Weekly Update: April 12, 2021 |
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Multi-agency workforce survey out this week
Working with all of the county human services associations -- including the Ohio Job and Family Services Directors’ Association, the Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agency Directors’ Association, the Ohio Workforce Association, and the JFS Human Resources Association -- PCSAO will be sending an important workforce survey to county agencies this week. HR professionals in each agency are encouraged to prioritize the survey and provide requested information within a two-week window. The survey includes questions about compensation and benefits (historically a JFSHRA survey), turnover, demographics, and other key HR data points. Questions about the survey can be directed to Scott Britton.
Save the date! PCSAO’s Annual Conference Sept. 29-Oct. 1
PCSAO will hold its 41st annual conference in person this fall at the DoubleTree Worthington Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The theme this year is “Facing the Future Together: Our World, Our Commitment.” Look for more information soon!
Butler County Transition
As of April 6, Julie Gilbert is the acting Executive Director over Butler County JFS, and Shannon Glendon is the acting director of Children Services. Congratulations to both on their new positions. We look forward to working with them.
PCSAO trustees meet
The PCSAO Board of Trustees met virtually on April 7 and approved March 5 minutes and February 2021 financial report. Trustees discussed and approved establishing an investment committee to the Board, creating a new full-time grant-funded position, holding the June Executive Membership Meeting and the 2021 annual conference in-person, and supporting two legislative bills. Trustees received updates from the legislative committee and on specific priorities. The board will meet virtually next on May 5.
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START featured in RALI Ohio podcast
Ohio START is featured in a new podcast from RX Abuse Leadership (RALI) Ohio. The podcast focuses on the complex and interconnected issues of substance misuse and addiction, mental health disorders, and public children services in Ohio, all of which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is moderated by Candace DeMatteis from RALI. Listen in to hear insights from Rep. Susan Manchester, who sponsored HB 8 last year with the goal of improving Ohio’s system for training and approving potential foster caregivers; Scott Britton, assistant director of PCSAO; and Joe Abdalla, a former law enforcement officer who now dedicates his time and expertise to help prevent substance misuse and addiction. Listen here.
We are hiring!
Ohio START is seeking a regional manager to assist with management and implementation of our program, focused on the development and oversight of technical assistance in a specified region of the state. Read more and apply here.
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State and Federal Updates |
Gov. Mike DeWine made the following announcements this week:
- Gov. DeWine has asked Ohio's local health departments and vaccine providers to coordinate with local high schools to offer Pfizer vaccinations to high school students who are 16 or older. Pfizer is the only vaccine that is currently approved for children as young as 16.
- Although COVID-19 has affected older Ohioans more significantly, children are not immune to getting sick with coronavirus. In some rare cases, kids can develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Since the start of the pandemic, 166 Ohio children have been treated for this syndrome.
- According to Dr. Dustin Fleck, chief of rheumatology at Dayton Children’s Hospital, symptoms develop 2-4 weeks after a child has a COVID infection. The syndrome is characterized by fever and inflammation throughout the body, specifically targeting the heart. It can also target the gastrointestinal system, liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain.
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Parents should look for symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, swelling of hands and feet, and redness of eyes. Dr. Fleck's full explanation of multisystem inflammatory syndrome is available on the Ohio Channel's YouTube page.
- Lt. Gov. Jon Husted highlighted a scholarship that boosts Ohio’s efforts to strengthen the state’s workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The scholarship, part of the Choose Ohio First (COF) program, will support an estimated 3,400 Ohio students who are new to the program, along with an additional 3,000 existing COF scholars. It will support students at 57 colleges and universities. The scholarship awards a total of $69,826,882 over the next five years.
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Ohio Department of Medicaid |
Aetna selected as OhioRISE MCO
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) selected Aetna Better Health of Ohio to serve as the specialized managed care organization for children with the most complex behavioral health needs under the new OhioRISE (Ohio Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence) program. OhioRISE will address gaps in Ohio’s health care system that currently result in 140 Ohio kids living out of state on any given day in order to access the behavioral health services they need. Some families also voluntarily relinquish custody to children services agencies just to access needed care for their children. Aetna will work with ODM and the Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet Council to implement a child- and family-centric model that includes new targeted services and intensive care coordination delivered by community partners. Aetna will also coordinate with the state’s Medicaid managed care organizations and the new single pharmacy benefit manager to ensure medical and pharmaceutical services and supports are integrated in the child’s comprehensive health plan. Click here to read the full news release.
ODM selects six managed care plans for Medicaid's next generation
ODM announced that it selected six organizations to lead the department’s evolution of managed care services for more than 3 million patients and thousands of medical providers. The selection comes after more than two years of intensive stakeholder engagement. These six companies will begin covering members in early 2022. Patients will continue to receive services with their current plans through the transition period and will have the opportunity to select a new plan through an open enrollment period beginning in late summer. Read the announcement here. The companies are:
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Inc.
- Humana Health Plan of Ohio, Inc.
- Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc.
- AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio, Inc.
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- CareSource Ohio, Inc.
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Child Abuse Prevention Month |
Children services caseworkers chosen as Everyday Ohio Heroes
The Ohio Children’s Trust Fund has selected two children services caseworkers as Everyday Ohio Heroes during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Rachel Workinger has been an independent living specialist at Wayne County Children Services for 15 years. She credited the motivation of the youth she serves and the support of her colleagues for her success. Watch her video here.
OCTF also honored Sharon Fenton of Allen County Children Services posthumously. Sharon was also an independent living specialist for 16 years. She loved the teens she served and had a great rapport with them. She treated them as her own children and attended their important events. She passed away unexpectedly in October 2020, and she will be greatly missed. Learn more about her here.
Don't forget #OhioWearsBlue on April 14!
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. On April 14, we celebrate #OhioWearsBlue in recognition of the fact that child abuse is preventable, and it takes the entire community to ensure that children grow up safe. Remember to wear blue and post your photos to the Ohio Wears Blue Facebook page.
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Pre-Clearance: As of April 9, there are no children services-related rules in Pre-Clearance.
Clearance: The following rule is in Clearance until April 12:
Filed with JCARR: The following rule was Amendment Filed on Apr. 8 with an effective date of Apr. 18:
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Resources
Case Western offers child welfare fellowship
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve is relaunching its Child Welfare Fellows Program in fall 2021. Through the fellowship, a cohort of Ohio’s public child welfare employees will earn scholarships to pursue master’s degrees in social work, focused on child welfare leadership and supervision. Find more information here.
Chapin Hall offers Family First toolkit
Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago has created a toolkit to provide a systematic way for jurisdictions to think through their vision and plan the activities that will help them reach their goals -- from targeting audiences, to engaging stakeholders, to aligning family service plans with the policy. Read more here.
Ohio Commission on Fatherhood offers mini-grants
In recognition of the importance of involved, committed and supportive fathers, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood will award up to 15 mini-grants to nonprofit organizations and/or government entities that host two-day father-child events in June. Organizations selected will be reimbursed up to $4,000 for eligible expenses incurred in June 2021. Applications are due April 22 by 3:30 p.m. Find the application and more information here.
YWCA Northwest Ohio annual Stand Against Racism event
The YWCA of Northwest Ohio will hold its annual Stand Against Racism event April 22-23. Speakers include Dr. Barbara Love and Jawanza Kunjufu. Cost is $50. Register here.
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Child Protection in the News |
More than 26 months after Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the revamp of a state setup that was facilitating an ongoing “rip-off” of Ohio taxpayers, the winners of contracts to lead sweeping changes in the $20 billion Medicaid managed care system were unveiled Friday.
Ohio is launching a new program aimed at coordinating care for kids with complex mental and behavioral health issues. It's part of a plan to keep families intact while seeking treatment.
Cuyahoga County reported 69 overdose deaths in March, and a surge of overdose deaths to begin the year has the county on pace to eclipse the record number of overdose deaths it reported back in 2017.
Five years ago, Jerry and Karen Freewalt faced a gut-wrenching choice: Should they give up custody of their 17-year-old daughter so she could get the health care she desperately needs?
Gov. Mike DeWine announced a program called Ohio RISE through the Ohio Department of Medicaid Monday. The nearly $1 billion dollar program would connect families with much-needed behavioral health services.
Butler County Children Services officials say that despite the coronavirus pandemic, they have been successful keeping families intact when possible.
A plan to change ballot language for tax levies across Ohio has support from a group which calculates property taxes and opposition from entities which spend them.
The director of Richland County Children Services says the number of reports of possible child abuse last year was down because of the COVID pandemic. Nikki Harless discussed the issue with commissioners Thursday as they marked the start of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
April 1st marks the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Allen County Children Services started it with a special ceremony.
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Calendar and Job Postings |
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April 15 | Northwest District Meeting
April 16 | East Central District Meeting
April 19 | Legislative Committee Meeting
Note: Meetings will be held via web meeting until further notice.
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Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself?
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