Weekly Update: August 1, 2022 |
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Conference registration opens to all
Registration for the 2022 PCSAO Annual Conference, "As Our World Turns," is now open to the public. Read about the conference agenda, keynote speakers, awards, sponsors, and more on our conference webpage. Register here.
Vote in primaries tomorrow
Tuesday, Aug. 2 is the primary election for Ohio legislators. Please remember to vote! Candidates for Ohio House, Ohio Senate, and various party committees may be on your ballot. Check your county board of elections website for details. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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Santin receives Helen Carroci Child Advocate Award
Michele Santin, left, director of the Jefferson County Department of Job & Family Services, was presented the Helen Carrocci Child Advocate Award for 2022 by Amy Lingerfelt, director of A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center. It is given to a local individual or organization who has exemplified excellence in serving children in the community or has helped with the development and success of A Caring Place or the Jefferson County Multi-Disciplinary Team. Congratulations, Michele! (Photo and information found here.)
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Southeast District meets
Southeast District leaders met July 25 via Zoom to hear updates about OhioRISE, OMJ resume mining, and Kinnect to Family. Updates from PCSAO trustees and staff were followed by roundtable discussions focused on multi-system youth and placement challenges. The district meets next on Oct. 24.
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Workforce recruitment, retention grant FAQ available
Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) about the new $15 million workforce recruitment and retention grant for county agencies were issued last week to assist PCSAs in submitting an application. The document is available upon request and on PCSAO’s Teams site. It will be updated as new questions arise. Applications may be submitted by PCSAs at any time through Sept. 30. Contact workforce@pcsao.org for information and support.
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Northeast District meets
The Northeast District met virtually on July 25. PCSA directors and senior leaders discussed Family First and OhioRISE implementation, the newly announced workforce grant, and PCSAO updates. The district next meets on Oct. 24.
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County transitions
Fairfield County Protective Services Administrator Heather O’Keefe is assuming a new role as JFS deputy director; Sarah Fortner will oversee child and adult protective services for the county. Congratulations to both! Meanwhile, John Folk, director of Hardin County JFS, announced that he will leave that position later this month. He will be missed.
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Ohio START presenting at Peer Support Conference
Ohio START is excited to present at the Ohio MHAS Peer Support Conference 2022, "Uplifting Resilience—A Vital Role of a Peer Supporter." The workshop will discuss how to overcome imposter syndrome, develop resilience skills, and reduce stigma in the workplace. We are proud to have a panel of current Family Peer Mentors to join the presentation and provide their expertise.
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Pre-Clearance: As of July 29, there are no children services-related rules in pre-clearance.
Clearance: As of July 29, there are no children services-related rules in clearance.
Filed with JCARR: The following rules were final-filed on July 25 with an effective date of Aug. 5.
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Rule 5101:2-47-21 - Title IV-E foster care maintenance (FCM) reimbursement for a child placed into a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP).
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Rule 5101:2-47-23.1 - Title IV-E agency contracting and contract monitoring.
The following rules were original-filed on July 28 with a hearing scheduled for Sept. 1.
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Registration now open to everyone!
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.
Become a sponsor!
The PCSAO Annual Conference is an opportunity to network with more than 500 children services professionals across Ohio. See our sponsorship flyer for more information regarding sponsorship levels and benefits. See a preview of the application here. Ready to become a sponsor? Complete this form. Sponsorship closes Sept. 1.
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
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Thanks to ODJFS for being our Conference Partner!
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Resources and Opportunities |
OhioRISE PCSA office hours scheduled
The Ohio Department of Medicaid launched OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence) on July 1. OhioRISE is Ohio’s first-ever highly specialized program to help youth with complex behavioral health and multi-system needs who are served by Medicaid. All PCSAs are invited to attend special office hours available each Friday from 10-11 a.m. through Aug. 26 to get OhioRISE questions answered and problem-solve any issues. To join these office hours, click here. For more information about the launch of OhioRISE, click here.
OFC trainings announced
The following trainings are available through the Office of Families and Children:
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AFCARS 2020 Build 4.21: Aug. 10, 1-2 p.m. - Children services staff and administration are invited to attend the one-hour training, which will focus on the updates to AFCARS, the elements implemented in SACWIS Build 4.21, and a review of that functionality. Register for the training here.
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Best Practice: Timely Assessment/Investigation: Aug. 23, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon - Children services staff and administration are invited to attend a panel representing several counties that earned Best Practice Incentives during the first award period. They will lead a conversation focusing on facing and overcoming challenges to completing timely assessments/investigations, including ways to build the practice in your own county. The panel members include Danielle Swendal (Knox County), Tami Ward (Sandusky County), Sarah Dirksen (Shelby County), and Megan Rhoades (Wyandot County). The conversation will be moderated by the Children Services Training and Development Team. Register for the panel discussion here.
Ohio’s approach to strengthening relationships kickoff training
Following the July 21 webinar on strengthening relationships between birth families and foster parents, OFC has scheduled smaller sessions that will allow regions to go through the training content in a more interactive way. If you have questions, contact the Training Team at OFCTraining@jfs.ohio.gov. Links to register by region:
SAFY family services conference registration opens
Join SAFY Aug. 31 for the 2022 Clinical Innovations in Family Services virtual conference. Four sessions will be presented, with the opportunity to receive 5.25 CEs. Click here for a viewing of the promotional video and register here.
Kempe Center's A Call to Action to Change Child Welfare virtual conference
The Kempe Center is gathering an international community of 3,000 participants from the United States and 19 other countries at its virtual conference Oct. 3-6. This eco-friendly event will showcase 60 hours of concurrent learning opportunities over four days. Review the agenda here and register at the conference website.
American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys conference
Registration is now open for the American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys (AAHHSA) annual education conference. The conference will be in Columbus Oct. 9-12 at the Sheraton Hotel at Capitol Square. This year’s conference includes several breakout sessions that specifically address children services topics. In addition, ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder is featured as the keynote speaker for the Opening General Session Oct. 10. Visit the AAHHSA conference website to register and for more information. Early registration ends on Sept. 9.
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Child Protection in the News |
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The first of 18 annual payments is on the way to local governments participating in Ohio's opioid settlement. The payments represent the first round of money from the $808 million OneOhio settlement with Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmeriSource Bergen pharmaceutical companies. Knox County received its first payment of $26,924.64 last week.
The head of the Lucas County Children Services is set to retire this fall. The agency announced Friday that Executive Director Robin Reese plans to retire at the end of October 2022 after serving the community for 38 years. Reese appointed agency social services director Donna Seed to interim deputy director in an effort to ensure a smooth transition leading up to her retirement. Reese was named executive director of Lucas County Children Services in 2016. The interim deputy director, Donna Seed, has worked with the agency for nearly 30 years and was named social services director in 2018.
Michele Santin presented Helen Carrocci Children Advocate Award. Michele Santin of Toronto always wanted to be a social worker. “God has always planted a seed in me to care for children,” explained the director of the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services in the moments before being presented the Helen Carrocci Child Advocate Award for 2022, a validation of her career choice.
An area organization is trying to fill in the gap to help kids aging out of foster care. Keion Siler said he had a rough childhood, and he had to group up fast. "We were homeless at times, we lived in shelters," said Siler, "I stayed in the house by myself and took care of myself, sold things out of our house so that I could have food," he said. She's now the community engagement director at Found Village. She said they're currently helping about 60 teens who've gone through the court system or foster care. They noticed a gap, with young adults, who've aged out of the foster care system.
The Franklin County coroner revealed some 2021 death statistics to WOSU ahead of the release of the office’s annual report. The data shows a new “designer” version of fentanyl is on the rise and suicides increased that year after a lull in 2020.
We're joined by Elissa Mallett, a foster care coordinator for Guernsey County Children's services to discuss the organization and how you can become a foster parent!
Being pro-life means protecting life at all stages. More than ever, it is crucial for pro-life states and the pro-life community to support women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies with more than words, but also with constructive actions
Portsmouth Daily Times
On Thursday, Scioto County Commissioners voted to expand an upcoming tax levy which would provide millions of dollars to Scioto County Children's Services as it struggles to accommodate backlogged cases and a higher number of children in residential placement. Commissioners Cathy Coleman, Bryan Davis, and Chairman Scottie Powell unanimously voted to proceed with the submission of the expanded tax levy to Ohio electors. The original levy, which would have allocated one million dollars to Scioto County Children's Services (CPS), has replaced the original one million dollars and added two more, for a total of three million dollars.
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Calendar and Job Postings |
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Aug. 3 | Board of Trustees Meeting
Aug. 5 | Community Education Committee Meeting
Aug. 17 | Southwest District Meeting
Aug. 19 | Conference Committee Meeting
Note: Some meetings are being held via web and others in-person.
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Looking for a career in child protection? Or a new position to challenge yourself?
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