Reach Scholarship application remains open

The Ohio Reach scholarship is a $1,000 renewable award given each semester to cover costs associated with schooling. Applicants must have been in the custody of a public children service agency for at least one day after the age of 13 and must be enrolled either part-time or full-time pursuing a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor's degree at an accredited higher education institution in the state of Ohio. High school students must have accepted an offer from a post-secondary institution in the state of Ohio. Students may complete the application through June 1.

Upcoming CANS trainings

Upcoming CANS training dates and registration information can be found here. These virtual trainings are sponsored by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and are free for Ohio's System of Care workforce.

OSPF offers in-person professional development trainings

Through a federal grant, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is offering training this spring and summer. The professional development training will focus on suicide prevention, risk assessment, safety planning, and treatment for mental and behavioral health professionals. Registration is open for the following trainings. Space is limited.

Upcoming training:

• Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) is an evidenced-based treatment framework used to assess suicidality and specifically treat suicide risk. This three-part training provides mental health professionals with essential knowledge in using the CAMS framework to collaborate with patients in the treatment of their suicidal drivers. The next training will be held May 26 in Toledo.

All trainings:

• Zero Suicide Institute’s Safety Planning Training (good for BH and primary care providers) offered Aug. 11 in Cleveland.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) offered by application June 7-9 in Columbus.
• Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) offered May 26 in Toledo, June 26 in Youngstown, and July 28 in Athens.
• Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) offered June 16 in Cleveland and Aug. 18 in Toledo.
• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR) offered June 1 in Cincinnati, and July 14 in Toledo.

May 19 – Foster care advocates promote cultural inclusivity – The Blade

Knowing how to advocate properly for a youth in foster care can change a child's life.

May 18 – Nonprofit Fostering Further honored by Ohio Children's Trust Fund – Newark Advocate

Licking County's Fostering Further, a nonprofit organization that helps children in foster care, was recently honored by the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF) for their work in promoting and preserving the well-being of children.

May 16 – As court considers child’s adoption, father cannot seek visitation rights from another court – Court News Ohio

A county juvenile court cannot grant visitation rights to the father of a child when placement for adoption was approved by a probate court in a nearby county, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled.

May 15 – The odds are stacked against foster youth, but we can help: Kate Brown – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Angela Williams, like five of her siblings, was placed in foster care as a child. Angela keeps tabs on all of her siblings, but there is only one with whom she is close.

May 15 – College-bound Ohio foster youths face barriers accessing resources – Public News Service

Foster youths transitioning to adulthood are being left behind when it comes to college degree attainment and resources. New data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that in 2021, 12% of youths with experience in foster care in Ohio were enrolled in college or technical school - and just 4% accessed financial assistance, far less than the national average.

May 15 – Immersive technology enhances social service workforce development training program – Training Magazine

OhioGuidestone has been serving Ohio for more than 150 years, offering services that range from youth mental health services and foster care to substance abuse counseling. In 1999, OhioGuidestone added another community support service to its portfolio: a workforce development program called Workforce 360°.

April 28 – 'Through the Eyes of a Child' murals introduced at Renaissance Theatre – Mansfield News Journal

Richland County Children Services, Mankind Murals Inc., and the Mansfield Arts & Culture Sector collaborated to raise awareness about child abuse, foster care, and kinship by unveiling several new murals, called "Through the Eyes of a Child – Painting for Prevention and Adoption," on Wednesday at the Buckeye Imagination Museum and The Renaissance Theatre 166.