Oct. 6. For additional information or questions, contact Debra Copeland or Tequilla Washington. The 2021 virtual training series will consist of the following four sessions (CLEs pending approval):
  • Session 1: Key Advocacy Moments in an Ohio Child Welfare Case, Oct. 7, 5-6:30 p.m.
  • Session 2: In Court and Out-of-Court Advocacy and Collaboration Throughout an Ohio Child Welfare Case, Oct. 14, 5-6:30 p.m.
  • Session 3: Selected Topics in Ohio Child Welfare Law and Practice, Oct. 21, 5-6:30 p.m.
  • Session 4: Evidentiary Laws, Objections, and Trial Advocacy for Ohio Child Welfare Attorneys, Oct. 28, 5-6:30 p.m.
Child Protection in the News
The opioid crisis, which continues to hammer Ohio particularly hard, has always been a personal crisis and a community crisis.

A new study showing that Ohio and Kentucky’s Black residents are suffering an “alarming” rise in opioid overdose deaths has prompted a call for an immediate response to turn around the crisis and save lives.
Sept. 20 - Children Services a reputable defense against abuse - Ledger Independent – Maysville Online
Adams County Children Services is at times the only safeguard between a child and abuse or adverse childhood experiences.

In its Sept. 8 letter to the state, the embattled teen psychiatric facility Sequel Pomegranate announced it is closing. No explanation was given.

The former director of the Toledo Public Schools’ equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives will now oversee such programming for Lucas County Children Services. Hope Bland has been named to fill the newly created position of director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and strategy, a role in which the county agency said she “will ensure that LCCS practices, policies, and plans reflect the organization’s commitment to these values and employs them as a resource agency wide.”
Calendar and Job Postings
Sept. 29- Oct. 1 | PCSAO Annual Conference
Oct. 6 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Oct. 7 | Rules Review Committee Meeting
Oct. 8 | Community Education Committee Meeting
Oct. 8 | Conference Committee Meeting

Note: Some meetings will be 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?