PCSAO Weekly Update: February 24, 2025

Weekly Update: February 24, 2025

Association News

Metro leaders meet

Directors and senior leaders from metro PCSAs met for their first quarterly meeting Feb. 20. Trumbull County Children Services presented on its efforts to track and incentivize caseworker success toward Best Practice, CPOE, and CFSR measures. County updates and discussion focused on workforce, CQI reporting, prevention, immigration, and virtual children services board meetings, among other topics. The next meeting will be May 15.

Conference Committee meets

The Conference Planning Committee met Feb. 21 to select a conference theme, recommend keynote speakers, and brainstorm workshop topics. Presenter applications for the conference are now open through May 1. The committee will meet next on April 18.

Ohio START

Save the Date: 2025 Ohio START Summit

The 2025 Ohio START Summit will take place May 13-14 at Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center near Columbus. This event brings together more than 200 caseworkers, supervisors, behavioral health providers, and family peer mentors for networking and learning how best to serve Ohio's families struggling with co-occurring child maltreatment and substance use disorder. Registration is anticipated to open in March. Learn more on the event website.

Award nominations now open!

Each year, Ohio START recognizes agency staff and partners for their service to Ohio families. For the first time, Ohio START will also honor an Ohio START Family of the Year. Those working on START teams are encouraged to nominate outstanding Ohio START caseworkers, supervisors, family peer mentors, community partners, and families to be honored during the 2025 Ohio START Summit. See here for information about who is eligible for each award and to submit a nomination. Nominations are due April 1.

Sponsor the Ohio START Summit

The Ohio START Summit is a great opportunity to reach Ohio professionals serving families affected by substance use and child maltreatment. Sponsors can benefit from face-to-face networking, brand promotion, and more! Learn more about the available sponsorship levels and sign up here. Space is limited. Sponsorships will close April 14.

Rules Update

Clearance

As of Feb. 21, there are no children services-related rules in clearance.

Filed with JCARR

As of Feb. 21, there are no children services-related rules filed with JCARR.

2025 PCSAO Annual Conference

About the conference

PCSAO's 40th annual conference will take place Oct. 1-3 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton, inviting children services professionals from around Ohio for 3 days of learning, networking, and celebrating past accomplishments while looking ahead to the future.

Presenter application now open!

PCSAO is now accepting presenter applications for the 2025 PCSAO Annual Conference. PCSAO is seeking unique workshops 1-3 hours in length that can be offered for social work/counselor CEUs and/or CLEs. Learn more and complete the application here. The deadline to apply is May 1.

Request for training topics

In order to provide the most valuable and relevant content, the PCSAO Conference Planning Committee is seeking recommendations for training topics that are not currently offered through OCWTP or easily accessible elsewhere. Your suggestions will help tailor the conference to better meet the needs of those working in the field. Submit a training idea here.

Resources and Clips

Resources and Opportunities

DCY Tuesday Times

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth shares updates and other pertinent information pertaining to children services and other program areas in the Tuesday Times newsletter. To view previous versions of the Tuesday Times, click here.

Family Justice Journal features PCSAO

The Winter Issue 2025 of the Family Justice Journal, "The Practice of Connection," is now available on the Family Justice Group website and features an article on elevating healing and building relationships written by PCSAO Executive Director Anglea Sausser, PCSAO Director of Strategic Initiatives Mike Kenney, and Kaye Implementation & Evaluation Executive Director Sarah Kaye. This issue also features a poem written by Onita Morgan-Edwards, a kinship caregiver and keynote speaker at the 2024 PCSAO Annual Conference, and artwork by her granddaughter.

OJFSDA Annual Training Conference registration opens

Registration for the Ohio Job & Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA) Annual Training Conference is now open through April 23. The conference will be held May 8-9 in Columbus and welcomes participation from agencies beyond county job and family services. Standalone children services, child support, workforce agencies, and other community partners are encouraged to attend. Learn more and register here.

Child Protection in the News

Feb. 20 – Lucas County Children Services Ohio START Certification making a difference for families (video) – WTOL11

Tionna Jackson and Brandi Amonnette from LCCS talk more about the Ohio START program.

Feb. 20 – ‘It’s a new start’: Charity helps youth aging out of foster care set up their first homes – Cleveland Plain Dealer

After aging out of foster care and surfing couches for a couple of months, Jacobs was able to get his own place, but he had nothing to put in it.

Feb. 20 – 15,000 adoptions and counting: Wendy’s foundation helping more foster kids find homes, including in Cleveland – Cleveland Plain Dealer

As a recruiter for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, part of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, Jon Wymer has been helping Cuyahoga County youth who linger in the foster care system find relatives and other connections, before they age out.

Feb. 19 – Local counties team up for new foster care program - WKBN.com – WKBN

Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula County Children Services announced on Wednesday the establishment of the Northeast Ohio Treatment Foster Care Collaborative, focusing on specialized care for children who have experienced trauma from neglect and abuse.

Feb. 19 – New treatment and foster home program to benefit Meigs and Gallia counties – WV News

Athens County Children Services announces the creation of the Treatment Foster Home program in partnership with Jackson County Job and Family Services, Perry County Job and Family Services, Meigs County Department of Job and Family Services, and Gallia County Department of Job and Family Services.

Feb. 18 – Division of Children and Family Services pulling fewer families ‘into system’ – Signal Ohio

The division has dramatically reduced the rate of “screening in,” or launching investigations into families following reports of possible abuse or neglect, according to Lara Parks, DCFS’s administrator of performance evaluation.

Calendar and Job Postings