Lake, Geauga JFS directors applaud House’s proposed increase in funding

Earlier this year, the executive directors for the Lake and Geauga Job and Family Services departments expressed frustration over Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget.

In that budget, the funding for child protective services was to remain flat even as the opioid epidemic creates greater need and more financial challenges. Ohio was 50th in state-level funding for child protective services.

The directors had a much different reaction after the Ohio House of Representatives Finance Committee announced it was proposing an additional $15 million per year in child protective services funding.

“We think it’s fantastic,” Lake County Job and Family Services Executive Director Matt Battiato said.

Even with the increase, Ohio would still be last in funding for child protective services, but Battiato said it is a nice step forward, with the House acknowledging additional funds are necessary.

Once children are in the custody of child protective services, they are either put into a foster home or a residential treatment facility.

The cost of keeping a child at a residential treatment facility can cost $300, $400 and in some cases even $500 a day based on their needs, Battiato said.

Battiato said the priority is to always to place a child with a relative, but it has to be an appropriate relative. Unfortunately, he added, most of the kids in their care are in foster homes or residential facilities

“We’re absolutely 100 percent thrilled,” Geauga County Job and Family Services Director Craig Swenson said of the House’s proposal.

In February, Swenson told The News-Herald that the average number of children in their custody increased from 27 in 2011 to 64 this year. In 2011, they were spending $25,000 a month in placement costs. Now it’s between $100,000 and $125,000. In 2016 just shy of $1.3 million was spent on those costs.

Swenson is also happy the House is proposing additional funds to support grandparents and other family members caring for children.

Public Children Services

Association of Ohio Executive Director Angela Sausser echoed the comments by Battiato and Swenson.

“Today’s children services system is in crisis,” she said. “Ohio’s opiate epidemic is challenging the county children services agencies to provide essential services to our vulnerable children — the innocent victims. We have 1,400 additional children in foster care than just six years ago who have very complex, costly needs. We are challenged with having enough foster parents to care for these children and unable to provide adequate supports to their kinship families.”

Sausser said this is the first increase in state funding for county children services in over a decade. The state’s share in children services funding had a 21 percent decrease in 2009 and has remained flat funded at around $45 million a year since then, she said. Previous attempts at increasing the state’s funding for children services resulted in competitive grants and one-time funding, she added.

“We are so grateful to House Finance Chairman Ryan Smith, Speaker Rosenberger, Representative Sarah LaTourette, and members of the House Finance Committee for recognizing these innocent victims of the opioid epidemic by making this significant investment in children services,” she said. “They are the champions for children, their families, and our county children services agencies.”

Swenson said he’s talked endlessly with LaTourette, R-Chester Township, on the issue.

“She did an amazing job,” Swenson said.

Sausser, Swenson and Battiato all expressed hope the Ohio Senate will maintain the increase proposed by the House.

Battiato said he’s had conversations with Sen. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, answering his questions of how the opioid epidemic has affected children services.