Weekly Update: January 31, 2022
Association News
PCSAO district meetings
The Southeast District met virtually on Jan. 24 and received a presentation about the University Partnership Program and updates from the ODJFS Office of Families and Children Training Unit. PCSAO and Southeast Trustees provided updates related to Family First, OCST recommendations related to kinship, workforce crisis research, and the next PCSAO membership meeting. Southeast PCSA directors provided county updates. The Southeast District meets next on April 25.

The Northeast District met Jan. 24 for updates and discussion. The district will meet virtually throughout the year. The group wished Julie Barnes of Summit County Children Services and Lori O’Brien of Lake County JFS all the best in their coming retirement. The next meeting is April 25.

Legislative Committee meets
The PCSAO Legislative Committee met on Jan. 24. The committee heard PCSAO updates, reviewed several recently introduced bills, and discussed current work on pre-petition legal representation. The committee next meets on Feb. 28. 

Partners for Ohio’s Families Advisory Board meets
The ODJFS Partners for Ohio’s Families Advisory Board held its first meeting for 2022 on Jan. 25. ODJFS provided information and updates pertaining to foster parent recruitment and retention incentives for public and private agencies, progress on the development of Tiered Foster Care, initial plans for Phase II of prevention services, QRTP compliance progress, and plans for establishing the state and federal Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KGAP) by January 2023 as one of the OCST recommendations.

Streamlining Access to Information Task Force to break into committees
The legislative task force examining ways to make JFS information systems more efficient and improve customer experiences met for its third meeting Jan. 25. Chaired by Rep. Jim Hoops, the task force focused on updates from state partners regarding improving information sharing among SACWIS, Ohio Benefits, and other information systems. The task force will break into committees to finalize recommendations and then reconvene in March.
Ohio START
Four new counties to join START
Ohio START announced that four new counties will join Cohort 5: Clark, Hancock, Knox and Sandusky.
“We are pleased to bring the Ohio START model to more families around Ohio with the addition of Cohort 5. At a time when agencies are adapting to many changes in the area of child protection, I am glad that these agencies have made joining Ohio START a priority,” said Ohio START Director Fawn Gadel. “Ohio START shows that with intensive services and support, parents can overcome addiction and children can remain safely in the home or be reunified as part of their recovery.” Read more here.

Join our team!
PCSAO is seeking a program coordinator to assist with the implementation of Ohio START and the advancement of best practices within children services. See the job posting here. Sound like a good fit? Apply here.
Rules Update
Pre-Clearance: The following rule is open for comments until Feb. 5:
  • Rule 5101:2-33-26 - The county child abuse and neglect memorandum of understanding. (DRAFT)
 
The following rule is open for comments until Feb. 13:
  • Rule 5101:2-47-18 - Title IV-E foster care maintenance (FCM) program reimbursability: Reimbursements related to the difficulty of care needs of a child placed in a foster home, relative home, or pre-finalized adoptive home.
 
The following rule is open for comments until Feb. 24:
  • Rule 5101:2-36-12 - PCSA requirement for cross-referring reports of child abuse and/or neglect.
 
The following rules are open for comments until Feb. 25:
  • Rule 5101:2-5-36 - Additional requirements for an agency that acts as a representative of ODJFS in recommending treatment foster homes for certification.
  • Rule 5101:2-7-16 - Additional requirements for a treatment foster caregiver and a treatment foster home.
 
The following forms are open for comments until Feb. 5:
 
Clearance: As of Jan. 28, there are no children services-related rules in clearance.
 
Filed with JCARR: As of Jan. 28, there were no children services-related rules filed with JCARR.
Resources and Clips
Resources and Announcements
ACF to host national call to action webinar on race equity Feb. 3
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will host a national call-to-action webinar via livestream on Feb. 3. The webinar covers the release of “Equity in Action: Prioritizing and Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Information Memorandum,” which promotes racial equity as a critical factor to advance economic and social well-being of children, youth, families, individuals, and communities through the administration and delivery of human services. It will include:
  • Background information about ACF’s actions and the significance of racial equity.
  • Agency-wide and program-specific action taken by ACF to advance Equity in Action.
  • Action that stakeholders within the field can take to advance equity.
 
Register here.

Children and Family Futures releases QIC briefs
Children and Family Futures (CFF) released two briefs highlighting the efforts of the National Quality Improvement Center for Collaborative Community Court Teams (QIC-CCCT). QIC-CCCT staff, partner agencies, and consultants worked intensively with 14 demonstration sites to design, implement, and test approaches that support families affected by prenatal substance exposure. The goal was to improve safety, permanency, well-being, and recovery. Find more information here, and find the briefs below.

ODM, Aetna schedule February OhioRISE listening sessions
In February, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and Aetna Better Health of Ohio are offering listening sessions for behavioral health advocates, providers, and older youth and families who will receive services through OhioRISE. Participants will be asked to give their thoughts on what’s working, what isn’t working, and what Aetna Better Health of Ohio (the OhioRISE plan) can do to support youth and families starting in July. The sessions are designed to inform Aetna and ODM on how to best implement the OhioRISE program and support meeting communities’ needs. Find more information here, and register here.
Child Protection in the News
On the heels of the state’s deadliest year of overdoses in 2020, the Supreme Court of Ohio is leading the charge for local courts.

A group representing public children services agencies in Ohio said local agencies are experiencing a placement crisis and are caring for an increasing number of children with developmental disabilities, mental health issues and delinquency. 

Jan. 17 - Youth homelessness remains a problem in Ohio – Ohio Capital Journal
Statistics don't tell the whole story as the pandemic throws into sharp relief issues the state's been having for years, including homelessness and its impact on Ohio students. 
Calendar and Job Postings
Feb. 2 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Feb. 3 | Rules Committee Meeting
Feb. 4 | Community Education Committee Meeting

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?