Register: Aetna OhioRISE fall regional partner forums

Regional forums will bring together partners from across child-serving systems to strengthen relationships, discuss shared challenges, and identify practical solutions that improve outcomes for youth with complex needs and their families. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with regional partners, share promising practices, and engage in meaningful discussions focused on strengthening local systems of care and exploring key OhioRISE initiatives and priorities. Forums will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and conclude by 4:30 p.m. Register here by Oct.5.

• Northwest: Oct. 9, Hancock Hotel & Conference Center, Findlay
• Central: Oct. 3. OSU Fawcett Center, Columbus
• Northeast: Oct.14, Kent State Hotel & Conference Center, Kent
• Southwest: Oct. 19, Graduate Hotel, Cincinnati
• Southeast: Oct. 20, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center, Cambridge

Register: 2026 NASW Ohio annual statewide social work conference

Join the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in Columbus Nov. 12-13 for the 2026 Annual Statewide Social Work Conference. Attendees can expect opportunities to earn CEUs, learn about innovative practices, connect with fellow social workers, and engage in professional development throughout the two-day conference. Learn more here.

Foster America’s Fiscal Leadership Circle accepting applications

Foster America's Fiscal Leadership Circle (FLC) is a year-long fellowship for leaders working to make existing resources across child- and family-serving systems work more responsively for families. FLC combines fiscal knowledge, leadership development, expert guidance, peer learning, and applied project work. With a new cohort beginning in 2027, Fellows will:

• Participate in monthly learning sessions and an in-person convening;
• Strengthen their knowledge of public and private funding, including Family First, TANF, Medicaid, SSBG, Title IV-B, administrative claiming, cost allocation, and cross-agency financing;
• Learn with national fiscal experts, practitioners, FLC alumni, and peers;
• Apply their learning to a real fiscal challenge or opportunity, such as maximizing available funding, strengthening claiming, coordinating funding across systems, or building sustainable prevention financing; and
• Receive coaching and project development and implementation support to move strategies toward action and sustainability.

FLC is designed for individual fellows and teams of three to four positioned to influence how resources are accessed, aligned, invested, or sustained for children and families. For eligible public-sector participants working on Family First implementation, qualifying training and administrative activities may be eligible for 50% federal reimbursement through Title IV-E. Limited scholarship support is also available. Applications opened Sept. 21, with an information session Sept. 29, and an application deadline of Nov. 13. Learn more and apply here. 

Spread the word: Survey for mandated reporters

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth is working with PCSAs to develop a decision support tool to help mandated reporters and others who have concerns about the safety or well-being of a child or family. The goal is to support more consistent, informed, and supportive reporting practices. DCY is seeking mandated reporters from a variety of professional backgrounds to help test key guidance pathways. Beginning in early October, participants will use pathway diagrams to walk through real-world scenarios and provide feedback on the guidance flow, supporting content, and recommendations. Participation is flexible, with an estimated time commitment of up to eight hours spread across a multi-week testing period. Input from a variety of mandated reporters will help ensure the tool is practical, clear, and effective for professionals across Ohio. If you are interested in participating, or know mandated reporters who would be interested, please complete/share this form. 

Adoption, foster care conference offers virtual sessions

Families Rising, formerly the North American Council on Adoptable Children, will host its Adoption & Foster Care Conference online Oct. 21-22, offering two full days of training for parents and professionals. The conference will explore topics related to helping children find stable, loving homes and other issues impacting children and families in foster care and adoption. Learn more and register here.

Ohio Family Care Association 2026 conference to feature King

The Ohio Family Care Association will host its 2026 Conference, “Looking Back and Moving Forward: 50 Years of Family Voice,” on Oct. 17 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Wolfe Park Shelterhouse in Columbus. The conference will bring together families and child welfare professionals for a day of learning, connection, and reflection on the importance of family voice. Keynote speaker Lamar King will draw from his lived experience in foster care and professional expertise in child welfare to discuss strengthening families and communities. Learn more and register here. 



New Gateway Exchange publication available

The Gateway Exchange is a new monthly publication highlighting key findings from innovative child welfare initiatives, foundational casework, research-backed strategies, and more. Each issue offers practical insights and timely information for professionals working to strengthen outcomes for children and families. Subscribe to The Gateway Exchange to receive new issues and explore previous editions to stay connected to emerging ideas and promising approaches in child welfare.



Children's Budget shows drop in share of federal spending on children

The Children’s Budget, published annually by First Focus on Children for more than 15 years, provides a comprehensive analysis of the share of spending allocated to kids across more than 250 government programs in the federal budget. This analysis tracks domestic and international spending on children, including both mandatory and discretionary funding across nearly every federal department, representing numerous agencies and bureaus. In fiscal year 2025, the share of spending on children fell to a mere 8.57%, meaning that for every $100 spent by the federal government, just $8.57 went toward meeting the needs of children. Download the Children's Budget 2025.

DCY Tuesday Times

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