Continuous Certification for Foster and Adoption Agencies & Homes Effective Soon
The Department of Children and Youth (DCY) will be transitioning to a continuous certification process for foster and adoption agencies and foster and adoptive homes on January 1, 2025. Along with the new certification process, agencies will now use the Ohio Certification for Agencies and Families (OCAF) for all their agency certification and application materials. As a reminder, foster home certification and adoptive home approvals will continue in the Ohio Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS). Previous guidance has been provided for both continuous certification and OCAF. Information was also provided regarding upcoming training sessions. The guidance documents, frequently asked questions, and training registration can be found at the following link: DCY Continuous Certification and OCAF Information - Home. Please register for the training and request OCAF access now.
Updated Guidance on Elementary and Secondary Education Act Released
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health (HHS) have released Non-Regulatory Guidance: Ensuring Educational Stability and Success for Students in Foster Care.
This joint effort reflects the best current thinking on the program requirements for the educational stability provisions for students in foster care in Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). This updated guidance is designed to answer frequently asked questions from state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and key partners concerning ESEA’s educational stability requirements and to support SEAs and LEAs and their human service agency counterparts in ensuring that students in foster care receive the necessary resources to thrive academically.
Survey To Identify Needs and Outcomes of Foster Youth Now in its 19th Year
The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Survey is a national data system designed to study the independent living services offered to youth in and out of foster care. Ohio kicked off the 19-year-old survey on October 1, 2024.
Agencies who have previous foster youth selected to complete this survey have been notified by email from transitional-youth-programs@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov. Agencies are to engage the young adults in the sample population to complete the NYTD Survey as this information is essential to help us identify the needs and outcomes of this vulnerable population. To increase participation, Chafee or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Independent Living (TANF IL) incentives can be provided to young adults who complete the survey. It is suggested that a $50.00 to $100.00 Chafee or TANF IL incentive be provided. It is recommended that this be provided in the form of a check.
Ohio has consistently met the federal participation standards which allows Ohio to avoid a financial penalty against the state’s federal Chafee allocation. We appreciate your on-going efforts to better the lives of Ohio’s foster youth.
This flow chart outlines the identified NYTD population and survey completion dates per cohort. If you have questions regarding the NYTD, please send your inquiries to the Transition Age Youth Programs mailbox.
Save the Date for the December DCY Children Services Updates Call
The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is hosting bi-monthly calls for our public children service agencies and Title IV-E courts. The purpose of the calls is to share DCY updates and information on children services programs, policies, and best practices. This call is geared toward caseworkers and supervisors; however, directors and administrators are invited to attend. These calls occur on the third Tuesday of every other month from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please plan to join us on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. for our next call and remember to forward this information to your caseworkers and supervisors!
A reminder email with the call link and agenda will be sent on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, to agency directors and administrators.
Child Match: Creating Placement Connections for our Kids
The Child Match project, developed by the Automated Systems Review Committee, aims to streamline communication, and improve placement processes for children in need. Launched in July 2024 with Ohio SACWIS integration in October, the system allows Public Children Services Agencies (PCSAs) and community providers to create placement postings which are automatically sent to agencies who operate facilities and certify homes.
By November 15, 125 children were posted on Child Match, with 43 successfully finding placements. Cuyahoga County has been a key implementer, reporting significant benefits from the new system.
Key Achievements:
- Created contracts with six new private agencies
- Expanded placement options for challenging cases
- Facilitated smoother transitions for youth
A notable example involves a nine-year-old youth who had been in psychiatric and residential care. Through Child Match, Cuyahoga County identified two new placement providers, preventing extended stays in temporary facilities. County officials noted that without Child Match, the youth would have remained in their building since July.
The placement department praised the tool, stating, "Child Match has made my job easier. It gives us more placement options on our harder to place kids."
Ohio continues to demonstrate leadership in children services through technology-driven solutions like Child Match. By leveraging innovative systems that prioritize communication, collaboration, and child-centered placement strategies, Ohio is transforming how children and youth receive critical support services.
If you are interested in using Child Match as a PCSA or agency who operates facilities or certifies homes, please visit the Continuous Certification and OCAF site.
Survey Available Seeking Ways to Help Foster Youth Receiving Federal Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) are seeking public input regarding children in the child welfare system who receive Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. The goal of the survey is to inform how federal agencies can support state and local efforts to improve the outcomes of these children. The input received will inform deliberations about potential policy changes or additional guidance.
You can complete the request for information (RFI) (89 FR 87453, 11/1/2024) published by SSA and ACF here.
Because of the importance of Social Security and SSI benefits received by members of this specific population, the scope of this RFI is limited to these federal benefits even though we recognize that this issue is broader than just these federal benefits paid by SSA. Children can become eligible for Social Security benefits because of the disability, retirement, or death of a parent, and can become eligible for SSI because of their own disability. Whether these children receive benefits during their stay in foster care, and how benefits are managed on their behalf if they do receive them, have emerged as complex policy and operational issues in recent years. This RFI seeks to better understand relevant policy issues to inform Health and Human Services’ (HHS) and SSA's joint consideration of how to meet the goals of the respective foster care and Social Security programs to promote positive outcomes for children.
It is important to ensure your comments are considered. They must be received no later than December 2, 2024. We strongly recommend comments are submitted via the federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Use the search function to find docket number SSA-2024-0038 or you may use this direct link Federal Register: Request for Information: Use and Conservation of Social Security Benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments That Representative Payees Receive for Beneficiaries Residing in Foster Care.
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