Weekly Update: March 1, 2021
Association News
Crockron named director in Athens County
The Athens County Children Services Board of Directors announced that Otis Crockron is the new executive director. He has been serving as interim director since December. In addition to his service with the CSB, he has experience in finance and he and his wife were licensed in the foster-to-adopt program. We congratulate him and look forward to continuing to work with him. 

Legislative Committee meets
The PCSAO Legislative Committee met on Feb. 22. The committee received a PCSAO update, reviewed several recently introduced bills, and discussed kinship issues. In addition, PCSAO provided an overview of children services funding and policy provisions in HB 110, the 2022-2023 budget. The committee next meets on March 15.  
Ohio START
2020 Impact Report
Ohio START released its 2020 impact report this week. The report provides 2020 data about the program and also features testimonials from participants as well as a success story. Read it here. 
State Updates

  • At a special news conference Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine outlined funding proposals in the biennial budget for children services, discussed the need for reform, and highlighted a Family Peer Mentor with Ohio START.
  • Gov. DeWine announced a loosening of restrictions for sporting and entertainment venues effective March 1 when safety protocols are followed. They may reopen with 25 percent indoor capacity and 30 percent outdoor capacity.
  • New guidance for proms, banquets, wedding receptions, fairs, festivals, and parades is forthcoming.
  • This week, Ohio will receive 310,000 first doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and add new vaccine sites including some Meijer and Walmart locations and more independent pharmacies. Providers that are currently receiving vaccines can anticipate larger shipments.
  • Based on information provided by the federal government, once the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available, Ohio will receive an additional 91,000 doses during the first week.
  • Gov. DeWine announced the launch of a new health equity website on coronavirus.ohio.gov that highlights Ohio's efforts to achieve equity in its pandemic response and provides resources to help communities, agencies, and organizations across the state join in those efforts.
  • As of this week, all doses requested by schools through the state’s vaccination program have been allocated to local providers. Some school staff already received their second dose, and other second dose clinics are underway.
  • Gov. DeWine provided information on the progression of vaccine eligibility in Ohio. Because those ages 65 and older make up approximately 87 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in Ohio, no additional age groups are eligible for the vaccine at this time. Once the demand for the vaccine has been met for those 65 and older, those ages 60 and older will become eligible. After that, those ages 55 and older will become eligible, followed by those ages 50 and up. Individuals in specific small groups that could have an increased risk of exposure to the virus may also potentially be included in the 60 and older vaccination phase.
  • Vaccine eligibility opened up Feb. 15 to those Ohioans at higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Gov. DeWine asked Ohio hospitals and doctors with access to the vaccine to begin to reach out to these patients with the specific medical conditions outlined in Phase 1B to schedule vaccination.
  • In Ohio’s eight state-operated developmental centers, more than 91 percent of residents have accepted their first vaccine. More than 14,000 Ohioans living with developmental and intellectual disabilities who also have a high-risk health condition have received their first dose of vaccine. Ohio is working to complete the vaccination of residents and staff in congregate settings for residential treatment facilities, mental health residential care facilities, and recovery housing.
Rules Update
Pre-Clearance: The following rule is open for comments until March 5:
The following rule is open for comments until Mar. 11:
The following rule is open for comments until Mar. 12:
  • Rule 5101:2-42-12 - Assessment to determine child’s placement into a qualified residential treatment program.
 
Clearance: The following rules are open for comments until March 8:
  • Rule 5101:2-47-01 - Administration of the Title IV-E Foster Care maintenance Program.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-09 - Case Record requirements for foster care maintenance (FCM).
  • Rule 5101:2-47-12 - Title IV-E Foster care maintenance (FCM) Initial determination of program eligibility and reimbursability.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-13 - Title IV-E foster care maintenance (FCM) program eligibility: Legal responsibility requirements.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-14 - Title IV-E Foster care maintenance (FCM) program eligibility: ADC-relatedness.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-15 - Foster care maintenance reimbursability: authorization for foster care maintenance and auxiliary payment reimbursements.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-16 - Title IV-E foster care maintenance (FCM) program: Reimbursable placement settings.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-19 - Foster care maintenance program reimbursability: Reimbursements, Graduation Expenses, and Personal Incidentals.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-20 - Title IV-E Foster care maintenance (FCM) program reimbursability: Supplemental reimbursement for the cost of care for the child of a Title IV-E recipient parent.
  • Rule 5101:2-47-21 - Title IV-E Foster Care Maintenance (FCM) reimbursement for a child placed into a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP).
  • Rule 5101:2-47-23 - Beginning date of reimbursability for Title IV-E foster care maintenance (FCM).

Filed with JCARR: The following rule was original-filed on Feb. 8 with a hearing date of March 17:
 
The following rule was revise-filed on Feb. 10 with a hearing date of March 10:
 
The following rule was original-filed on Feb. 19 with a hearing date of March 30:
 
The following rule was refiled on Feb. 19:
 
The following rules were final-filed on Feb. 22 with an effective date of March 4:
 
The following rules were original-filed on Feb. 24 with a hearing date of March 30:
  • Rule 5101:2-45-01 - Administration of the Title IV-E candidate for family first prevention services (FFPS) program.
  • Rule 5101:2-45-02 - Title IV-E candidate for family first prevention services (FFPS) program eligibility.
  • Rule 5101:2-45-03 - Reimbursement for Title IV-E candidate for family first prevention services (FFPS) program.
  • Rule 5101:2-45-04 - Traditional candidate for Title IV-E foster care.
Resources and Clips
Resources

Safe and Together Institute webinar
The Safe and Together Institute is offering a webinar called “Unraveling the Gender Paradox at the center of the Safe & Together Model” on March 4 from 2-3:30 p.m. David Mandel, founder of Safe & Together, will help participants better identify how practicing without a gendered analysis of parenting expectations and societal dynamics fails the test for accurate, comprehensive and holistic assessments and interventions, and how a behavioral focus allows workers to assess danger and risk in diverse situations including men's violence against women, women's use of violence against men, abuse in same-sex relationships and lateral violence. Register here.

Ohio Animal Welfare Federation offers training on cross-reporting
The Ohio Animal Welfare Federation is offering a training April 6 from 12-1:30 p.m. on Ohio HB 33 from the last General Assembly, which requires cross-reporting of animal and human abuse. The law serves to protect both animals and humans from abuse by requiring that certain professionals engage in cross-reporting of suspected abuse and neglect of companion animals or humans. Cost is $20 for Animal Welfare Federation members and $30 for non-members. Register here.

NASW offers trainings for Social Work Month
NASW Ohio is offering a series of trainings on Wednesdays throughout Social Work Month. The first one is a free ethics training on March 3 called “Don’t share that!” The training will focus on information literacy and will be led by OSU College of Social Work’s Advocacy Director Steve David. Register here, or find more information about the series here.

Ohio Supreme Court offers juvenile court mediation toolkit
The Supreme Court of Ohio has created a toolkit designed to help juvenile judges and court administrators navigate everything from arranging parenting time with temporary custodians to adoption of case plan terms in child protection matters. Read a press release about the kit, or view the kit here.
Child Protection in the News
Calling for a "more compassionate and more child-centered" foster care and adoption system, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlined his request for another large increase in state spending to improve children services on Friday.

The Athens County Children Services Board of Directors announced Monday it has named a new executive director. Otis Crockron was appointed to the position of executive director, effective immediately. Crockron has been serving as interim director of the board since December 2020, according to a press release.
 
Foster-care advocacy groups are hoping federal and state leaders move quickly on COVID relief for older foster kids. The "Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act" is part of the second federal stimulus package signed into law in December. It allows states to extend the age limit for programs to help young people as they transition out of foster care, and increases federal "Chafee" funding, which supports housing, food and other immediate needs.
 
In 1989, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation set out to discover ways to provide needed services to youth involved in multiple systems of care (MSY), as far too often these children were landing in residential treatment facilities and/or in psychiatric hospitalization. These options were costly and did not produce good life outcomes for children. Ohio responded to RWJF’s query and became one of six pilots across the country. In Ohio, the then Cuyahoga County Mental Health Board and Positive Education Program (PEP) co-created PEP Connections, which today operates as a program of Positive Education Program (PEP). RWJF’s hope was that if a program demonstrated successful outcomes, that the State would find a way to create funding mechanisms to bring programs like these to scale.
Calendar and Job Postings
March 4 | Executive Membership Meeting
March 5 | Board of Trustees Meeting
March 5 | Community Education Committee Meeting

Note: Meetings will be held via web meeting for the foreseeable future.

Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself?