Program History

In 2014, volunteered to participate in an exciting pilot project.

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This project, known as Youth-Centered Permanency Roundtables (PRTs), was led by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) with funding from Casey Family Programs. For the pilot, the target population is youth 12 and older who have been in care 17 months or longer.

Business analysts at SACWIS have made changes in that system so that tracking success and evaluating the pilot will be easier. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - with its own permanency project, Wendy's Wonderful Kids -  assisted with the rollout. The Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP) prepared a pool of trainers (including foster alums) to train agency staff and community stakeholders on the permanency values that are so central to the project as well as on the specific skills for facilitating successful PRTs. ODJFS has contracted with the Family and Youth Law Center (FYLaw) to administer the pilot and its advisory council. Because many of the identified children are currently placed outside public foster care, the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA) has agreed to join the effort.

 

Implementing counties included Athens County, Butler County, Clark County, Clermont County, Fairfield County, Montgomery County, Stark County, Trumbull County, and Warren County.