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A quick rundown of Ohio child protection news this week
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Weekly Update for July 1, 2019
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Association Updates
State budget passage delayed
As of publication, the House and Senate have failed to reach a compromise on the biennial budget (HB 166). Instead, the legislature passed a 17-day extension while the chambers reconcile differences between the two versions of the budget. As a result, any new investments in children services will be delayed until Gov. DeWine is sent a bill to sign, but continuation funding will be in place.
Executive Membership gathers for two-day summer meeting
The summer meeting saw a large turnout and a busy agenda with opportunities for member input. The membership was briefed on Family First implementation progress by their peers, Medicaid managed care preliminary recommendations, tiered treatment foster care, and Cuyahoga County's LGBTQ project and implications for SACWIS. The pending biennial budget was a big topic of conversation, as were other legislation and rules. Many thanks to ODJFS staff for providing updates and interaction and to the Prevention Action Alliance for information on medical marijuana and its intersection with child protection. Finally, members bid farewell to Richland County Children Services Director Patty Harrelson (see below). Meeting materials are available on PCSAO's webpage for members. The next membership meeting will be Dec. 5-6.
2019 PCSAO conference updates: Sponsorship, exhibit tables
The PCSAO annual conference is an unrivaled opportunity to network with more than 500 children services professionals from across the state. This year’s conference theme is “
Champions for Children and Families,”
and the focus of the conference will be improving child protection best practices and supporting the children services workforce. The audience includes child protection caseworkers, supervisors, administrators, attorneys, directors and advocates. Sponsorship registration is now open, along with exhibitor registration. To learn more about the various sponsorship and exhibitor packages and to register,
click here
. If you have any questions or would like more information about these opportunities to support the child welfare community, contact
[email protected]
or by phone at 614-224-5802. Opportunities for sponsorships and exhibit tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis., so register early, but no later than Sept. 1.
Executive transitions
Patty Harrelson stepped down as executive director of Richland County Children Services effective July 1. PCSAO presented Patty with its 2019 Leadership Award at the membership meeting June 28, and we wish her the very best in her next endeavor. Nikki Harless will serve as interim director.
Ohio START Program Manager position
PCSAO seeks a program manager to assist with the management and implementation of the Ohio START program. In this role, the program manager will focus on the oversight and management of technical assistance required and provided to Ohio START grantees. The Ohio START Program Manager will create regional technical assistance hubs, recruit and manage personnel providing direct technical assistance to the grantees and work closely with our national START partners to ensure technical assistance meets model fidelity. In addition, the Ohio START Program Manager will assist the Director of Ohio START with general program management and community collaboration. You can view the
position description here
and submit your resume, cover letter and three professional references through the
application form
no later than July 22.
Holiday closing notice
PCSAO will be closed Thursday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday, and staff will be out of the office on Friday, July 5. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
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Announcements and Resources
Ohio Accelerated Safety Analysis Protocol (ASAP) holds forums
The Bureau for Systems and Practice Advancement (BSPA) will be holding regional forums for Public Children Services Agencies (PCSAs) to provide information on Ohio Accelerated Safety Analysis Protocol (ASAP) and upcoming opportunities for Ohio. The meetings are designed to promote critical thinking and to be a support to the caseworker and supervisor. The Ohio ASAP forums also serve as an opportunity for field staff to meet the ODJFS staff who may collaborate with them to implement Ohio ASAP.
To ensure all agencies have the opportunity to participate in a session, PCSAs are asked to send no more than the following number of representatives dependent upon agency size to one of the five available presentations: Small/Medium-Small (2 participants), Medium/Large (3 participants), and Metro/Major Metro (5 participants). Each session will run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The schedule is as follows:
- July 10: Northeast Ohio Regional Training Center, 264 South Arlington Ave., Akron
- July 15: Southeast Ohio Regional Training Center, 2099 E. State St., Athens
- July 18: Southwest Ohio Regional Training Center, 420 Wards Corner Rd., Suite J, Loveland
- July 24: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 4020 E. 5th Ave., Columbus, A119
- July 25: Allen County Children Services, 123 W. Spring St., Lima
Email Jackie Morris Bell at
[email protected]
with the forum location and first and last names of staff who will be attending. You may also email Jackie or call her at 614-387-8135 with any questions.
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Child Protection in the News
A proposal to band together cities and counties to negotiate with drug companies they are suing over the opioid epidemic was put on hold Tuesday, as the proposal’s architects asked for more time to make modifications.
Cathy Hill, executive director of Athens County Children Services, said that number has grown in recent years as the number of children in Ohio’s foster-care system has jumped from around 12,000 a few years ago to over 15,000 now.
The 16 Butler County Children Services foster kids who graduated high school this year have spent a total of 77 years in the foster care system and beat the odds to get their diplomas, officials said.
After three local children died in separate incidents of abuse at the hands of a mother's boyfriend, Lucas County Children Services took action to confront the problem head-on.
That program oversees the Ohio Means Jobs center as well as Portage County Children Services.
Bernardinelli said when the homeless student is a minor, Children Services steps in.
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July 11 | Rules Review Committee Meeting
July 12 | Conference Planning Committee Meeting
July 15 | Legislative Committee Meeting
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“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." - Denis Waitley
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Public Children Services Association of Ohio | 614-224-5802 |
www.pcsao.org
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